Very best Top Down Cooler?

Koolpc · Post by **Koolpc** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:52 am

Read the reviews of quite a few sites but what, in your estimate, is the very best Top Down Heatsink around today?

Reason for wanting to buy one is space limitations. Not sure which would be the best out of all the ones i have read about.

User opinions would be gratefully accepted!

jhhoffma · Post by **jhhoffma** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:12 pm

Depends on your space limitations.

I would start with the two Scythe coolers just reviewed by SPCR. If you need shorter, there's the Shuriken.

jessekopelman · Post by **jessekopelman** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:23 pm

Koolpc wrote: Reason for wanting to buy one is space limitations. Not sure which would be the best out of all the ones i have read about.

Explain your space limitations in detail. The most potent top-downs are just as big as many tower-style heatsinks. You also need some space between the top of the case and the fan.

Koolpc · Post by **Koolpc** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:57 pm

Case is a normal Midi case so plenty of room. Just want the best one

Koolpc · Post by **Koolpc** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:58 pm

jhhoffma wrote:Depends on your space limitations.

I would start with the two Scythe coolers just reviewed by SPCR. If you need shorter, there's the Shuriken.

Which 2 are those?

Tephras · Post by **Tephras** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:44 pm

These two, Kabuto and Zipang2.

jessekopelman · Post by **jessekopelman** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:16 pm

Scythes do come with very nice fans, but I've heard few arguments that their top-downs are actually the best heatsinks. Thermalright SI-128SE has a big following. Thermalright AXP-140 looks to be very potent. Thermaltake Big Typhoon also has a large following. There is now a Big Typhoon VX and even a BigTyp 14 Pro. Basically, just like with tower-style, the bigger the heatsink the better (baring construction quality issues). The exception to that in the tower-style world has been direct-touch technology. I've unaware of any direct-touch top-downs, though.

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:41 pm

Xigmatek has one or two top down models:

Cobra D984 80mm fan topdown

and

HDT-D1284 120mm topdown

both with direct touch heatpipe.s

Koolpc · Post by **Koolpc** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 12:18 am

Can't get the Thermalright SI-128SE here in the UK. Shame as that would be my choice!

Vibrator · Post by **Vibrator** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 8:52 pm

I believe the Thermalright AXP-140 paired with a good fan would be the best

The Noctua NH-C12P is also a very high quality and good performing cooler

PartEleven · Post by **PartEleven** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:09 pm

Koolpc wrote:
jhhoffma wrote:Depends on your space limitations.

I would start with the two Scythe coolers just reviewed by SPCR. If you need shorter, there's the Shuriken.
Which 2 are those?

I hate to be a troll, but are you kidding? Do you read this site at all? The article is the 2nd newest listing on the front page.

Anyway, I thought the Thermalright SI-128 SE was an older top-down cooler that was easily out classed by many of the top tower coolers.

jessekopelman · Post by **jessekopelman** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:38 pm

PartEleven wrote: Anyway, I thought the Thermalright SI-128 SE was an older top-down cooler that was easily out classed by many of the top tower coolers.

First off, we are specifically talking top-down coolers -- it doesn't matter whether any of them can beat any tower-style coolers! Second, it's older, but the easily outclassed thing is a tough call. It all depends whether we are talking max airflow capacity or low airflow cooling. Even the non-SE SI-128 beat the BigTyp 14 Pro in low-airflow cooling, but I doubt it could hold a candle to the BigTyp with a high airflow monster fan. I included the SI-128SE in my list because it is fairly popular. With something as hard to quantify as "best", popularity might as well count for something.

Koolpc · Post by **Koolpc** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:20 am

I can get hold of the SI-128 but not the SE version.

reddyuday · Post by **reddyuday** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:03 am

PartEleven wrote:Do you read this site at all? The article is the 2nd newest listing on the front page.

which could indeed be the reason it wasn't noticed. These are very new products.

I am hoping there is someway that the SPCR editors could update the 'Recommended' lists as soon as an article about a new product is written and perhaps highlight the new product in colour so that it is noticeable.

SPCR is a great resource. But it could be greater with a bit of effort in organizing the material.

jhhoffma · Post by **jhhoffma** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:55 am

[edit]Nevermind....troll food.

Koolpc · Post by **Koolpc** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:51 pm

Thats what happens you see, i tend to go straight to the recommended pages.

PartEleven · Post by **PartEleven** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:11 pm

reddyuday wrote:which could indeed be the reason it wasn't noticed. These are very new products.

Sure I can understand that not everyone here will read every SPCR article. What really bugs me is that jhhoffma recommended the "the two Scythe coolers just reviewed by SPCR". That kind of gives a BIG hint that SPCR just put out a recent review that features those two heatsinks. I would think most people would take it as a cue to check the front page or SPCR's heatsink reviews. This, in addition to his other posts, gives me the impression that koolpc doesn't think for himself and requires to be spoon-fed his information.

/rant

Koolpc · Post by **Koolpc** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:18 am

PartEleven wrote:
reddyuday wrote:which could indeed be the reason it wasn't noticed. These are very new products.
Sure I can understand that not everyone here will read every SPCR article. What really bugs me is that jhhoffma recommended the "the two Scythe coolers just reviewed by SPCR". That kind of gives a BIG hint that SPCR just put out a recent review that features those two heatsinks. I would think most people would take it as a cue to check the front page or SPCR's heatsink reviews. This, in addition to his other posts, gives me the impression that koolpc doesn't think for himself and requires to be spoon-fed his information.

/rant

You are a big pratt mate.

Do the 2 heatsinks come top of the list by any chance? Have you used them?

Again, if i wanted only SPCR's advice i wouldn't post a question would i!!

I have been here long enough to know about the SPCR pages. It is 'Users' opinions i am after you plonker.

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:21 am

Koolpc wrote:
You are a big pratt mate.

Do the 2 heatsinks come top of the list by any chance?

They're pretty much doing battle with the best tower coolers, being in same league with Noctua U12P and Thermalright HR-01+ which happend to be one of the best coolers SPCR tested to the date.

PartEleven · Post by **PartEleven** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:27 am

Koolpc wrote: I have been here long enough to know about the SPCR pages. It is 'Users' opinions i am after you plonker.

It's pretty obvious that I don't quite agree with this, but you know what? That's alright. You'd rather hear from people who've actually used the heatsinks. That's cool.

Except you totally missed the point of my post. I was complaining how you didn't bother to look for the review jhhoffma mentioned. You had to have it linked for you by Tephras. And your latest question sounds like you didn't read the review either.

jhhoffma · Post by **jhhoffma** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:36 am

Ok. I think that's about enough of the personal attacks...really.

PartEleven, I appreciate the comments, but it's not helping. You're just feeding into it.

Koolpc, we've gone 'round and 'round on this already. There's nothing wrong with asking questions...far from it. However, you tend to ignore the SPCR reviews on these topics. If you've indeed read the reviews posted and find something lacking in the review itself, please note that and ask a specific question.

When a review is posted, a forum thread is started for it where members can either ask further questions, or post their own experiences. These are probably the most valuable tool for people who want to go beyond the review. We would like to keep most of the discussion on specific topics relegated to existing threads as it does keep things a little more tidy and easily searched. Also, please remember that SPCR reviewers are "users" too.

The Recommended List isn't the most frequently updated thing on the site, but it's still relevant enough for the casual viewer. The problem with a simple heatsink chart is that HSFs are not always easily comparable to one another. Some perform better in one situation vs. another. Just because a Scythe Ninja Mini tower cooler is rated below the T/R SI-128 doesn't mean that in your specific system, the SI-128 will perform better. Maybe the Minja will be more efficient given your airflow pattern? The Ninja 2 and Ninja Mini share the same rating, do you think they will both cool a hot C2Q identically? There is much more to it and YOU need to do the work in reading the review first, then comment on that.

Time after time, I see your questions posted in the most generic fashion and asking questions that have been asked (and answered) a million times in one form or another. Searching the forums is the first thing I do...and in fact, when searching for this topic, guess what comes up??? Your post from 4 months ago asking the exact same question!!!

You can call other people names if you like, but it might help to respect what other people are trying to tell you. We really do want to help, but what we don't want to do is answer the same question again and again by someone who is too lazy to do their own work on the subject. If the effort of searching and reading is too much for you (but posting is not), then please stick to the list and don't bother posting.

Koolpc · Post by **Koolpc** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:37 pm

Sometimes the search facility does not bring up what i am after. I tend to only go to the Recommended section thinking it will be up to date.

Post by **NeilBlanchard** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 2:30 pm

Hi,

Let's try to keep the personal stuff out of the discussion, please.

Koolpc · Post by **Koolpc** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:58 pm

Koolpc wrote:
User opinions would be gratefully accepted!

That says it all. That is why i am asking.

PartEleven · Post by **PartEleven** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:22 am

jhhoffma's post pretty much sums up my opinions as well, but I dont' think there's really going to be any changing to koolpc's opinion here. But needing to be provided a link to a front page review really sent me over the top.

But yes, enough of the personal stuff. For your needs, koolpc, it seems like you would benefit most from a frequently updated performance list that includes every heatsink reviewed. For that I defnitely recommend you take a look at FrostyTech's top list. It's constatly updated, and they've even split it up into a few different categories for performance, noise, and even low profile now. There's a master list somewhere of ALL of their reviewed heatsinks, but I can't find it right now. Try poking around their site.

Oh and if you haven't realized it yet, a lot of the "opinions" you are getting here actually come from other readers of SPCR articles. I don't think the majority of response you are getting are from actual owners/users of the product.

Koolpc · Post by **Koolpc** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:23 am

Guessed that.

Thing is, i am not after SPCR's reviews. I did state clearly in my opening post that i was after 'User' opinions. Not reviews!!

Frostytech has some great 'current' info. Always up-to-date.

Koolpc · Post by **Koolpc** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 8:54 am

Seen the reviews on the Scythe Kabuto. Now, this is not a question aimed at 'reviews' has anyone here got one and if so, what do you think of it?

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