Post
by Bugsi » Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:22 am
My first reaction was to recommend you try the CNPS8700, which I see you already mentioned, but are worried about fan noise. I use one in an Antec Minuet case for an HTPC that sits on a table next to my HDTV and it does a fine job, however it is a little audible, but not terribly so. I wish you had the luxury of trying several different coolers so you could report back with results, but that could get expensive if you're in Croatia!
I also recently bought the SilenX iXtrema IXC-120C for an older Socket A computer, and I'll go as far as saying it's something like a clone of the CNPS8700, measures 66mm high, and comes with mounting hardware for a wide range of new and old processors. I find it to be noticeably quieter than the CNPS8700, although for an ideal test I'd want to put it into the Minuet case and test it there. Instead, I use it in an Antec Solo case, but even with the side off, if I stop the fan I hear no "noise stop" indicating its quietness, to me at any rate. SilenX has a deservedly bad business reputation on this board, but having said that, their fans and coolers that I've used have all been very satisfactory. The IXC-120C also comes with a fan controller, so you can slow down the 120mm fan if you felt you needed more control. (I didn't need to use it in my build.)
I realize I come off as sounding like a sales ad for SilenX, but I do not have any connection with them in any way, other than I've used a few of their fans, one CPU cooler, and one chipset cooler in builds where I had difficulty finding any product by any company that fit my particular needs. In the case of the IXC-120 I wanted a modern cooling solution for a socket-A CPU. (In fact I wanted a Thermalright SI-97 if I could find anyone still selling them.)