- Joined
- Jan 4, 2002
- Location
- Southern USA
If you guys could help me out here, I'd be most appreciative.
I'm looking to once-and-for-all end this question: What is the best case fan? Heatsink fan? Chipset Fan?...
Post the fans you use, and rate them with regards to the following:
1) Noise level (Opinion: Rated)
2) Air Flow (Rated)
3) Reliability
4) Cost
5) Real-world performance (In your experience)
6) Speed Controlled?
7) Speed (Rated: Actual)
8) Composition
9) Thermal Resistance (Rated)
10) Ease of Installation (Easy 1-10 Hard)
Then, if you would, tell us if you would recommend this fan to someone else. Of course, it's a good idea to tell us what fan it is first.
Here's mine (I will neglect my case fans, as they are all generic $1 fans)
CPU fan:
Thermaltake Volcano 7 80x80x25
1) Loud 27-39dB
2) 46-53CFM
3) So far, very reliable
4) $17.98 @ SVC
5) Fair -better than stock HS I had before
6) Yes...speed controlled to a certain point. Thermistor onboard -speed up at 35C
7) 2900 @25C, [email protected]: [email protected]+C, [email protected]+C
8) Copper base
9) 0.52-0.60 C/W
10) 4 (The large fan complicates installation slightly)
I can say that I bought this more for looks and price than anything else. It is a decent cooler and it has a cool shiny grille. It is BIG. Definately not for those who are limited on space (by a PSU or other complication). For me, it was more about looks and the pricetag than performance. This is a good cooler for $17.98, granted, there are better.
GPU Fan:
Thermaltake Crystal Orb 50x50x15mm (54mm dia 25mm height)
1) Louder than stock ATI, but not excessively 26.4dB
2) 12.4 CFM
3) I've used them on a few boards, and so far, they are all 100% pass
4) $9.49 @SVC
5) Very Good
6) Not speed controlled
7) 5500rpm: ~5300rpm
8) Copper Base
9) --
10) 3 (Pushpin install or adhesive)
This is a great looking, easy to use addition to most graphic cards and chipsets. It has a 54mm dia. so if you are cramped for space, it's not an easily-workable solution. There is a mod out there for dremeling away a few fins in order to lower the diameter. I tried installation on my 8KHA+ northbridge, and two capacitors were in the way. I didn't use the dremel-mod, I just sold it to a friend and now I'm looking for a passive Zalman. I can say that out of the three installations I've done with this cooler, I have never had any problems, and they always work as-spec'd or very close to, anyways. If you have a lower GPU core (closer to the AGP slot) make sure this big cooler doesn't prevent you from plugging your card back into the AGP slot. In my experience, this is an excellent cooling solution for any graphics card/chipset upgrade.
Thanks for any input for your cooling solutions. This will make a good reference for anybody who wants to know what to buy and gives us a place to point people when asked about air-cooling solutions.
I'm looking to once-and-for-all end this question: What is the best case fan? Heatsink fan? Chipset Fan?...
Post the fans you use, and rate them with regards to the following:
1) Noise level (Opinion: Rated)
2) Air Flow (Rated)
3) Reliability
4) Cost
5) Real-world performance (In your experience)
6) Speed Controlled?
7) Speed (Rated: Actual)
8) Composition
9) Thermal Resistance (Rated)
10) Ease of Installation (Easy 1-10 Hard)
Then, if you would, tell us if you would recommend this fan to someone else. Of course, it's a good idea to tell us what fan it is first.
Here's mine (I will neglect my case fans, as they are all generic $1 fans)
CPU fan:
Thermaltake Volcano 7 80x80x25
1) Loud 27-39dB
2) 46-53CFM
3) So far, very reliable
4) $17.98 @ SVC
5) Fair -better than stock HS I had before
6) Yes...speed controlled to a certain point. Thermistor onboard -speed up at 35C
7) 2900 @25C, [email protected]: [email protected]+C, [email protected]+C
8) Copper base
9) 0.52-0.60 C/W
10) 4 (The large fan complicates installation slightly)
I can say that I bought this more for looks and price than anything else. It is a decent cooler and it has a cool shiny grille. It is BIG. Definately not for those who are limited on space (by a PSU or other complication). For me, it was more about looks and the pricetag than performance. This is a good cooler for $17.98, granted, there are better.
GPU Fan:
Thermaltake Crystal Orb 50x50x15mm (54mm dia 25mm height)
1) Louder than stock ATI, but not excessively 26.4dB
2) 12.4 CFM
3) I've used them on a few boards, and so far, they are all 100% pass
4) $9.49 @SVC
5) Very Good
6) Not speed controlled
7) 5500rpm: ~5300rpm
8) Copper Base
9) --
10) 3 (Pushpin install or adhesive)
This is a great looking, easy to use addition to most graphic cards and chipsets. It has a 54mm dia. so if you are cramped for space, it's not an easily-workable solution. There is a mod out there for dremeling away a few fins in order to lower the diameter. I tried installation on my 8KHA+ northbridge, and two capacitors were in the way. I didn't use the dremel-mod, I just sold it to a friend and now I'm looking for a passive Zalman. I can say that out of the three installations I've done with this cooler, I have never had any problems, and they always work as-spec'd or very close to, anyways. If you have a lower GPU core (closer to the AGP slot) make sure this big cooler doesn't prevent you from plugging your card back into the AGP slot. In my experience, this is an excellent cooling solution for any graphics card/chipset upgrade.
Thanks for any input for your cooling solutions. This will make a good reference for anybody who wants to know what to buy and gives us a place to point people when asked about air-cooling solutions.
