More CPU cooling - Is it worth it? [Solved? Only time will tell]

Hardware CPU
1

So I have almost achieved perfection, but not quite.
Last time I wrote, it was about finding a CPU cooler that would actually fit and perform in my tiny small form factor Milo ml08. In the end I took a chance with the Noctua NH-L9x65 AM4, end even though the specs said max 58mm, as opposed to 65mm it actually does fit, just.
With undervolting and a multiplier of 30 rather than 37, this means that stress testing, under not so ideal condition, given the extraordinary danish summer, the CPU temperature settles at around 85c and hovers around 50c at idle, I think. As I’m testing under Linux with the not so user friendly LM_Sensors, and with AMD not being able to figure out their offsets, I’m not entirely sure, but if not the CPU temperature, what then am I reading?

Regardless, being the perfectionist that I am, I rather think it isn’t good enough, especially given the utter lag of proper airflow, and of course the GPU will also affect things when fired up, so I’ve thought about it and have come up with a couple of options. I really had set my mind on water cooling, yes I was, in theory, able to fit both radiators, blocks and what not, but I couldn’t find room for the pump, so that saved me rather a lot of money.
Anyway, the options:

  1. Use the heatsink from the NH-L9x65, but instead of the fan (NF-A9x14 PWM) I’ll get hold of the NF-A12x15 PWM. I’ll have to find 1mm (preferably more) somewhere, which I can do by grinding a bit of the heatsink, delidding, or cutting a hole in the side panel, which will be covered by the dust filter.
    Personally I’m all for delidding, just because I can,but the point is that with a bit of work, it will fit.

  2. Use another heatsink, no taller than 41mm, and use a proper 120mm fan, 25mm thick, which seem to be the standard.

As for the fans, according to Noctua product page, their best 120/25 actually performs more or less the same as the 120/15, which confuses me rather a bit,but I guess I have a thing or two to learn about fluid dynamics.

This quickly became rather a TL;DR, but if you’re with me this far, you’re probably going to read on, and I am going to get to the point, right now in fact.

Because it all sound great in theory. bigger fan equals greater airflow… What’s not to like? Well, for one I’m a bit concerned that since the fan is now bigger than the heatsink (I rather doubt I can find a 120mm heatsink to fit a mini-itx board, not taller than 41 or 51mm), that the lag of focused airflow, so to speak, will actually result in worse performance when it comes to the CPU, though I’m sure both the VRMs and the RAM will be clapping their tiny hands with joy, having gotten a break from a never ending heatwave.
It would I suppose be possible to direct the airflow, but I dunno, there really isn’t room for anything proper.

So there you have it.
I really aren’t half as clever as I may sound… to some… when it comes to this particular subject, thus I’ve writing this small essay to try,with your help, to alleviate this small problem.

Comments, advice, questions, opinions…Everything is much appreciated, but in the end I suppose I’m really looking for a yes or no answer: Is it worth it?

Best regards and I do hope you enjoyed the essay.

Nb:
Once I’ve overcome this last issue, I will compile a build log,describing everything in detail, should anyone be interested.Just don’t expect much related to RGB. :wink:

2

Unless you’re up for desoldering, and possibly destroying your chip, delidding a 2700X is pretty much out of the question. You could potentially sand down the IHS to make up that 1mm, but it would reduce its effectiveness.

I was researching for a build in the ML08 which I never did a year and a bit ago. The best heatsink I found for the size allowed is the Scythe Big Shuriken 2. You’d have to botch the mounting for AM4, though.

http://www.scythe-eu.com/en/products/cpu-cooler/big-shuriken-2-rev-b.html

(Great advice, now you’ve already gone and bought a heatsink, sorry)

Edit: Scratch that, you can get an AM4 mounting kit.

http://www.scythe-eu.com/no_cache/en/pressrelease/product/scythe-confirms-am4-compatibility-and-announces-am4-mounting-kits.html

1 Like
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I do actually believe I can delid safely, though of course not like you’d do an Intel CPU. You pretty much have to heat it up to 170c, or there about, which should be quite safe, at least according to Der8auer. The actual dangerous part is cutting through the clue, but I have an idea how to do that safely to, and of course bending any pins would be bad.

Anyway, I think I did look at that cooler at some point, but I think I didn’t realize it was a 120mm fan. It does look rather perfect though, and there should even be room for a better fan, so I’ll certainly look at that very closely.And ya,it does rather annoy me that I didn’t just buy the perfect one from the start, but that’s life.

Thanks

1 Like
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Is it just me, or does the press release you found not actually impact the cooler in question?

5

Whoops.

Someone has had success botching it with the Noctua AM4 mount haha

[Album] Big Shuriken 2 fitted to an AM4 Socket
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Ya, saw that, and have already ordered it BTW,including some Kryonaut and that Noctua fan. Wasn’t cheap, but hey, it’s only money.

So, presuming this actually works, i only need a proper keyboard and monitor. I have no idea about the keyboard other than I want dual channel bluetooth connectivity and backlight, but I know exactly what monitor I want, only it’s not actually available yet, that would be the upcoming 32:9 (5120x1440@120), presumably with HDR 600 or better, which is good enough for me, and freesync.
Then I have finally achieved perfection. :smiley:

1 Like
8

Closed for low effort Necro.