Heatsink and fan for 2500 barton CPU

[Xstatic]

Im currently looking to buy a 2500 along with a7n8x mobo and would like to overclock the cpu. What would be the best for this cpu?

Also im a gamer and would like to know what memory should i buy for this system. Is the corsair memory worth the cash or is kingston memory the same. Also is this GeIl memory any good?

Thanks in advance.

[9mmCensor]

Grab a Thermalright 947-U (and a shim is recommended as well), and throw a fan on. It depends on your tastes in noise.

Memory is a touchy one though for the brand. Pretty well, Corsair, Geil, Mushkin, and OCZ are the best, try to get PC-3500 if you can or PC-3200 if you are on a budget. Go for a single stick of 512MB's (minimum for XP and recommended for games).

If you want to overclock, look into a Abit NF7-S ver. 2, it is considered the best overclocking mobo for Socket A, by many, and its cheaper.

[DarkSide8416]

the best fan for performance would be a Tornado, both the 90mm and 80mm versions are great performers. However there is a high (99%) chance that the noise from this fan will drive you insane. For that I recommend getting a rheostat for it. Something like the Vantec Nexus or Coolermaster Aerogate 2 would work, as they both can handle the wattage that the Tornado needs. A Tornado and a fan controller would be about $35-$65 depending on your controller choice. A more economical solution would be the Thermaltake Smart Fan 2, as it is only $10. It has a built in rheostat or can be temperature controlled (I do not recommend temp controlled), and produces almost as much CFM as the 80mm Tornado.

[Hughhefner]

IF you want INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE WITHOUT the Noise try this--I am soooo happy---

Swiftech 462-V heatsink
AS 5 , 120mm to 92mm adapter
120mm X38mm high output fan-- 125 CFM YS tech
the backpressure is not that bad
The noise is so nice, I even leave my case side open, TONS quieter than my 80mm TTsm2

Dig these temps

1.9V XP1800 DLT3C at 2450mhz 123F LOAD!!!!
I HAD a 92mm Tornado on this thing--yes the temps were better--not much- 119F load BUT the 120mm IS SOOO quiet

ALL at frozencpu.com

[Big_Baller]

Originally posted by Hughhefner
IF you want INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE WITHOUT the Noise try this--I am soooo happy---

Swiftech 462-V heatsink
AS 5 , 120mm to 92mm adapter
120mm X38mm high output fan-- 125 CFM YS tech
the backpressure is not that bad
The noise is so nice, I even leave my case side open, TONS quieter than my 80mm TTsm2

Dig these temps

1.9V XP1800 DLT3C at 2450mhz 123F LOAD!!!!
I HAD a 92mm Tornado on this thing--yes the temps were better--not much- 119F load BUT the 120mm IS SOOO quiet

ALL at frozencpu.com

Or you could go water cool and get load temps way lower depending on your system. Sorry I just had to burst that bubble. :p :p

Xstatic I would recommend the abit NF-7s mobo but the a7n8x is good. If you are considering overclocking go with any of the ram listed here:
Clicky (http://http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=237964)
You will want to go for TWO sticks of ram. Be it 2x256 or 2x512*(best, but most expensive) Place the sticks of ram in the second and third slots.

OK about the fan. The SK7 or the SLK 800-900 are awsome heatsinks (I think one of them might have a problem with the a7n8x but someone can clear that up) The smart fan 2 is great because it blows and is adjstable :D :D
I have had good luck with the Vantec aeroflow.
Have fun.

[Xstatic]

OK thanks for all the inof. Been great help.

Im think im going with the abit nf7-s board along with the slk-900 and a fan of some sort if it will work. But i dont know what memory to use still. I like all those brands but as far as the cas2 or 2.5 or 3 and what version do i go with gold platnuim blah blah. I dont understand the differance in them all. I want good performace for around $200. I dont mind paying a lil more than $200 but i dont really see myself spending $300. can someone help?

Btw that ram list url never worked for me.

[Big_Baller]

OH just go to the memory section oh these forums then check out the sticyk labeled "this weeks BH5s" Ask around there they will help you out. But like I said, the memory in the BH5 list will all be good.

[leggysoe]

900a w/ 92mm fan from svc

[Yuriman]

I actualy prefer the A7N8X series, much better support/features on the dlx.

[Big_Baller]

Ya I had the A7n8x dlx...it crapped out on me. Its happened to other people too. Its a good board but NF7-S v2 is simply better imo. The S version has all of the bells and whistles also.

[Xstatic]

Ive found that nf7-s is a lil cheeper, but only by a few bucks.

I guess im going to go with the Kingston HyperX KHX3200K2/1G 1GB Kit DDR400 PC3200 Memory w/Heat Spreader Retail for now. Its seems to be the best ram for the best price. 2226 is great and it dont cost over $300.

Im looking to get 2.6gig or more out of this set up. Is that a speed I can look forward to? Ive been told they can hit 3 gig and higher.

[Big_Baller]

A 2500 @ 3 gig? No. Remember they are actually clocked at like 1.85 or 1.7x. You might get to 3 gig on a heavely modded nf7 with phase change on on cpu and nb and a water cooled sb. (No exp just what I think it might require) You should be looking at around 2.4-2.6 on air. I think the retail bartons are doing the best right now. get an older one too, the newer ones are comming locked. Someone around here should know more though.

[blazer99]

thanx to all the posters ... I want to learn more about this very subject too.
What if ya justwanted to keep the stock heatsink, & upgrade the fan?

Cheers
:burn:

[Big_Baller]

The stock heatsink sucks. It has gotten better but it still sucks.

[Yuriman]

Actualy, most bartons get 2.3-2.5 on water. Less on air. You may get VERY lucky and hit 2.5 on air.

[Xstatic]

Why so low? The cpu data base has some hitting 2.8. My neighbor has a 2100 and got 2.4 on air.

[Xstatic]

What would be a better chip to go with to get higher speeds then?

[Yuriman]

The 2500+ is about the best in its price range. You may be confused with PR ratings. At 2.2ghz its called a 3200+. Not sure if you are, just clarifying.

[Xstatic]

ya I understand all that.

[blazer99]

The 2500 Bartons are the current "value" O/C'ers.

Just make sure you get a chip marked pre-week-39 of '03 production! ... reports are rampant about locked Bartons.

Cheers

[Hamspiced]

i got the 2500 barton and i used a Thermal Take proc. Fan, it dont make a sound. The only sound i hear is the PSU and the Case fans, and thats not loud at all....

[Amino]

I wouldn't recommend anything other than a Vantec AeroFlow. Anything else is a pain to get onto the mobo, and then you also have to buy a fan for it, and you're most likely going to get a loud-as-hell fan.

The AeroFlow is quiet as a whisper and keeps my Barton 2500+ at a chilly 30C. Yeah that's right, 30 degrees celcius. I guess I just mounted it really well, but I mean, come on... 30C? Anyways, it uses a TMD fan rather than a regular fan, which means there's no motor driving the fan. Instead, it uses magnets to move it, which makes for quite silent operation.

In addition, whereas an SLK (without a fan) will run you roughly 30 to 40 dollars, the Aeroflow (WITH a fan) will run you only 25 bucks. Add a fan to that SLK and you're spending twice as much as you would for an AeroFlow and you'll be getting the same performance, or worse with the SLK. I wouldn't even buy an SLK from Mercedes Benz!

As for the mobo and memory, the NF7-S seems to be the popular choice. I'd say more people are going with that one over the Asus board. However, Leadtek has just come out with a mobo called the "Deluxe Limited Pro II." I went for that one. I read a few reviews that have said VERY nice things about it. I got mine this weekend, but it was DOA, so I'm RMAing it for another one. My new one should get here tomorrow or wednesday. Apparantly it's chipset can get upto 240 FSB, where I'm sure most CPUs will start crapping out - which means that it's a pretty good board considering teh fact that it won't be the thing that is putting a ceiling over your OC.

memory, I'd go for Kingston HyperX. Corsair has been given a really good rep, but I've had a few problems with them before, and in my intel system, I was able to get to 285 FSB with HyperX sticks, but only to about 270 with Corsair. That's 180 Mhz I would have been missing out on. And that's only one example of mine. I've had a few more problems with them. Kingston HyperX is the only way to go in my opinion. And they're cheaper than Corsair's XMS series as well!