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Question on CPU cooling

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angelbelow

Registered
Joined
Dec 15, 2009
Location
CA
Not sure if this belongs here.. but I apologize if it does not..

I was hoping to get some perspective on the importance of a CPU cooler.

I haven't assembled my computer yet but I recently purchased a i7 920 processor. I plan to use the computer for gaming and other normal everyday uses (school work/chatting/surfing the web etc.) As of right now I do not plan to overclock since I am fairly new the the computer scene however I am not opposed to learning and trying in the future.

With that said, I was wondering if a CPU cooler is an essential piece to building a computer OR if it is just preference/ what the person is planning on doing with the computer.

The two I have in mind are relatively cheap (under 40$) and I will probably at least get a cheap one either way. (Unless this thread provides additional information on whether I should or shouldn't.)

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus Intel Core i5 & Intel Core i7 compatible RR-B10-212P-G1 120mm "heatpipe direct contact" Long life sleeve CPU Coole: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 92mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

Thanks in advanced.
 
You can look at importance of an aftermarket cooler from 2 points:
- better cooling. Trust me, you need a better cooler for a Nehalem, especially when you'll start to OC it (sooner or later). Those things are heat beasts.
- silence. Usually that box cooler is a noisy one so if you like silence you need an aftermarket cooler with an 120mm fan.

I'm not a big fan of HDT heatsinks on an OC'ed Nehalem so I'd suggest a Scythe Mugen 2 (a pain in the a*s to mount but a very good performer) or a little off your budget a CM V8.
As for HDT heatsinks I'd say a Xigmatek Dark Knight but if you really want a HDT heatsink in your budget you can go with CM 212+.
 
Stick with the stock one for a few months and just start to read lots of forums and posts about cooling and overclocking. in a few months you'll have some great bookmarked links and have learned lots from reading the discussions that go on here.

For example, I decided to watercool my PC. I started reading a few forums daily and looking at the store links, component reviews, guides, FAQs etc. Three months later I bought my stuff and installed it. Been great since day one, no terrible mistakes.

So, enjoy your PC and begin learning, you'll be way ahead of the curve and not get all frustrated when you decide to move up a notch.
 
The stock cooler should be fine if you're not overclocking and if your room temps stay within a reasonable range. If you don't have a climate-controlled environment and your summer temps are excessive then you might want to consider a good aftermarket cooler even if you aren't overclocking.
 
thanks guys, I'll roll with the stock one for a few months while I learn and read up some posts on cpu cooling.
 
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