SOLVED Great Air Coolers under 100$ ?

[Gh0sT-NoVa]

Thinking of switching back to old school air cooling towers.
So looking for some suggestions for good air coolers that are under 100$
But none of those massive twin tower ones (NH-D14S , Silverarrow SB-E Extreme , PH-TC14PE etc) , I won't need that kind of power nor I like a big heavy piece of metal weighing on my Mobo

I actually have my eyes on the Phanteks PH-TC12DX

What are your other suggestion guys ?

 

[Tech Tweaker]

Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme's are still decent.

I pick them up on ebay every now and then for around $20-30.

So, about the price of a Cooler Master Hyper 212+/212 Evo (from the sellers asking reasonable prices), and they perform better.

A little on the heavy side at 1LB 12oz/795g, but I've never noticed any problems from their weight and I've used them with several systems.

 

[Mandrake4565]

Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme's are still decent. I pick them up on ebay every now and then for around $20-30.

I agree and do the same.

I have also picked up 2 Prolimatech Megahalems which are the best Air Heatsinks I own, 2-3 c better then my lapped TRUE 120 on my 2500k @ 4.7. I bought both my Prolimas for $30 shipped total. Though they usually don't come with fans. They are both better then my CM 212+ by about 8-10 c, again on my 2500k.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

NH-D14 or PH-TC14PE will be best.

Phanteks and Noctua in general are all very good performers though.

 

[Gh0sT-NoVa]

Sorry guys wrong title...I calculated wrongly in conversation of my currency and USD
My budget it's actually is 70$ or below.
So it's actually Heatsinks + Fans , grand total 70$ and below.

Is there a way to edit the title ?? Or is there any moderator here can help me with that , tks

For Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme , I can't get it here for only 30$ , it's being sold here for 100$ flat , no fans include.
If including good PWM fans, will cost me over 150$. Will be DOUBLE my budget.

I've seen Prolimatech sadly , they aren't any distributor here.

EDIT : Did some digging , I don't think we have Distributor here for Prolimatech but I think we have a Re-Seller.
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1129414/all

He does sell the Prolimatech Megahalems Rev.C CPU Cooler
Price at around 75$ but without fans. But he does sell fans if bundle with cooler for 11$ ea. It's the Prolimatech Red Vortex LED. Are this fans sufficient or do you guys have other decent fan suggestion. Noctua might be out of the question...they cost over 20$ ea here. It's little in USD...but it's butt hurting in my currency
(RM 33 - Prolimatech fans , RM 79 - Noctua fans)

But I must point out I have 1X Noctua NF-A14FLX fan , is this fan sufficient for heatsink cooling ? If it is , I could just use this one. Maybe even grab one more make a push pull configuration

 

[manu2b]

Well, if the purpose is to cool your 3550, the 212 will do great, as the CPU OC potential is not that high.

If you plan on going to an IB or Haswell "K" version, a Noctua NH-D14 or Phantek PH-TC14PE would be the piece of choice, even if it's a little bit over budget: keep in mind than an air cooler is a long time investment. Mounting hardware do not evolve that much!

 

[Mandrake4565]

Well, if the purpose is to cool your 3550, the 212 will do great, as the CPU OC potential is not that high.

If you plan on going to an IB or Haswell "K" version, a Noctua NH-D14 or Phantek PH-TC14PE would be the piece of choice, even if it's a little bit over budget: keep in mind than an air cooler is a long time investment. Mounting hardware do not evolve that much!

Because you asked for Great AirCoolers I listed my best ones. If you aren't planning on squeezing every mhz out of the chip. I agree with Manu, a CM 212 is a really good cooler for the $$$.

 

[freeagent]

I prefer my ultra 120 extreme over my nh d14..

 

[Gh0sT-NoVa]

Well, if the purpose is to cool your 3550, the 212 will do great, as the CPU OC potential is not that high.

If you plan on going to an IB or Haswell "K" version, a Noctua NH-D14 or Phantek PH-TC14PE would be the piece of choice, even if it's a little bit over budget: keep in mind than an air cooler is a long time investment. Mounting hardware do not evolve that much!

1) What does IB means ?

2) This questions is asked out of curiosity , the current AMD FX CPU , they do tend to require more power , usually more power = more heat right ?
But if I don't OC them , do they run as cool as Ivy Bridge / Haswell CPU @ Stock ?
I did try to search this info online , but so far....all the CPU Reviews...never show Temp only Power Consumption.
Well neither I can find any CPU Cooler reviews that uses AMD CPU

3)Since I don't OC is the Noctua NH-AF14 FLX (MAX @ 1200 RPM , Static Pressure @ 1.51mm h20 ) fan sufficient enough to cool the heatsink?

4) PWM fans , the only difference is that Im able to monitor them with program if plugged onto Mobo is that all ?

 

[ivanlabrie]

1) What does IB means ?

2) This questions is asked out of curiosity , the current AMD FX CPU , they do tend to require more power , usually more power = more heat right ?
But if I don't OC them , do they run as cool as Ivy Bridge / Haswell CPU @ Stock ?
I did try to search this info online , but so far....all the CPU Reviews...never show Temp only Power Consumption.
Well neither I can find any CPU Cooler reviews that uses AMD CPU

3)Since I don't OC is the Noctua NH-AF14 FLX (MAX @ 1200 RPM , Static Pressure @ 1.51mm h20 ) fan sufficient enough to cool the heatsink?

4) PWM fans , the only difference is that Im able to monitor them with program if plugged onto Mobo is that all ?

You don't need more than a Thermalright HR-02 Macho or True Spirit honestly...it can be had cheaply and comes with one of the best 140mm fans out there, noise to perf wise.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thermalrigh...r_CPUs_Kühler_CPU_Zubehör&hash=item2330c3ccbb

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thermalrigh...ponents_Fans_Heatsinks_SR&hash=item4ac65e6456

The second one is the 140mm one, which is slightly better.

 

[Mandrake4565]

1) What does IB means ?

Ivy Bridge, as in the I5 3550 in your signature

2) This questions is asked out of curiosity , the current AMD FX CPU

Fx Cpu? Does your signature need to be updated?

 

[Gh0sT-NoVa]

Ivy Bridge, as in the I5 3550 in your signature

Fx Cpu? Does your signature need to be updated?

No Im not saying that Im using a FX CPU , but just a curiosity does the FX CPU actually runs hotter even @ Stock speed compared to IB and Haswell since the high Power Consumption to begin with.

I think I've decided , I check out few reviews , surprisingly and amazingly...the CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO ( currently is 212X ) , actually cools pretty damn well !

It can even come close to few of the lower end water coolers....and reviews were even using original fans , I think it even come close to few of the
" macho " heatsink towers.

Since it's dirt cheap I can get it for around 40$ , I will just swap out the fan for a pair of XtraFlo / Blademaster PWM fans from CoolerMaster ( Which also I saw review perform pretty damn well for a 7$ fan ! Up to 2000 RPM MAX , 2.0 - 3.0mm H20 Static Pressure )

Best of all , it's a tiny tower

 

[ivanlabrie]

No Im not saying that Im using a FX CPU , but just a curiosity does the FX CPU actually runs hotter even @ Stock speed compared to IB and Haswell since the high Power Consumption to begin with.

I think I've decided , I check out few reviews , surprisingly and amazingly...the CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO ( currently is 212X ) , actually cools pretty damn well !

It can even come close to few of the lower end water coolers....and reviews were even using original fans , I think it even come close to few of the
" macho " heatsink towers.

Since it's dirt cheap I can get it for around 40$ , I will just swap out the fan for a pair of XtraFlo / Blademaster PWM fans from CoolerMaster ( Which also I saw review perform pretty damn well for a 7$ fan ! Up to 2000 RPM MAX , 2.0 - 3.0mm H20 Static Pressure )

Best of all , it's a tiny tower

No it doesn't...many reviews suck. If you test with a not big enough heat source you'll get strange results, same with measuring ambient temps incorrectly.

Trust me, that True Spirit I posted is the best price/perf heatsink you can find new. That or the new noctua single tower equipped with a 140mm fan.

Or used gear like others mentioned here. Also, the cm hyper 212 is really noisy compared to these other heatsinks and it needs it to be since the fin stack isn't big nor wide enough for low speed fans.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835106190

This air to rad is under 100$.... Why use an air cooler that's that expensive and can't compete....

IMO thanks.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835106190

This air to rad is under 100$.... Why use an air cooler that's that expensive and can't compete....

IMO thanks.

Friends don't let friends use Thermaltake watercooling.

 

[manu2b]

AIO solutions are not better than high end air, with all the issues that can come with it.

If you want watercooling, go custom loop.

 

[ivanlabrie]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835106190

This air to rad is under 100$.... Why use an air cooler that's that expensive and can't compete....

IMO thanks.

The air units which are cheaper are pretty close to that, easier to install and won't ever leak on your gear. If I were to get wc I'd go for the Cm Eisberg kits for 110usd at the egg. (or so they were priced at last I looked)

Also, the OP isn't in the US and needs to find a good air cooler.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Also, the OP isn't in the US and needs to find a good air cooler.

Oops didn't see he was from away.....

Well, there isn't a "great or good" air cooler. The cooling method is just not efficient enough to go there without some modifications on most all air coolers.

Not sure about leaks.... Been running liquid cooling with a custom loop for years and years and years...... still can't find that leak

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Oops didn't see he was from away.....

Well, there isn't a "great or good" air cooler. The cooling method is just not efficient enough to go there without some modifications on most all air coolers.

Not sure about leaks.... Been running liquid cooling with a custom loop for years and years and years...... still can't find that leak

There are great air coolers. They perform just as well as the AIO units available.

You haven't found a leak because its CUSTOM. You're not using crap parts for a quick sale on a pre-built unit.

 

[NiHaoMike]

Sorry guys wrong title...I calculated wrongly in conversation of my currency and USD
My budget it's actually is 70$ or below.
So it's actually Heatsinks + Fans , grand total 70$ and below.

Is there a way to edit the title ?? Or is there any moderator here can help me with that , tks

For Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme , I can't get it here for only 30$ , it's being sold here for 100$ flat , no fans include.
If including good PWM fans, will cost me over 150$. Will be DOUBLE my budget.

I've seen Prolimatech sadly , they aren't any distributor here.

EDIT : Did some digging , I don't think we have Distributor here for Prolimatech but I think we have a Re-Seller.
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1129414/all

He does sell the Prolimatech Megahalems Rev.C CPU Cooler
Price at around 75$ but without fans. But he does sell fans if bundle with cooler for 11$ ea. It's the Prolimatech Red Vortex LED. Are this fans sufficient or do you guys have other decent fan suggestion. Noctua might be out of the question...they cost over 20$ ea here. It's little in USD...but it's butt hurting in my currency
(RM 33 - Prolimatech fans , RM 79 - Noctua fans)

But I must point out I have 1X Noctua NF-A14FLX fan , is this fan sufficient for heatsink cooling ? If it is , I could just use this one. Maybe even grab one more make a push pull configuration

My configuration (212 Evo + variable speed 120mm Delta case fan) just fits within your $70 budget and will even handle a 6 core with ease. (Upgrading the fan on the 212 Evo pushes it over your budget, but you won't need that for your CPU.) You can also get great results with a somewhat lower end case fan.