Thermalright Ultra-120A Extreme (Help)

Haydz · 26 Jul 2009 at 23:06

I have recently finished building my new PC.
However i am still on a stock cooler, I have done abit of researching, and i know that i should be getting an aftermarket cooler, i also found the Thermalright Ultra-120A Extreme, to be something i want, it has positive reviews and the price isn't bad either, but i am unsure as to what else i need, I know i also need a cpu fan for the cooler, Had my eyes on the NF-P12, will this suffice?
Can somebody please point me in the right direction as to what i need?

cmndr_andi · 26 Jul 2009 at 23:54

TBH, this cooler is a slightly cooler better than the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme (TRUE) and it costs the same as the TRUE. However, you will need this bracket to make it work with an AMD system (if that's what you are running).

The noctua P12 fans are great. In my opinion the best option for a cool and quiet system.

Haydz · 27 Jul 2009 at 00:06

cmndr_andi said:
TBH, this cooler is a slightly cooler better than the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme (TRUE) and it costs the same as the TRUE. However, you will need this bracket to make it work with an AMD system (if that's what you are running).

The noctua P12 fans are great. In my opinion the best option for a cool and quiet system.

Yes i am running and AM3 System, thanks for the advice, hopefully get a few more opinions before i make up my mind what to splash the cash on, thanks.

Haydz · 28 Jul 2009 at 17:05

Im really not sure what to buy here, also how much thermal paste will i need to apply, and what thermal paste shall i get?

RJC · 28 Jul 2009 at 18:01

MX-2, smear over the top of the cpu

The Promilatech seems to be getting good reviews and recommended a lot.

PakJai · 28 Jul 2009 at 18:05

Oh, just to let you know...there's MX-3 now and it will sooner or later replace the clockers favourite (MX-2!).

Having said that, the reduction is minimal, but IMO, every little helps!
It's probably not worth replacing if you still have lots of the old stuff available, but if you are looking into stocking some new paste, then you should definitely give MX-3 a try.

Xelene · 28 Jul 2009 at 21:07

http://www.arcticsilver.com/ins_route_step2amdas5.html

And use Arctic Silver. Not much between the top ones.

paul_31 · 7 Aug 2009 at 08:55

The Promilatech and the TRUE both look good, does anybody run these without a fan attached? I will have a rear exhaust fan just behind pulling air out the back of the case and a top exhaust fan just above the cooler.

Is the Promilatech worth an extra £18 (including AM3 bracket) over the TRUE?

BigBruiserAl · 7 Aug 2009 at 09:13

paul_31 said:
The Promilatech and the TRUE both look good, does anybody run these without a fan attached? I will have a rear exhaust fan just behind pulling air out the back of the case and a top exhaust fan just above the cooler.

Is the Promilatech worth an extra £18 (including AM3 bracket) over the TRUE?

If it true vs prom with equal pricing i would go prom, however is it no where near worth an extra £18 over the true.as said the diff is minamal.

paul_31 · 8 Aug 2009 at 22:59

Does anyone run the True without a fan attached? How do you think it would cope?

Big.Wayne · 9 Aug 2009 at 00:35

If you've got a reasonable amount of case airflow it copes fine!

BIGBC · 9 Aug 2009 at 00:35

Running without a fan isnt advised - especially if you want any overclock.
Since you can get a solid fan for £7 theres no point really - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FG-022-SY&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=4 Running two of them on my Megahalems and its amazingly cool - not £18 cooler than the TRUE tho.

Big.Wayne · 9 Aug 2009 at 01:12

BIGBC said:
Running without a fan isnt advised

By who?

paul_31 · 9 Aug 2009 at 16:37

Big.Wayne said:
If you've got a reasonable amount of case airflow it copes fine!

Looks like at Antec 300? I've got the same case too and will have dual intake fans at the front with the exhaust fans at rear and on top. I think I will go for it without fans to begin with and if i need to I can always add one

Thanks.

WJA96 · 9 Aug 2009 at 17:59

Big.Wayne said:
By who?

By Thermalright - that's why they produce a passive specific cooler called the HR-01 which has vertical air tunnels cut through the fins to give better air circulation through the tower without a fan.

I like the HR-01 with the blue duct, it's almost as good as an active cooler, but without any additional fan noise.

Big.Wayne · 9 Aug 2009 at 20:48

WJA96 said:
By Thermalright

Are you serious?

Couple of points, firstly show me a statement from Thermalright where they say running a TRUE without a fan is not recommended?, secondly I've used a *passive* TRUE in a few builds and it's fine . . . really it's fine unless you have a volcanic processor overclocked to the max!

I really can't see a Passive True having problems with a stock to mild overclock chip in a well cooled case? . . . if it gets to hot then pop on a quiet fan but your not gonna bust anything experimenting with running Passive :confused:

I like the look of the HR-01 and did try to buy one sadly they are vaporware in the UK the past several months! . . . I emailed Hank Peng @ Thermalright to help me source a unit . . .

Hank Peng said:
Dear Wayne,

Basically you can purchase HR-01 X and the 775 Bolt thru kit if HR-01 Plus is absolutely not available which I also find that to be the case.

Please consider a Thermalright-HR-01X-(XEON) + Thermalright-LGA775-Bolt-Thru-Kit

Thank you.

Best Regards,

I nearly bought the combo but being familiar with the Bolt-Thru-Kit I was aware it doesn't come with a hold-down plate and it looked the the supplied LGA771 bracket isn't the same dimensions so that was that!

bulldog147 · 9 Aug 2009 at 23:33

Big.Wayne said:
Are you serious?

Couple of points, firstly show me a statement from Thermalright where they say running a TRUE without a fan is not recommended?, secondly I've used a *passive* TRUE in a few builds and it's fine . . . really it's fine unless you have a volcanic processor overclocked to the max!

I really can't see a Passive True having problems with a stock to mild overclock chip in a well cooled case? . . . if it gets to hot then pop on a quiet fan but your not gonna bust anything experimenting with running Passive

I like the look of the HR-01 and did try to buy one sadly they are vaporware in the UK the past several months! . . . I emailed Hank Peng @ Thermalright to help me source a unit . . .

I nearly bought the combo but being familiar with the Bolt-Thru-Kit I was aware it doesn't come with a hold-down plate and it looked the the supplied LGA771 bracket isn't the same dimensions so that was that!

You suppose to use a fan attacted to the cpu cooler as you got no fan on it as it bad news for you as you can't overclock it without any fan on it. Get a fan mate !

Stryda09 · 9 Aug 2009 at 23:59

The rear exhaust will not work as the Thermalright mounts horizontally on amd sockets as the bracket is rectangle. Think there may be a reversal kit on the web somewhere. I am using True on a Phenom I 9950 seems to work fine.

If anyone has the Megahalem though on am3 board can you tell me whether that adapter mounts the heatsink Horizontal or vertically.

Minstadave · 10 Aug 2009 at 01:27

I've got a E2180 overclocked above 3Ghz with a passive Thermalright Ultra (non-extreme version) in a very quiet case and it never tops 60 degrees.

WJA96 · 10 Aug 2009 at 07:28

bulldog147 said:
You suppose to use a fan attacted to the cpu cooler as you got no fan on it as it bad news for you as you can't overclock it without any fan on it. Get a fan mate !

Actually, not only can you overclock on a passive cooler - Big Wayne is overclocking highly successfully on a passive cooler, although energy saving is also important I believe? Big Wayne is the "go-to guy" if you want extreme speed for little or no money and as ecologically as possible.

My own personal favourite was when he sat up all night on a freezing winter's night, out on his balcony, wrapped in a duvet (I think) so he could get an extreme overclock on an underperforming cooling system. Kudos!