NorthBridge/ Southbridge Cooling - recommendations?

khagan · Aug 30, 2003

NF7-S NorthBridge/ Southbridge Cooling - recommendations?

I am setting up an NF7-S and wanted to see what the recommendations for cooling the North and SouthBridge were.

Also, can someone clarify if the NB and SB are the same size and thus use similar heatsinks?

I have heard good things about the Zalaman Passive Cooler...Would anyone recommend using this on both the NB & SB or would you use something that uses a fan?

Thanks!

xboy · Aug 30, 2003

Right from the ghetto

Deathknight · Aug 30, 2003

Heh xboy I cracked up the first time I saw you post that and it still slays me

I had planned on putting A zalman ZM-NB47J on my southbridge until I recently put a ZM80A-HP on my video card. Now there is not really much room. I am going to pull the mobo out of the case soon and I will see if I position it correctly if it will fit. I have a feeling I need a HS that is not quite so tall. Perhaps the ZMNB32J would fit? I may get one and see.

As for the northbridge I am going to be putting this one probably on tuesday when I tear my machine apart:

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/minochcokit.html

xboy · Aug 30, 2003

$35 for fan and heatsink for NB ???? Better get water block!

slater3333uk · Aug 30, 2003

IMO the Zalaman passive cooler is ideal for the southbridge but something a little bigger is needed for the northbridge

How would you feel about modding a old cpu hsink to fit the northbridge? thats what i have allways done

fhanderson · Aug 30, 2003

I installed the Zalman cooler with a 40mm fan, it does a great job. The only drawback is that it limits the size of the cooling on your video card. I suggest using something flat like like a GPU cooler if you plan to install any extra cooling on your video card.

khagan · Aug 30, 2003

Okay, so the consensus seems to be the Zalaman ZM-NB32J for the SB....I am still open to ideas for th NB...$35 is pretty steep.

For the NB, the vantec iceberg is a possibility, the zalaman chipset cooler I have heard good things about and apparently the chrome orb is another option. Which is the better?

ps. I will be putting a Vantec Iceberg4 on my 9500 if that plays into anyones recommendations.

slater3333uk · Aug 30, 2003

The general feeling is the Vantec Iceburg is definatly better than the Chrome Orb

khagan · Aug 30, 2003

hmmm....the "crystal" orb seems to go by the alias of "chrome" orb....al least that what I came across when I kept looking for the chipset cooler named the chrome orb. Is this right?

btw, I will get the vantec

Thanks for your help.

chiyau · Aug 30, 2003

Deathknight said:
I had planned on putting A zalman ZM-NB47J on my southbridge until I recently put a ZM80A-HP on my video card. Now there is not really much room.

i just installed the zalman ZM80C-HP and had to saw off 2 rows of fins on the ZM-NB32J in order for it to fit on my southbridge. as for my NB i have a ZM-NB32J with a 40mm fan which does a good job.

b4 i had a DD Z-chip and DD geforce block and replaced them with the above to improve my water flow.

khagan · Aug 30, 2003

what 40mm fan is recommended? I don't want anything I can hear while I am in the bathroom reading a good book

Deathknight · Aug 30, 2003

Turn on the bathroom fan. Problem solved

Deathknight · Aug 31, 2003

Re: NF7-S NorthBridge/ Southbridge Cooling - recommendations?

khagan said:
Also, can someone clarify if the NB and SB are the same size and thus use similar heatsinks?
something that uses a fan?

Thanks!

Missed this part of the question earlier. The southbridge is actually smaller than the northbridge. Also the northbridge has 2 mounting holes and the southbridge does not. You need thermal tape, something like artic alumina epoxy or some people like to just use artic silver 3 with a dab of super glue in the corners. The northbridge is a bit easier to put something on since it has the mounting holes.

Mizzery · Aug 31, 2003

I'm a big fan of chopping a stock cpu heatsink up (just enough to clear surronding components, keep it as big as possible) and using it passivly. No noise and its just so much better than the stock. With good case airflow a tall heatsink doesn't really need a fan. If you're trying to go for max fsb overclock then i'd say go for a actively cooled solution, but if you're just looking for better chipset cooling, just glue a giant heatsink on there.

khagan · Aug 31, 2003

I do like the idea of not having to rely on a fan... less to go wrong.

What I might do is, seeing as the already installed cooling on the NF7's NB isn't that bad in the frst place, is pull it off, clean it up and put down some artic silver. How does that sound?

Restorer · Aug 31, 2003

If you want to go all the way with your stock NB cooling, you should lap the heatsink and possibly the northbridge itself before you apply the AS3. I did this with my Zalman HS (the blue one), and found out that even though the heatsink is now perfectly flat, the northbridge was quite concave. It took a big blob of AS to make contact in the center.

xgman · Aug 31, 2003

for the NB I use this

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/minochcokit.html

chiyau · Aug 31, 2003

xgman said:
for the NB I use this

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/minochcokit.html

it does look good but for $34.95 its too much. i think the Zalman NB-32J and a 40mm fan for less than $9.99 will do the same job.

Lithan · Aug 31, 2003

Get a heatsink under 10mm high for southbridge. It doesn't get very hot, that should be plenty. And you DONT want to obstruct your agp or pci cards. For northbridge... I say get a small copper microfin with a silent fan and bolt it on. sk-6 would work great I think.

gamefoo21 · Aug 31, 2003

15 bucks for a 60 mm alu aftermarket up to athlon 1500mhz socket a/370 cooler for me thanks

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NorthBridge/ Southbridge Cooling - recommendations?

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