best value overclockable cpu?

[Bascotie]

Just measured and looks like the 212 Evo will fit, I think I'll go with it

 

[Knufire]

The new Haswell CPUs run HOT...the Hyper212 Evo might only be good for a small bump in clock speed. Maybe 4GHz or so.

 

[Bascotie]

Which do you recommend? I was reading the top rated liquid cooling (H50) and saw this:

Pros: Got it on sale for $29. Cools relatively well. With push/pull, temps were the same as my 212 Evo in push/pull with the same fans.

Cons: Had to RMA after about 41/2 months. I honestly don't think it's worth full price, unless you have a space issue. It cools the same as a 212 Evo but costs 2x as much.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

What price range are you looking on the cooler?

The H50 is a POS. If you're going AIO, go H100i or Swiftech H220

 

[Bascotie]

Thank you. I'm thinking in the meantime I'm going to stick with the 212 Evo, and if I pull off a 4.2Ghz overclock I'll be happy. In the future, as funds become available again, I may consider water cooling though it frightens me haha

 

[ATMINSIDE]

The NH-D14 I have can cool within ~2C of the better AIO units, you could consider that since water scares you.

Going with the 212 Evo is never a bad choice, especially for the price.

 

[Wipeout]

Thank you. I'm thinking in the meantime I'm going to stick with the 212 Evo, and if I pull off a 4.2Ghz overclock I'll be happy. In the future, as funds become available again, I may consider water cooling though it frightens me haha

My experience with the 212's. Screw it up 10 times in a row, have crap leaking out the sides, and learn on a bulky cooler for starters.Go through 3/4 of a tube for (1) build, but now I am good at it.

MX4 gets my vote for paste.

212 Plus / Evo Method

I have installed the Hyper 212 plus and Evo several times.You will notice when you look for videos concerning installation, they never show the whole process in real time.Its always before and after shots.Go figure.My Phenom II 965, 125 watt @ 3.8g idled at 28C using this method.Much better results with fx cpu's, but the sensors for idle temps are false anyway.This is assuming good air flow through the case, and using push and pull.

* The 212 Plus is a little different.The gaps on the heatsink should be filled in before applying paste.Not true with the Evo.The Evo has a smoother surface area vs the 212.Other than that, the same steps apply.

Here are my tips.

1.Use a green pea size drop right in the middle of the cpu.Actually, the size if a Nestles chocolate chip.Just a wee smaller than a pea. How do you know if you used the correct amount? When paste is not leaking out the sides when you have it fully tightened down.That is very important.

2.You will notice the the push pins on the bracket.There adjustable for different lengths.Make sure there adjusted for intel settings.

3.VERY important.This is where people make mistakes.Never put the cooler on the cpu first, and then try to adjust the bracket, after the fact.Your cooler will slip and slide before you get it clamped down.

4.Put the bracket on the cooler, just like you would if it was fully assembled sitting on your board.With no paste on the cpu, do some dry runs.Dont touch the cpu, just go through the motions.This will help you adjust the bracket very close to the holes when it counts.

5.Put on the paste, and drop the cooler on the cpu evenly.Your bracket should already be lined up to your 4 mounting holes.Make sure your using a longer phillips head screwdriver, as this helps.Notice the groove on the sides of the cooler.A longer phillips helps.Tighten the opposite corners a few turns, then the other corners.Repeat until tight.Then give it a extra 1/4 turn.

6. Depending on your set-up, the cooler can be mounted with fans facing front to back, or bottom to top.

 

[Bascotie]

Thanks Wipeout,

I'll definitely try to keep that all in mind for the install. I remember on these forums in the past getting the same advice about using a pea sized drop then letting the heatsink spread it. Seems today a lot of people in videos go with spreading the paste with a business card.

I usually stick to the pea size method, or 'X' method, or piece of rice method as I remember that being preferred on overclocking forums

 

[Wipeout]

Thanks Wipeout,

I'll definitely try to keep that all in mind for the install. I remember on these forums in the past getting the same advice about using a pea sized drop then letting the heatsink spread it. Seems today a lot of people in videos go with spreading the paste with a business card.

I usually stick to the pea size method, or 'X' method, or piece of rice method as I remember that being preferred on overclocking forums

I spent alot of time trying different methods, but the pea method is the best in my experience.The X method gets high praises.Your choice.Never spread paste.I don't care what people say in this respect, but spread=Air bubbles.Your cooler will distribute the paste much better than you can.Pressure will take care of the rest.Just line it up as you mount the cooler, and tightening on opposite corners will gradually give you a very smooth even layer.

MX4 is great paste.Why ? Because it its quality paste, but more importantly, no cure time, and not thermally conductive.By that I mean if paste did get on you board, it would note create a bridge to short it out.

You can always try both methods, and lift up your cooler to see what the result look like, before tightening.That will give you a better feel for the correct amount.Remember, your cooling a Hasewell.You need to get the best performance the Evo can give you.

Good Luck! Enjoy.Intel is my next gaming rig.I still love Amd though

 

[Theocnoob]

I've had an NHD14 for a few years now and it's been on an X58 system, a 990FX system, and a P67 system, and I like it. That'd be my recommendation. You won't overclock that high with the hyper 212. Get the NHD14. JM2C

 

[ivanlabrie]

Or a Silver Arrow, even better

Both are awesome, or the Phanteks beast cooler.

 

[Wipeout]

The NHD14 and Phanteks rise above the Evo.No arguments there guys.

 

[DAKz]

I have used the Hyper 212 plus, in push/pull and I love it. I recently went to a liquid AIO in it, it does run it all cooler, reacts faster up or down, and does allow for higher overclocking. But I have y 212 in the closet, and any problems with this liquid system I will pull it out of there and go right back to the air cooler. The temp difference between the 212 and the Corsiar h100 is really worth the difference in price. But like the author of this thread I am not 100% sold on liquid systems. As far as paste goes I use both the "X" method and the pea method, really depends on the cooler, for the 212 I kinda lean towards the x method. And push/pull fans are a huge benefit.

 

[ivanlabrie]

I've heard the blademaster fans, and the noise is not something I can tolerate for day to day use.

My Silver Arrow runs passive normally, and I use the TY-140 fans as case fans, along with a Gelid Silent 12 pwm fan (I'll get more of those soon, they are awesome)

 

[Bascotie]

The Noctua are definitely nice coolers. I've installed a couple for others and really liked the setup. Huge but I think I can fit it in, in the future Everything is picked up, time to assemble!

 

[Wipeout]

I have used the Hyper 212 plus, in push/pull and I love it. I recently went to a liquid AIO in it, it does run it all cooler, reacts faster up or down, and does allow for higher overclocking. But I have y 212 in the closet, and any problems with this liquid system I will pull it out of there and go right back to the air cooler. The temp difference between the 212 and the Corsiar h100 is really worth the difference in price. But like the author of this thread I am not 100% sold on liquid systems. As far as paste goes I use both the "X" method and the pea method, really depends on the cooler, for the 212 I kinda lean towards the x method. And push/pull fans are a huge benefit.

I'm glad you bought up that point.I really want to water cool, but have some reservations.Lets say, you have 2 rigs.One air cooled, the other water cooled.Do I need to worry about my water cooled gaming rig, if its out of use for awhile, Leaking ? I'm a gamer, but lately, a forum guy for days on end.

I've heard the blademaster fans, and the noise is not something I can tolerate for day to day use.

My Silver Arrow runs passive normally, and I use the TY-140 fans as case fans, along with a Gelid Silent 12 pwm fan (I'll get more of those soon, they are awesome)

I'm half deaf.To many concerts back in the day.Thanks alot AC/DC. Fans is never a problem.Kids.Big problem.

 

[Bascotie]

Ok guys,

So I've got the system up and running, only thing is I'm using some spare RAM I had because the RAM i ordered has not arrived yet.

Immediately, I noticed something:

The MSI bios shows an idle temp for the processor of about 47C. Another note, if you buy an MSI Z87 G43, make sure to tighten all the screws on the back. It seems they are already notorious for coming with loose chipset heatsink screws.

Back to the topic. So I went ahead and installed windows, etc, and Hardware monitor reads about 33C-40C (jumps around randomly) while installing Windows updates. I'm hoping that's more accurate, but wanted to check with you guys on this.

Which numbers do I trust here? Note: I have not begun overclocking.

 

[DAKz]

seems a little high to me if its a stock settings on the BIOS. As far as a day to day use of a water cooled system, or not used often I am not sure what to suggest I run this system a lot every day for anything I can think of, My other system is a Dell server thats currently guarding dust bunnies under my bed. Really should get that out and play with the thing.
Anyhow back to your build, I would be concerned if a new stock build I had was running that high for temps, might want to heck your BIOS and see what the default settings went to for voltages, and any energy savers that may be enabled.

 

[Wipeout]

Bascotie- That is a pretty high idle temp.Use Real Temp for Intel Cpu's for reading core temp.Compare that result, with what your bios is reporting.That should give you a very clear indication.Although, I would trust what my bios states, above all 3rd party software.

 

[Bascotie]

Thanks guys,

I just cleaned off the paste, used MX2 paste, and reinstalled the heatsink very carefully. It is making very firm contact. I can turn the heatsink a little if I try, but if i pull on it the whole motherboard flexes with it, which tells me its pretty firmly installed.

Another thing is that after removing the heatsink, neither the heatsink, nor the cpu had any indication of being hot, or even warm.

I'm trying real temp right now and Idle temps hover around 34-35. Even at idle I randomly saw it jump very quickly to 48 which showed as a 'max temp'.

Important Point: I just remembered I have a long temperature measurement tool I bought for computer repair. If I touch it to the base of the heatsink (where its touching the processor), while running Prime95, it shows up at 36C max (this is while Real Temp shows 73C max).

I figured that I should be able to touch it, so I touched the heatsink and it found it was completely cool to the touch.

So either the temperature sensors are way off, or the heat is not transferring to the heatsink. I really hope it's the former =P

I am now running prime 95. So far the 4 MAXIMUM core temps are 71C, 68C, 65C, 62C respectively.