I need a cooler for the Maximus Formula socket 775 and a thermal paste, preferably from www.tigerdirect.ca or www.canadacomputers.com I will be running a Intel Core 2 Duo E8400

What budget ? What overclocking potential ?

Current "king of the hill" :
http://www.canadacomputers.com/ind [...] cid=FN.349
The stock thermal paste will do just fine.

If you want less massive
http://www.canadacomputers.com/ind [...] cid=FN.349

AC7 is an excellent cooler, however a recent review on the Xigmatek HDT SD964 shows very promising performance for around the same price: http://www.frostytech.com/articlev [...] cleID=2269

My guess is that the AC7 is better if you want a quieter operation.

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicat [...] 4&CatId=99 good cooler?

I used to be all for the AC7 but this is a good bit better for about the same price:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233003

I guess we should wait for the OP to reply, but it the fact is that it all depends on price and expected performance. As we all know a great air cooler is just as good as a plain old water cooling system, where as as water cooling system is usually just as good as a TEC with less draw and it all depends on the desired budget and sized of the components used. However a user might be able to afford something like a phase change system or might even be looking for N0S for maximum (boost) OCability.

I think we should wait to see the OP's price range and desired OCability and even their mobo. As we all know some mobo's don't OC as far as other and some CPU's are limiting factors in combinations with those CPU's. HOWEVER if the OP does not intend on OCing then the AC7 should be fine as it's the cheapest "good" cooler.

I've been wondering the same thing myself

I use the CNPS9700 on my e8400.

After a full night of Prime95 stress test @ 3.6GHz, I was reading 43C in the morning. Around 45C during the day (always cooler in the house during night/morning).

When it's an app that's not multithreaded, the second core hovers around 23-24C idling. very, very cool.

I agree totally with the Xigmatek S1283 cooler. Great deal for $35.00. Fits fine in my Antec P182 mid tower case. The Xigmatek fan is fine as is, don't spend money on a Noctua or Scythe until you've tried the existing one out. Word of caution: this cooler comes only with the plastic push pin mounts, which I don't trust for great contact with the cpu. If you call Xigmatek, they do have the bolt thru kit with backplate, for free. This mounting system is far superior and assures a good fit. If Xigmatek hems and haws, tell them you won't buy it without the kit. Thermaltake makes the same exact kit for around $6.00.

http://www.canadacomputers.com/ind [...] cid=FN.349

For the thermal compound, this one is fairly new and has great reviews. I used it with no problems at all. For $6.00, great deal.

http://www.canadacomputers.com/ind [...] cid=FN.687

My motherboard is an Asus Maximus Formula I will be running an E8400 my price ranger is anywhere from $150 down, I plan to overclock down the road to mabye 4 ghz but im undecided. P.S. I am willing to get that Ultra Chilltec cooler for 150 but thats the highest price I will go.

I am willing to bet that the Xigmatek will cool the cpu better than the ultra...

My vote goes for the AC7 at $27 shipped or the Xigmatek at $36 shipped.

DD12v-D5
PA120.3 x 3 Ultra Kaze
Swiftech.....

Wait wait wait, you said $150 didn't ya..

I'd go ahead and smuggle a ThermalRight Ultra 120 across the border then..

Thermal grease I have use AS5 for along time but ARCTIC COOLING MX-2 works better.

I have a Athlon XP 3200+ Barton w/Swiftech MCX462-V are know to run hot..at idle 40c-43c/room 21c. I reapply Arctic Silver 5 three time I got the same results. First time I apply MX-2 a thin coat it drop to 39c. Second time I apply a thick coat drop to 36c. And 4-5 days later it drop 33c.

If you want extreme performance and quiet. Then get this. Read the reviews on this heatsink. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835185064
Scythe OROCHI 10 Heat Pipes Cooler
http://www.canadacomputers.com/ind [...] cid=FN.349

Don't you mean LN2. It's a computer, not a Civic.

To OP: I would say bang/buck belongs to the Hyper TX2 and Xigmatek S963 in the 'middle weight class'. For 'uber heavy weight class' I would say TRU/TRUE, Xigmatek S1283, Scythe Ninja, Scythe Infinity/Mugen or Scythe Zipang/Orochi (for very quiet and high performance).

Edit: As for thermal grease, AS5 if you're stuck in the old school of silver-based cure-time-needed varieties. Tuniq TX2 for even better performance at a slightly lower price (most of the time).