Quiet or passive cooler for E8500??

psykix · 26 Sep 2010 at 09:51

I've got a HTPC running a E8500 (not o/c) with an Akasa AK-960E cooler.

It's too noisy - and on my Gigabyte M/B speedfan and the like don't work... I had to resort to putting a resistor inline, and it is still too noisy..

So.. any recommendations for a passive cooler or a very quiet cooler?

I would prefer not to have to remove the M/B if possible, but I guess if I have to then so be it..

Also, it's in a Zalman HD503 case, so I believe the cooler must be less than 125mm in height..

Ta!

rodo · 26 Sep 2010 at 10:42

You could check if a scythe mini ninja would fit. Never used one personally but they seem popular.

1Day · 26 Sep 2010 at 10:59

If you are not over-clocking the CPU a stock Intel cooler will work rather well and surprisingly it is not very noisy. I doubt that you will hear it in your HTPC case. Assuming you do not overclock - which as you said you do not.

Seriously try it you will be surprised.

psykix · 26 Sep 2010 at 11:04

That looks like it would fit.. noise is 24db - the one I have now is 30db so an improvement, but I don't know how much quieter that translates into!!

The other one I was thinking of is the Scythe Shuriken BIG Quiet but I don't know if it requires the M/B to be removed..

psykix · 26 Sep 2010 at 11:05

1Day said:
If you are not over-clocking the CPU a stock Intel cooler will work rather well and surprisingly it is not very noisy. I doubt that you will hear it in your HTPC case. Assuming you do not overclock - which as you said you do not.

Seriously try it you will be surprised.

Hmm.. I may give one a whirl then... Cheap enough, so prob worth a gamble..

sastusbulbas · 26 Sep 2010 at 20:24

I am using a Silverstone NT01-E with an Intel E8500 running stock in my Silverstone GD02 case, seems to be fine. The other cooler I was looking at was the Silverstone NT06-E.

This is in a pretty full small case with a passive cooled HD5750 as well, it can gat a little warm within the case when playing games so I don't OC. But it is silent at a foot away there is only the light showing the PC is running, I have to put my ear to the case to hear anything.

At stock in both my GD02 and LC13 cases I find the Intel stock coolers way too noisy.

Big.Wayne · 26 Sep 2010 at 22:38

1Day said:
If you are not over-clocking the CPU a stock Intel cooler will work rather well and surprisingly it is not very noisy. I doubt that you will hear it in your HTPC case.

Add to that you should also try UnderVolting the processor and you will almost certainly not need any 3rd party cooling . . . the CPU will hardly get warm and the mobo should lower the stock HSF to minimal rpms . . .