ASRock X79 Extreme4 fan question

[Skodkim]

Hi

I'm considering upgrading my old PC with new hardware. I'm thinking about buying

• an ASRock X79 Extreme4 motherboard
• an Intel Core I7-3820 CPU
• Kingston HyperX 4 x 4 GB RAM
• an SSD (I already own a 1 TB HDD)
• For Graphics I've already bought an Sapphire RADEON HD 7870 OC Graphics card and I have a chassis and a 750 W power supply.

The one thing I can't really decide on is a CPU fan. I was considering something like a Zalman’s CNPS12X or Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 but I'm really in doubt here.

Noise is - along with cooling - important for me so thats a factor but I guess I'll already have to think about physical space on the motherboard.

Is there anyone out there who can give me recommendations/hints about coolers and the considerations above.

Any help much appreciated!

\Skodkim

[raymondjpg]

I like liquid cooling systems, one of the reasons being that the radiator fan doubles as a chassis exhaust fan i.e. one fan doing the job of two.

I am currently using a Corsair CPU cooler with a 120 mm fan in push configuration. From what I have read this is as effective as pull, and there is always an option to mount an additional 120 mm fan in pull configuration to the outside of the case if you need it. Mounting a second radiator fan inside the case runs the risk of obscuring some of the RAM modules on the X79 Extreme4 board. A second radiator fan would push up noise levels, particularly with outside mounting.

With The X79 Extreme4, an i73930K CPU idling at Vcore 0.85V and x12 clock multiplier and a single exhaust fan, CPU temperatures run about 10-12C above ambient using a Cougar CF-V12HPB Vortex PWM Hydro-Dynamic-Bearing 120mm running at 1112 RPM. It is rated at 1500 RPM max, but under CPU load rotates at 1666 RPM. At 1112 RPM the fan is very quiet, and even at full tilt does not make too much noise.

Personally I favour 120 mm fans for a quiet PC option, but this may be a matter of taste so I'd recommend doing some research before committing.

Another consideration is the heat output of the X79 chipset. This runs pretty warm, so I use a 120 mm chassis fan running at about 780 RPM to move air over the southbridge. It stabilises at about 20C above ambient. The X79 Extreme4 comes with a small cooling fan mounted on the southbridge which at default setting starts up at a bit over 50C. I try to avoid its use as it is a little noisy.

If you have a full tower case already you may be able to fit a 120 mm radiator cooler system and 120 mm chassis fans OK, but you may be better off purchasing a new case with a bottom mounted PSU. This gives more room for CPU cooling options at the top of the case.

[Skodkim]

I'm not really sure about the liquid cooling systems. It seems like a fantastic idea but 1: I've never tried it and propably I'm a bit old fashioned, 2: Isn't it expensive? and 3: I'd really like to avoid spending money on a new tower case as the other things are expensive enough as it is.

What I was aiming for was propably something more conventional like a CPU fan. Tomshardware.com has a test here: Which LGA 2011 Cooler Would We Buy? : Big Air: 14 LGA 2011-Compatible Coolers For Core i7-3000, Reviewed It is however a bit hard to read the conclusions when you're not that experienced with hardware (as me) and furthermore there's the physical space to consider.

\Skodkim

[raymondjpg]

Say you went with the Noctua (Tom's pick) - in my neck of the woods $85. The Corsair H70 comes in at $89, to which has to be added about $25 for a fan. Not that much of a difference in my view, particularly if you had to invest in a 120 mm case fan anyway to exhaust the chassis.

With the Noctua you would then have three fans going, two on the CPU and one chassis exhaust fan. With the Corsair, just one. That is three times the noise potential, although I acknowledge that the PC will likely be idling more often than running full bore and Noctuas are good and quiet at low revs. I use them as chassis input fans.

A mid-tower case with bottom mounted PSU comes in at about $45. As Tom's review says, you are going for a relatively high end CPU that justifies some attention to cooling and noise levels.

[Skodkim]

Yeah, I see what you're saying here, especially after reading something about the H70. In Danish kr (about a sixth of a USD) the corsair+fans is ~800 while the Noctua is ~600 so its not the difference here, that's going to be a problem. However as I can tell the H70+two fans would be rougly 10 cm deep mounted (5+2*2,5 cm). I'm not sure that's going to fit in my current tower - I'll have to check. If not could you point me to a tower that allows me to have bottom mounted PSUs?

\Skodkim

[raymondjpg]

Yeah, I see what you're saying here, especially after reading something about the H70. In Danish kr (about a sixth of a USD) the corsair+fans is ~800 while the Noctua is ~600 so its not the difference here, that's going to be a problem. However as I can tell the H70+two fans would be rougly 10 cm deep mounted (5+2*2,5 cm). I'm not sure that's going to fit in my current tower - I'll have to check. If not could you point me to a tower that allows me to have bottom mounted PSUs?

\Skodkim

Like I said the H70 should really only be fitted with one internal fan; with two the unit would overlap the ram modules towards the back of the case. You could fit a second fan on the outside of the case, but both a second fan and outside mounting would push up noise potential.

I get away with one 120 mm fan mounted internally in push configuration. From what I have read this as good as Corsair's recommendation of pull, which also pushes warm air into the case. Not ideal!

Whether you fit one fan or two would depend on the CPU load you are anticipating. For video processing I run an i7-3930K at about 50% and can cool adequately with one fan. My aim is core temps of 60C or less, and CPU temp of 50-55C. You could run at higher temps with one fan; up to 70C core temps and 65C CPU temp, but I prefer not to.

If you have a full tower case you may be able to fit the H70 without jamming up against the PSU. If not, a mid-tower case like the CoolerMaster Elite 334U with bottom mounted PSU is currently retailing at about $40.

[Skodkim]

This is beginning to sound very interseting now. I'm going to open my PC later today and see how much room I have.

\Skodkim

[Skodkim]

Hmm. Quite confident that I'll need a new towe if I decide on the HD70 but that would raise the total by roughly 100-150 USD compared to buying a CPU fan instead. I'm really not sure I'm prepared / can do that.

\Skodkim

[raymondjpg]

Hmm. Quite confident that I'll need a new towe if I decide on the HD70 but that would raise the total by roughly 100-150 USD compared to buying a CPU fan instead. I'm really not sure I'm prepared / can do that.

\Skodkim

OK then go with something like the Noctua, but be sure to have good ventilation inside the case. I suggest, as well as an efficient exhaust fan, at least one input fan on the bottom of the case blowing over the southbridge.