Some Advice Needed about Sunbeam CPU Cooler

nheather · 17 Oct 2009 at 11:44

I've just purchased and received this cooler

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-000-TQ

and have a few questions.

It will be used to cool an AMD Phenum II 955BE

Haven't installed yet - just been looking at the bits in the box.

Q1 - The base which contacts to the CPU is quite unusual - the four heat pipes are exposed and between them is silver coloured metal - so the base is a striped effect of copper and silver - is this good, bad, indifferent

Q2 - It comes with Tuniq TX-2. Is this good. I have my own MX-3, should I use that instead.

Q3 - The instructions for applying the TX-2 are quite unusual. Firstly it says to spread evenly over the whole heat spreader. Secondly it says "apply twice as much as usual" because of the unique base design. Does this sound right - my immediate thought it because of the striped metal base design, it may not be as smooth as other heatsinks so needs more gunk to fill in the gaps.

Q4 - I was surpsied to find that it comes with a fan speed controller - on a plate that mounts on the back of the PC. I assumed that speed of fans these days was controlled automatically by the BIOS and the MoBo. Is this speed controller a good or bad thing? The control knob won't be accessible so I guess I'll just set it on full and leave it there. I'd be also worried that if I set it low then the CPU might cook when the circumstances become right What do you think.

Q5 - At some point during storage or transit the fan has impacted one of the corners of the heatsink. As a result the fins are splayed apart at that corner. I guess it's a simple matter to bend them back and whilst I won't get them perfect I won't see it once it's in the case. What do you think - what would you do?

Cheers,

Nigel

gurusan · 17 Oct 2009 at 12:37

Q1) It's a newish feature that is pretty much standard among later coolers...the heatpipes contact the IHS directly for better heat transfer.

Q2) TX-2 is very good, save the mx-3.

Q3) Your immediate thought is right, there are lots of cracks and things that need to be filled with the thermal paste.

Q4) Speed controller is unnecessary. Just plug it into the CPU fan socket.

Q5) I'd bend the fins back as gently, carefully, and as best I could.

cook001 · 17 Oct 2009 at 16:53

Listen to what gurusan said.

The only thing i will add is that it takes a lot of preasure to get the clips down.It took a couple of times to get it right.Kept cocking up the thermal paste but it is a good cooler.

nheather · 17 Oct 2009 at 17:34

Many thanks.

The only thing i will add is that it takes a lot of preasure to get the clips down.It took a couple of times to get it right.Kept cocking up the thermal paste but it is a good cooler.

Yeah, I noticed it has quite an old-fashioned clip, the type where you had to jam a screwdrive in the slot and push down hard - rather than the newer designs which have an handle that cranks it down.

All sounds good though.

Cheers,

Nigel

Merlin5 · 18 Oct 2009 at 02:54

When I received my Sunbeam CCF, it wouldn't clear the ram, but also, the packaging had done exactly the same, it had splayed the fins at the corners. The fins are very thin and bendy. I RMA'd it and bought a TRUE, and the fins don't bend. I was also apprehensive of the difficulty of installing the CCF, apparently requiring a fair bit of pressure to get the clips on. It's supposed to be a good cooler though so once you have it installed should do a good job.You'll definitely need to carefully fill the gaps on the base between the pipes before applying a line or two or a blob of TX-2.