Part 3: Cooling Devices: Heatsinks

Everyone knows that proper cooling is needed to prevent overheating but what exactly should you look for?

Some people don't care a bit about overclocking or noise and only want their computer to turn on and remain on when they press the power button. Those people should use the stock cooler included with their CPU when purchased in a retail box. They aren't the best but are adequate for stock-clock usage, and should keep the CPU below max temps in all but the hottest environments if installed correctly.

Stock Heatsinks:

Intel Celeron Dual-core: Aluminum med. size heatsink
Core 2 E4XXX/ E6XXX: Aluminum med size heatsink with copper core
Core 2 Quad Q6XXX : slightly larger Aluminum heatsink w/copper core
Core 2 E7XXX/8XXX : Small aluminum heatsink
Pentium Dual Core : Small Aluminum heatsink
Core 2 Quad Q8XXX : Small aluminum heatsink
Core 2 Quad Q9XXX : med. aluminum heatsink with copper core
Core 2 Extreme QX9XXX : Nickel-plated copper/aluminum heatsink, ?large, blue LED?
Core i7 9XX : larger aluminum heatsink with copper core
Core i7 Ex. 9XX : mostly copper larger heatsink with blue LED

*Heatsinks May change without notice

AMD 7750 & 7850 BE : med. aluminum heatsink
AMD Phenom 2 : Med. aluminum heatsink with copper base and heatpipes
AMD Phenom : Aluminum heatsink with copper base
AMD Phenom 9950 : same as Phenom 2

If you bought a CPU without a heatsink, and don't care about noise (as long as it's bearable) or cooling (as long as it doesn't overheat) and don't overclock, consider these:
*Works for light overclocking
**Moderate overclocking
^Quiet

Make Sure your cooler fits your socket!

Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro**^
Arctic Cooling Alpine 64 Pro*^
Sunbeam Core Contact 92mm**^
Xigmatek HDT 92mm**^
Tt Blue Orb **^
Tt TR2*^
Evercool NW11F-825CA
Tt CL-P0296*^
Evercool EC-PT12-9525EA
ASUS X70*
Xigmatek EP-CD901^
Scythe Katana3**^
Cooler Master Hyper TX2**^

For enthusiasts who like to overvolt and overclock

Thermalright Ultra Extreme
Zalman CNPS10X
Prolimatech Megahalems
Scythe Mugen 2
Xigmatek Thor's Hammer
Cooler Master V8
Cooler Master V10
Noctua NH-U12P

Good balance between price/performance

KEY
*good for OC
**great
***awesome
^quiet
^^very quiet

Zalman CNPS 9300, 9500, 9700 **^^
Xigmatek HDT 92mm and 120mm**^
Kingwin HTC 92mm and 120mm
CM Hyper TX3*^
OCZ Vendetta & Vendetta 2**^
Sunbeam Core Contact 92 and 120mm**^
Arctic cooling Freezer 64 pro & freezer 7 pro*^
Xigmatek Dark Knight***^
Rosewill Fort 120**^
Scythe Katana 3*^
Scythe Shuriken**^
Scythe Mugen 2**^
Tt Big Typhoon**^

Remember to take measurements before you buy a cooler. Also, in many cases the thermal paste included sucks or, even worse, none is included. If the paste is slightly silver with a general grey tone, it is usually silver-based TIM which is best (TIM=Thermal Interface Material). If you get grey thermal paste, it could be good, or okay, but usually not too bad. If it is white, it should work fine, don't expect wonders. If it is a weird color (pink, blue, green etc.) usually you want to avoid that. (exception of SYBA TIM which is black)

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