Hey guys,

I was wondering what CPU cooler to get for my Q6600? I was thinking the Zalman 9700. Here is the setup:

Q6600 (OC as high as possible- 3.2Ghz, 3.4Ghz, 3.6Ghz?)
GA-P31-DS3L
HD 4850
500W PSU
Zalman 9700
2Gb Corsair 800Mhz RAM 4-4-4-12

I the Zalman up to the task? I heard some talk about the 'Freezer 7 Pro', but I looked at it's cost and it looks cheap. Any thoughts?

Thanks

It should do fine. Here's the top 5 performing coolers:
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

It's #9?

Hmm...

Any other ones that are higher in the list, and still the same price, or less?

Thanks

Yes, #2 is much cheaper.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] bHDT-S1283

So I should get that, instead?

Not listed in the FrostyTech Mk.II Synthetic Thermal Heatsink Test Results is the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro, I find that interesting.

I have pretty much came up with the following after looking at the cooling ability of a couple of the more talked about coolers on this forum.

This is the number that you want to beat.
Thermal Resistance: 0.17°C/Watt
Anything higher is a waste of your money.
If this number is not given, move along.

Oh by the way this is from the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro, $32 retail.

Everyone yells Zalman Zalman Zalman, well guess what I don't find any Thermal Resistance information on thier
web site or in the coolerss manuals. They are over priced anyways.


XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler
Thermal Resistance 0.16°C/Watt
$44 shipped

$10 for .01 Degrees C/W at best a cooling of 2 Degrees C, to me it's not worth the hassle of install and expense.

Scythe SCINF-1000 120mm CPU Cooler Thermal Resistance unknown price higher than other units of know capability.

Tuniq Tower 120 P4 & K8 CPU Cooler
Thermal Resistance 0.16 - 0.21 °C / W from web site, $57.58 delivered.
Again over priced and a pain in the ass installation.

Bang for buck winner here, the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro.
Why bother with anything else?

A post script to the above:

XIGMATEK has a new unit out the Xigmatek Achilles S1284 for $45 before shipping.
Thermal Resistance 0.14°C/Watt
This may be the new big boy on the block.
$52 shipped from;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] &Tpk=S1284

With installation of the XIGMATEK' being so problematic and it almost requires the extra mounting bracket,
at a cost of an additional $10. I might still go with the Freezer 7 Pro.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835186134

When Xigmatek includes the extra mounting bracket in the box. I will give the newer cooler, the Achilles S1284 a try.

I just now installed my Xiggy with bracket on a e8400 in a ASUS P5Q-E board. That's the XIGMATEK HDT-S1283. It wasn't much of a hassle. In fact, it went on smoothly. You just need to do things in the right order and have the right tools. You will need good needle-nosed pliers to remove the fan once you install it, and you must remove it before you can access two of the screws holding down the cooler... so do it right the first time.

BIOS reports 21c, about 1.5c above ambient temp. I can't hear the fan.

I would say I'm very pleased. The fan has to run north/south on a dual-core.. not a problem in my system. Would run east/west on a quad, which would be optimal in most cases.

I'm still formatting the drive, so I'll have a better idea once I get it slipstreamed and updated.

Confusing...

So the Xigmatek Achilles S1284 is now the better one to go? What is wrong with the #2 in that list? I am confused...

The Achilles is a smaller unit as far as I know. The S-1283 is the one with the good reviews.

Thanks Prox, I'll get the S-1283 instead. I'd like to hear about how your system works out. PM me with details/temps would ya?

Thanks everyone!