Posted by AlecStaar
Well,
I picked up two of these last week or so (Vantec Copper/Thin-Fin heatsink), & installed them to replace my Intel Aluminum heatsink OEM boxed set of CPU coolers that came with them!
I was quite pleased to see they dropped my temperatures on my CPU's nearly 5 degrees under a load simply by getting a better heatsink design (better engineering in design really).
The bottom part of fan mount reversal is the part to catch though, & main reason WHY I put this up!
VANTEC COPPER THIN-FIN HEATSINK PHOTO:
(Photo provided by anandtech: Another jammin' tech review site!)
(The heatsink + fan combo I have is ACTUALLY the CompUSA "gamer heatsink" which uses that EXACT heatsink, which cost me $10 less each than getting the actual Vantec one... I intended to mod from the start with a better higher cfm fan is why!)
The ONLY true difference was the fan putting out 23.1cfm/5000rpm on the CompUSA version of it, whereas the Vantec model puts out 38.1cfm/7000rpm. I saved $10 each on them by doing this which helped offset the cost of my getting the $16 each Deltas in fact!
SO, why'd I change in the first place? Things I read about lately mainly... & the fact I oveclock & we're having a HOT summer here this year! I needed better cooling to maintain overclock & protect my CPU investment.
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COPPER vs. ALUMINUM HEATSINKS "CONTROVERSY" THAT I HAD BEEN FOLLOWING & HISTORY and why I pursued this mod:
Copper's been beating aluminum up good on this year's heatsink + fan combo analysis & tests. I had to give it a shot & am glad I did from the results on the then stock one I had (I just modded it, more on that below). Copper used to lose to Aluminum in the past.
Aluminum is less dense, & sheds heat faster because it is less dense than copper. On the reverse physics/metallurgy-wise, thus being less dense it draws heat out slower than Copper does!
(When I got the Intel one, it was near the top of the charts in those days 2+ years ago, & was beating copper offerings... that changed lately!)
Copper can draw out heat faster though because it is more dense, & on the reverse physics/metallurgy-wise, thus being denser it also holds onto heat longer than Aluminum does. Probably why alot of cooking pots have it on the bottom of them!
The engineers/designers got smart about copper by making more fins & of REALLY thin variety lately... thus, you see heatsinks like Thermalright SK-6 & this Vantec 6040H type heatsink designs models topping the charts now in tests!
I got into this pretty good, doing alot of reading etc. & it seems that they've hit a pretty good "peak" on design now of these copper heatsinks...
Only thing to do now to get more cooling still out of this setup?
Hit it with a higher cfm fan!
Brute Horsepower technique, lol, like using Cubic Inches Displacement on automobile engines!
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FAN TYPES COMPARED (Stock CompUSA 60mm VS. Delta 60mm):
SO, how did I do that?
Well, I ordered a Delta 60mm model fan of 8000rpm/51.1cfm variety, pictured here:
(Photo provided by phamcomputer: This is the ONLY place that had them with the 4 pin connector on them to boot, & shipped with it on already I could find!)
And, replaced the 23.1cfm/5000rpm stock fans with that monster, & again...
I am pleased with the results!
PHOTO COMPARING SIZE OF THESE 60mm FANS:
(Photo by Club Overclocker, good review site for o/c fiends)
By doubling (nearly) the cubic foot per minute air displacement on the heatsink with a more powerful fan, it helped loads!
I can also overclock now to my std. 1127mhz much cooler & push up near 1140's ranges if not higher & remain stable even on the hot 90-100 degree weather we're seeing lately (I turn it down on the hotpoint of the day though, less fsb overclock from noon to 7, then in a.m. turn up more & at night again).
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MY TESTING RESULTS TEMPERATURE-WISE:
At Idle
I went from 87 degrees F at idle to 82 degrees F at idle using it!
Vantec heatsink w/ 23.1 cfm fan = 87 F
Vantec heatsink w/ 51.1 cfm fan = 82 F (more on this below)
Intel Aluminum heatsink = 91 F
The Intel boxed Aluminum heatsink/fan combo set I had left me USUALLY around 91 degrees F (I overclock my CPU's incidentally to 1127mhz here, why I needed this stuff in the first place!)
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Under Load
Under load, I went from 95 degrees F to 87 degrees F now using this new fan ontop of the copper/thin-fin heatsink I have!
Vantec heatsink w/ 23.1 cfm fan = 95 F
Vantec heatsink w/ 51.1 cfm fan = 87 F (more on this below)
Intel Aluminum heatsink = 105 F
The Intel boxed Aluminum heatsink/fan combo set I had left me USUALLY around 100-105 degrees F (if not higher when overclocked & pushing it)!!!
(I use playing Quake III Arena for a single player round, for about 20 minutes to see what-is-what & create a CPU workload here to raise temps etc. to compare... maybe not THE most scientific analysis, but works!)
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FAN MOUNTING REVERSED, ANOTHER 2 DEGREES F Gain (decrease in temp):
Now, the funniest part? I mounted the fans as they were supposed to be put onto the heatsink, that did alright, sat at idle around 84 degrees F, not bad.
BUT, it was "sucking the air up" from the heatsink & thus, hotter air off motherboard & surrounding circuitry too probably... & not blowing air into it that was cooler from outside the case (drawing in cool air being taken in by my modded case side, which has two 3.5" fans drawing in cool air, & was fighting with those).
They designed them to draw air upwards from the heatsink, not force cool air over it! I found that rather odd... SO, I mounted them in reverse... & I got another 2 degrees F believe it or not.
Makes sense too now that I am now drawing the air into my CPU's that is coming from outside the case (being drawn in by my two side-of-case holes & 3.5" fans) & that air is now being directly drawn in & whisked nearly right into these new 8000rpm/51.1cfm Deltas!
* Made QUITE the difference, oddly, to reverse the fans... & I thought I would let you guys know if you ever attempt a mod of your heatsink fans by getting a more powerful set (They're a cheap mod to pull off too! Each of these go for $16 each).
Some pretty wild stuff, & was worth shelling out $32 online to get these better fans for better cooling!
EDIT PART: I am now also noting that returns to lower temperatures after gaming & pushing the CPU's hard is faster as well... quite a bit faster!
APK
P.S.=> Thought I'd share that experience with you guys... for $72 total (for 2 Vantec 6040H Copper/Thin-Fin Style Heatsinks + 2 Delta 8000rpm/51.1 cfm fans for this Dual CPU/SMP setup I run) it was worth it for the gain in overclockeability & long-term duration of the CPU's due to cooler temperatures! On a single CPU setup, that'd run you around $40 tops roughly! apk