Antec Fusion but what CPU heatsink?

chrisg · Post by **chrisg** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:08 pm

Before I ask my question I would like to say what a excellent website/resource SPCR has and continues to be. My first PC build was almost totally SPCR inspired (P180 case, Nexus fans, Scythe Ninja heatsink, Seasonic PSU. e.t.c.). If I was born on your side of the Atlantic I would say something like "You guys rock!"

Back to the subject. I am building an HTPC, more powerful than currently required but in the future I want to swap the DVD drive for BlueRay or HD DVD and decode HD quality video. The main components are Core2Duo E6400, Passive Gigabyte 7600 GS with HDMI port, 500Gb Western Digital Caviar SE16 and Terratec Cinergy 2400i twin DVB-T tuner. The case and CPU heatsink are the key decisions I want help with.

There is no doubt I like Antec case's so naturally I am most likely to go for the Fusion. Can anyone recommend a passive CPU heatsink that will fit in an Antec Fusion? I intend to use both 120mm exhaust fans, is a passive heatsink even feasible?

My other unrelated issue with the Antec Fusion is the lack of IR receiver. The reviews indicate there is sufficient space to retro fit a receiver next to the VFD, has anyone done this? What IR receiver did you use? I just don't like the idea of an external IR receiver.

My second choice case is the Origen AE X11, comes with remote and IR receiver build in and does not have a useless volume knob. Since there is no SPCR review for reference, does anyone have comments on its cooling performance? There are mixed results in the other reviews I have read.

Thanks for reading through my ramblings, any help you can offer would be much appreciated.

klankymen · Post by **klankymen** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:58 pm

by the by, I have the NSK-2400 (the fusion with out the led), and my grommet-mounted 250GB samsung-P is a lot louder than the stock opteron fan motherboard-controlled down to ~6V.

I'm not sure how the WD stacks up to this, or how big a difference it would make if you wanted to suspend, or how loud the C2D heatsink is. But I know in my case the cpu heatsink doesn't make a difference, since the only thing you'll hear here is the hard drive.

for a good cheap aftermarket heatsink consider the Arctic Cooling Alpine 7. It's not passive, but guaranteed quieter than your hard drive if you spin it at 5Volts.

hravn · Post by **hravn** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:18 am

chrisg wrote:My other unrelated issue with the Antec Fusion is the lack of IR receiver. The reviews indicate there is sufficient space to retro fit a receiver next to the VFD, has anyone done this? What IR receiver did you use? I just don't like the idea of an external IR receiver.

Check out the next revision of the Fusion (in the article):

viewtopic.php?t=37488&highlight=

PPGMD · Post by **PPGMD** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:26 am

If you simply can't wait for the new revision, yeah it has the space, but you are going to have to work your own bracket, and you have to remove paint on the plastic so the IR can get in.

s_xero · Post by **s_xero** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:15 am

Answer to your real question:

I've seen some dude having a HTPC (was here on the forums I think). He had the fusion with2 exhaust-fans. Those fans cooled a Silverstone NT01, which ran "passive".
The Silverstone-cooler was very close to the fans though. I dunno what processor you've got, but it's a pretty-looking cooling-solution.

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-nt01v2.0.htm

Check the forums here, it must be around here somewhere.

S.

PPGMD · Post by **PPGMD** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:24 am

I actually tried to do the Silverstone, but many motherboards it simply won't work.

The Thermalright SI-128 works well in that case though.

cwl999 · Post by **cwl999** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:26 am

I'm using an Artic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro modified to fit the nsk2400 and running passively via one of the exhaust fan on low.

Freezer64 only cost me 11 UKP, so a great price.

Also had to mod my fanless gigabyte 6600gt to fit in.

Need to see if the Antec fans can run off the 5V molex to make is quieter.

eitheta · Post by **eitheta** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:42 am

s_xero wrote: I've seen some dude having a HTPC (was here on the forums I think). He had the fusion with2 exhaust-fans. Those fans cooled a Silverstone NT01, which ran "passive".
The Silverstone-cooler was very close to the fans though. I dunno what processor you've got, but it's a pretty-looking cooling-solution.
Check the forums here, it must be around here somewhere.

Bicster built a NSK2400 with E6400, Intel DG965OT mobo, XFX GF7950GT, and the Silverstone NT01v2.0 cpu heatsink:
viewtopic.php?t=34127

I've just added a post to that thread, with some comments about my experience doing a similar setup. In summary, the NT01v2 heatsink seems almost a perfect fit for the NSK2400/Fusion and a microATX C2D mobo. But in my instance, it required bending the heatpipes slightly to fit properly.

Someone else (guht) had a little less luck. I wonder if his NT01 was touching his fan, and that kept the HS from sitting flat on the cpu.
viewtopic.php?t=35408
Dunno how guht's experience turned out.

Antec Fusion but what CPU heatsink?

Antec Fusion but what CPU heatsink?

Re: Antec Fusion but what CPU heatsink?