CNPS 9500 vs. SI-128
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee
CNPS 9500 vs. SI-128
I recently built an NSK2400-based system using a CNPS 9500 AM2 to cool my A64 3800+. I modded it by flattening the top to make it fit in the case and removed the fan, using just the two 120mm intakes to keep it cool. Not being terribly satisfied with the setup, or the 62c load temps, I decided to buy an SI-128 + Yate Loon D12SL-12.
Well, wouldn't you know it, I didn't really measure the setup before I ordered it, and things don't exactly fit inside the case with the fan sitting on top of the heatsink. So I kept it a semi-passive setup with just the two intakes blowing on the SI-128. Now my load temps are, drumroll.... 59c!! A whopping 3c temperature drop
I guess there's only so much I can expect from two heatsinks that aren't really meant to be run passively in the first place. Regardless, I feel like the SI-128 is a more solid heatsink than the CNPS 9500, so I'm still satisified with the purchase.
However, I did drop the core voltage to 1.35V from 1.40V and the load temps dropped to 52c. I am going to keep playing with the voltages and see what I can do to further drop the temps.
In addition to changing the heatsink, I did swap out the two 120mm fans I took from original Sonatas in favor of two more D12SL-12s. I ran both sets at 5V each, but couldn't really tell much of a difference between the two. Maybe inside my TV stand just isn't the best acoustic environment to be distinguishing differences between the two?
Well, wouldn't you know it, I didn't really measure the setup before I ordered it, and things don't exactly fit inside the case with the fan sitting on top of the heatsink. So I kept it a semi-passive setup with just the two intakes blowing on the SI-128. Now my load temps are, drumroll.... 59c!! A whopping 3c temperature drop
I guess there's only so much I can expect from two heatsinks that aren't really meant to be run passively in the first place. Regardless, I feel like the SI-128 is a more solid heatsink than the CNPS 9500, so I'm still satisified with the purchase.
However, I did drop the core voltage to 1.35V from 1.40V and the load temps dropped to 52c. I am going to keep playing with the voltages and see what I can do to further drop the temps.
In addition to changing the heatsink, I did swap out the two 120mm fans I took from original Sonatas in favor of two more D12SL-12s. I ran both sets at 5V each, but couldn't really tell much of a difference between the two. Maybe inside my TV stand just isn't the best acoustic environment to be distinguishing differences between the two?
I settled on much lower voltages for CnQ as follows:
1000MHz: 0.75V
1200MHz: 0.80V
1400MHz: 0.85V
1600MHz: 0.90V
1800MHz: 0.95V
2000MHz: 1.00V
2200MHz: 1.05V
2400MHz: 1.10V
The CPU now seems to max out around 35c at full load. I really doubt that my idle temps are going to improve much over my previous settings because of CnQ, so I'd assume that I'm looking at a rough operating temperature range of 20c - 35c. I guess I can finally say I'm completely satisfied with my quiet cooling setup.
1000MHz: 0.75V
1200MHz: 0.80V
1400MHz: 0.85V
1600MHz: 0.90V
1800MHz: 0.95V
2000MHz: 1.00V
2200MHz: 1.05V
2400MHz: 1.10V
The CPU now seems to max out around 35c at full load. I really doubt that my idle temps are going to improve much over my previous settings because of CnQ, so I'd assume that I'm looking at a rough operating temperature range of 20c - 35c. I guess I can finally say I'm completely satisfied with my quiet cooling setup.
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My athlon x2 3800+ undervolts very well, it's stable at 0.850V at 1000MHz idling at 23C with the stock fans so there aren't many reasons to upgrade unless it's for silence or overclocking.
I have an nsk2400 also and i'm thinking of getting a new heatsink for because the stock heatsink is pretty noisy and keeps spooling up and down. I saw ciz28's post and said wow i might get that one but then i see this, i thread i have second thoughts. My cpu doesn't undervolt quite as low, 0.85V is a significant 0.1V higher. Not to mention mine is an x2 windsor core, it think it's rated 89W. I wonder how it'll run.
So what do you think would be better, the passively cooled SI-128 or the XP-120 with a good silent fan? Are there any "tower" heatsinks that would fit the nsk2400?
Allow me to rant about my core2duo system i just recently bought, because of all the hype about have better performance/watt ratio, i was thinking maybe it'd be cooler. WRONG. It idles at 40 and this is with this huge-ass silenx ixtrema scx-120 (flower type). You think i might undervolt it some more but it only has TWO speedsteps. Minimum multiplier being 6 and bus speed being 266, you end up with a baseline at 1.6GHz. Might as well sell this one. Boo to intel.
I have an nsk2400 also and i'm thinking of getting a new heatsink for because the stock heatsink is pretty noisy and keeps spooling up and down. I saw ciz28's post and said wow i might get that one but then i see this, i thread i have second thoughts. My cpu doesn't undervolt quite as low, 0.85V is a significant 0.1V higher. Not to mention mine is an x2 windsor core, it think it's rated 89W. I wonder how it'll run.
So what do you think would be better, the passively cooled SI-128 or the XP-120 with a good silent fan? Are there any "tower" heatsinks that would fit the nsk2400?
Allow me to rant about my core2duo system i just recently bought, because of all the hype about have better performance/watt ratio, i was thinking maybe it'd be cooler. WRONG. It idles at 40 and this is with this huge-ass silenx ixtrema scx-120 (flower type). You think i might undervolt it some more but it only has TWO speedsteps. Minimum multiplier being 6 and bus speed being 266, you end up with a baseline at 1.6GHz. Might as well sell this one. Boo to intel.
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- Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:15 pm
- Location: Michigan
I would bet any decent heatsink with a fan would cool better than a semi-passive heatsink. Adding a fan isn't exactly an apples-to-apples comparison In that regard, I'd say an XP-120 with fan would definitely outperform a passive SI-128. And if you find any decent tower-style heatsinks that will fit in the NSK-2400, let me knowSpare Tire wrote:So what do you think would be better, the passively cooled SI-128 or the XP-120 with a good silent fan? Are there any "tower" heatsinks that would fit the nsk2400?