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advice on air cooler for non-OC x79 with all DIMM slots filled

enchanter
Level 9
Hi all!

I'm planning an x79-based build, very likely on the Sabertooth X79 but potentially the P9X79 WS. Either way, I'll be using the i7-3820. I will not be overclocking.

In addition to lots of gaming, I'll be doing some Photoshop and Lightroom on high-megapixel images (including stacked, time-lapse, and HDR compositions), and I'll potentially be using this system for work-related testing with 2-4 concurrent VMs.

I've therefore settled on the x79 because of the 8 DIMM slots and the ability to get to 32 GB relatively cheaply. I plan on purchasing one 8x4GB kit, for simplicity's sake. I would love to save a little money and use 2 4x4GB kits, but I don't think it's going to be worth it for me to deal with the potential hassles of mixed kits.

As the title says, the problem then becomes what air-based cooler to use with the crowded RAM config on a fully-stocked x79. I know there are lots of people that liquid cool, but it's not for me. Since I'm not overclocking and I will use a case with decent airflow (top competitors right now are the HAF XM and the Lanboy Air), I also have relatively modest CPU cooling requirements.

I have nearly every other component of my build picked out or have identified several excellent candidates, but I have spent literally days looking for a CPU cooler that's

- an air cooler
- will work with all 8 DIMM slots filled

I honestly could probably get away with the lame-o Intel stock air cooler, RTS2011AC, but I have to believe there's something a step up from that cooler that will still meet my other requirements.

I know that the Noctua DH14 SE2011 will work as long as my RAM is shorter than 44 mm, and the G.Skill Ripsaw Z set I'm tentatively looking at is (just barely), but I don't particularly want a CPU cooler that heavy in a system that I will transport to LAN parties 3-4 times a year. I'm also not terribly excited about the fact that I would need to remove the CPU cooler if I ever needed to mess with any of the RAM.

If one of the "C-type" coolers (Noctua C12P SE14, Phanteks PH-TC14CS) were actually less low-profile, so that they did overhang the RAM but stood up quite a ways from the board so there was plenty of clearance for the RAM, that would be OK. I haven't found a "high profile C-type" cooler, though. If anyone knows of one, I would love to have a pointer to it.

There are also several LGA2011 coolers are that are much narrower, including the Thermolab Trinity, the CoolerMaster Hyper 412 Slim, and the CoolerMaster 812XS, but for reasons I don't understand, none of them are available in the US!

Just when I was about to give up, I stumbled upon one of J.J's unboxing videos of the Dynatron R17. This boring little cooler is now the front-runner for the CPU cooler for my build.

I'm hoping that some of you might be able to suggest additional options, akin to the Dynatron R17 but perhaps a little taller, that would still be pretty modest in size, but might cool even a little better than the Dynatron.

Thanks,

Tim
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6 REPLIES 6

HiVizMan
Level 40
The ideal solution would actually be a water cooler kit.

The Intel one actually is very good.

Intel BXRTS2011LC Liquid-cooled Thermal Solution For the LGA2011 Socket


No hassles with ram fitting.


The Danyatron will of course do what it says on the box keep your CPU safe at stock no problem.
To help us help you - please provide as much information about your system and the problem as possible.

Arne Saknussemm wrote:
How about something like the Zalman CNPS9900 MAX ....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=100006648&isNodeI...


Thanks Arne, that looks like a fantastic option!

I had seen some older cooler comparisons with the CNPS9900 in the group of products being compared, but at the time LGA2011 compatibility wasn't mentioned so I didn't look any further at it.

Looks like it cools very well, it doesn't hang over the RAM, and it weighs 60% of the Noctua DH14.

If others have additional suggestions I would love to hear them too, but this looks like a great option.

Thanks again,

Tim

Retired
Not applicable
When are people going to understand that the air solution, has have its "glory days", and filled a purpose 5 years ago..

I think the mobo need to crack in half, and having it a hard time to fit them in the case, maybe will help the builder understanding, that its not the most ideal solution anymore..

Ok not overclocking, and make it silent OK... But often i see people running heavy OC, with insane temps.. But hey!!!!!! Its Noctua.. and if its hot, i swap the thermal paste, and now its not........!!

I personally would love to see some more players on the watercooling solution scene.. The h100 and so on, its not really top quality, but works..

competition/quality/pricing..

Karmageddon
Level 7
Have you taken a look at Coolermaster V8 It might do the job that your looking for. If not the corsair h60, h80, and h100 do an excellent job of cooling while taking up minimal space around the ram (as long as you have room for the rad in your case)

My Build

I7 3730k at 4.7 ghz
H100
16gb Corsair Dominator GT RAM at 1866 mhz
2 x Asus GTX DCU2 670's overclocked at 1258 mhz
1 x 1tb Storage Drive
1 x 2 tb Game Drive
1x 60 gb SSD Boot Drive
CoolerMaster HAF X
Kingwin Lazer 1000w

Karmageddon wrote:
Have you taken a look at Coolermaster V8 It might do the job that your looking for. If not the corsair h60, h80, and h100 do an excellent job of cooling while taking up minimal space around the ram (as long as you have room for the rad in your case)


Thanks for the post Karmageddon!

I've had good luck with Cooler Master in the past so I did look at quite a few of their CPU coolers -- as I mentioned in my original post, several of the CM coolers that I think would be perfect for my needs (like the Hyper 412 Slim) are not available in the US for some odd reason.

Anyway, the V8 wasn't on my initial list, because neither Cooler Master nor Newegg mentioned LGA2011 compatibility for it. It also didn't make it into any of the LGA2011 cooler comparisons I looked at, such as the Tom's Hardware Big Air comparison.

Looking through the Newegg feedback, several people mentioned using it on their LGA2011 with the mount conversion available separately, so you're right that it does appear to be an option, even with full RAM complement.

It also doesn't cover the RAM quite like the Noctua DH14 SE2011 would, so that too is a benefit.

The down-side is the weight; it's almost as heavy as the DH14, and for a system that I take to LAN parties a few times a year, that's a little bit of a concern. It's definitely a great cooler, though.

Your post got me looking at the other CM CPU air coolers, though, to see if there were any other hidden gems that didn't list LGA2011 compatibility but that actually are compatible. That turned up the Gemini II S524 as a "C type" cooler that would be an option. It would work with RAM less than 47 mm in height, though it too would need to be removed to get at the RAM on one side of the CPU.

That also turned up a Hyper 412 PWM that's not even listed on their web site, but is available in the CM store and is mentioned in the press release for the free conversion bracket for LGA2011 for several of their older coolers. I can't tell from the info provided if it's going to have RAM crowding issues, but it looks like it might have a chance...

The press release about the LGA 2011 conversion bracket also gives me some pointers for some other coolers that don't list LGA2011 compatibility but that are with the bracket. I'll review those and will update the thread if any of them are clearly not going to encroach on RAM.

Arne's Zalman pointer and your V8 pointer have given me some good options to consider, but if people have other cooler suggestions, I would still be interested in hearing about additional possibilities.

Thanks!

Tim