Quiet cooler for Silverstone gd07??

[silentbobbo]

I have an htpc / personal server in my living room built in a Silverstone GD07 http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=330 The case has some size restrictions and can't accommodate a cooler over 138mm and if the fans are parallel to the mobo it would be right up on the top panel.

Currently I have an older AMD CPU on an asrock 890gm pro 3 mobo. There are 4 hardrives (2x2tb + 2x3td), a SSD and a low profile nvidia card.

In my new apartment I lack central ac and the box is way more "in the open" and noticeably louder. Long story short I need a better CPU cooler with a preference toward low noise.

I've looked at the noctua nh-l12 and scythe big shuriken rev 2. The noctua is the top end of my budget at around $60. Is there anything else I should consider? Maybe a separate heatsink and fan combo? I don't mind lapping a heatsink either if that makes a difference. This computer will likely be upgraded to an Intel CPU and compatible motherboard in the next 12 months roughly so I would like cross compatibility too...

[SebRad]

Hi, you could also look at the nh-u9s 92mm fan tower. I've used freezer 13 with good effect that will fit in the case, has amd and Intel compatibility for half price of noctua. Fan is smooth and goes down very low rpm. Or other 92mm fan towers, cooler master has some,at need fan swap on them but they are usually cheap to start with.
Seb

[QUIET!]

I'm in a similar situation, about 137mm of clearance.

Also I hate push pin mounting. When my heat sink weighs more than a pound, I want a back plate, nuts and bolts, not some plastic gizmos pulling on the motherboard.

I would try the Coolermaster TX3 Evo or whatever it's called but it uses push pins.

Xigmatek has the Loki II with back plate but it does not seem very available in the US, a shame because I like my Gaia.

Deep Cool seems to make one with back plate but it is an older model, available in only a few places.

The Noctuas seem great but the price is hard to justify.

I'll probably go with a Noctua but that is because I like overkill in my HSF. If you don't overclock, a modern Intel setup doesn't need a very good HSF, hence the crummy box heat sink.

I'm sure a CPU does fine running at 60C all day but I want a cool and comfortable CPU.

I'm anxious to see if you find a reasonable alternative to the Noctua that fits.

[CA_Steve]

You could go for the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 Rev B ...but replace the thinline fan with a 25mm one (like the reference $13 Nexus Real Silent or a $15 PWM Scythe Glidestream). The total is ~$58-$60. Vastly improved performance and still only 71mm high.

[QUIET!]

You could go for the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 Rev B ...but replace the thinline fan with a 25mm one (like the reference $13 Nexus Real Silent or a $15 PWM Scythe Glidestream). The total is ~$58-$60. Vastly improved performance and still only 71mm high.

That's back in to the price range of a Noctua 92mm.

Towers are cheapest and looking at the cheap 120mm towers that perform well, I am surprised that I can't find a decent 92mm for less than $30.

Also Noctua pricing is goofy, their big 140mm towers cost $10 more than their 92mm and at that price to performance ratio, they are a good deal. At 92mm with CPU temps at idle and load around 5 degrees worse, that ratio is way off.

[SST Guy]

We have a CPU cooler partially designed to fit inside cases like the GD07, it's the Argon AR02:

http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.p ... 21&area=en

[CA_Steve]

Yep.

[QUIET!]

I will put that one on my list and wait for a deal.

Thanks.