[Solved] Heatsink for Gigabyte A75M-D2H

Can you recommend an aftersales heatsink that will fit in a Gigabyte A75M-D2H (not the UD2H)?

The problem is that the memory slots are too close to the CPU slot so the dimensions of the cooler must be limited.

I was forced to use the one that comes with the CPU and I am hoping for something that sounds less like a chopper...

I would think the CoolerMaster Hyper 212+ or Hyper 212 Evo would fit. They are pretty big but more tall than wide and are not known to block memory slots.

You can always just buy low profile memory. GSkill Ripjaws X and low profile Corsair Vengance both will fit under the larger air coolers. My Scythe Mugen 2 covers 2 slots on my board but the GSkill Ripjaws X fits under it. You just have to put the memory in before you install the cooler.

You have the low profile Vengance? The normal stuff is too tall and will hit the big air coolers.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820233186

If you have regular Vengance you might be limited to the Hyper 212+/212 Evo. Those are good coolers so thats not necessarily a bad thing.

Actually the Gaia might work too. It's only half as deep as my Mugen, 50 vs 100. Depth is what you are looking for as far as covering memory slots. The Gaia is actually smaller than the Hyper 212.

You are comparing a low end air cooler to a very expensive "sort of" water cooler. If you look at any of the reviews you have to move up to the expensive and loud H100 to equal the performance of the higher end air coolers. If you want to exceed air cooler performance you need a real custom water loop. Really the only reason to have one is if you don't have room in your case for air. It's simple thermodynamics. Just compare the surface area of the closed loop coolers radiator to the surface area of a big air cooler.

All the big air coolers come with backplates making motherboard stress a moot point.

Almost every air cooler comes with it's own thermal paste. Some of it very good.

Closed loop coolers actually impede case airflow due to their need to intake air where air should be exhausting.

The $30 Hyper 212 beats the $75 H50 in every test including noise.


http://benchmarkreviews.com/index. [...] mitstart=4

And have the closed loop coolers changed since then? Nope. Here is a review from November.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5054 [...] reviewed/5

Did I say you were recommending an H70? i just compared a $30 air cooler to an inferior $75 closed loop cooler.

The review that you posted also states in the conclusion (above the picture):

"...installation of the Corsair water block is substantially easier than that of the Silver Arrow—and that’s assuming you have a motherboard and case with sufficient clearance to begin with. There’s also the lingering question of whether it’s a good idea to have 1.2kg of weight hanging from your motherboard. Considering all of this, while coolers like the Silver Arrow can certainly be competitive, there’s still plenty of reason to consider Corsair’s Hydro series coolers."

So...

I am not sure what you are really trying to point out to us.

The whole argument is moot anyway since the OP was asking for something quiet. Why would he spend $100 on an H100 that's louder than his stock cooling?

If its a budget issue, air is the way to go.

But...

If the OP wants performance, the newer Corsair coolers are the way to go for all the reasons that I mentioned and more.

Edit:

The only thing I hear in my case is my video card. The H100 is on low fan speed and keeps my 4.5 OC at ~60'C under full load.

not the H60

This is exactly why they make low profile memory.

Even the aftermarket coolers with the fan on top are wider than the stock heatsink/fan.

You may be stuck with one of the H series of coolers. The bad news with that is only the $120 H100 is anything approaching quiet so any of the lower cost versions defeat your purpose. Or you could save $50 by getting 8GB of low profile Corsair Vengance or GSkill Ripjaws X for $46 and a Hyper 212 for $30.

I thought about those as well but they overhang more than the stock cooler. If you read the reviews people still say they block memory slots. They are more for a MicroATX case where the height of the cooler is the problem.

It's the Corsair Vengance that's the problem. When it first came out I would not even recommend it for anyone with aftermarket air cooling and I have used Corsair for years. The GSkill Ripjaws and Ripjaws X both fit under the big coolers with no problems and Corsair has finally started getting quite a few different low profile Vengance kits on the market.

What if I switch the side of the heatsink fan so it does not get blocked by the RAM chips?

The only drawback I can think of is that in this case it will be face-to-face with the back case fan with an opposite air flow.

Is that a very bad thing?

Best answer selected by kouroubel.