Best low profile CPU cooler

lozza · 16 Dec 2007 at 22:23

Looking for a low profile preferably passive heatsink for my E2140 htpc setup as i've read/seen somewhere that the E2140 runs quite cool (maybe a toms hardware chart, but typically i can't find it again now) i'm hoping i can get away with a passive cooler.

However, most of the passive coolers seem to be for 1U (771) but i have found the AK-395-2 which is for 1U (775) so i'm wondering if this would be suitable. If not are there any alternative heatsinks to passively cool the E2140 or is this really not a good idea?

The other alternatives are the Zalman CNPS7500 or the CNPS8700 but i'm not sure i can fit either of those in a case that's only 10cm high!

What are people using in their hiper media chassis and LC11 type cases?

p4radox · 16 Dec 2007 at 23:37

Have a look at:

Thermalright SI-128/XP-120
Silverstone NT-06 Lite

Biffa · 17 Dec 2007 at 00:25

The 7500, 7700, 8700 and Zalmans are all about 6.7cm high

The 8000 is 6.25cm thats the lowest they do.

Take a look at the Cooler Master Hyper L3, some reviews have given it a bad rep, but some others have had really good results with it (as good as the Zalman Fatal1ty and its really low profile.

lozza · 17 Dec 2007 at 01:08

p4radox said:
Have a look at:

Thermalright SI-128/XP-120
Silverstone NT-06 Lite

cheers for those but... I have a XP-120 in my current system and some crude measuring deems it to be too big, with a 120mm fan on top, passively it's 63mm high are you suggesting running it passively? It's not a 775 cooler so needs an additional adapter to fit (not sure if this would add to the height or not)

The NT-06 is 78mm without fan i think that would be pushing it in a 100mm case - anyone know the average height from the motherboard tray to the top of the CPU?

lozza · 17 Dec 2007 at 01:34

Biffa said:
The 7500, 7700, 8700 and Zalmans are all about 6.7cm high

The 8000 is 6.25cm thats the lowest they do.

Take a look at the Cooler Master Hyper L3, some reviews have given it a bad rep, but some others have had really good results with it (as good as the Zalman Fatal1ty and its really low profile.

hmm the hyper L3 had a quick look but will read a bit more when i can take it in