I just installed an Arctic Cooling Super Silent 4 Ultra TC.
While this unit is pretty far down SPCR's recommended list, I would still take issue with the reviewer's remarks: "inexpensive quiet performance with decent cooling on P4s. Much quieter than stock Intel HSF."
I agree with inexpensive. However it is not quieter than the stock Intel HSF--at least compared to the current one that ships with the Celeron D 2.66Ghz CPU. The AC unit makes more noise at 1,000 RPMs than the Intel fan at 2500 RPMs--a distinct buzz that is absent in the Intel.
I also find that not just the CPU but the whole case runs hotter with the AC--HDDs several degrees C higher. I suspect this has to do with the fact that the AC blows down on the heatsink whereas I think the Intel blows up which enhances airflow in the whole case. I'll check that when I reinstall the Intel unit.
In any case things are hotter and noisier with the AC unit. I guess you get what you pay for after all.
Disappointed with AC CPU heatsink/fan
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Felger Carbon
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If the Intel heatsink is using the air vent that comes with TAC 1.1 (Thermally Advantaged Chassis), the Intel HSF will be exhausting the heated air to the outside world. Your AMD HSF dumps the heated air into your chassis so it's natural that the AMD cooler would result in a higher chassis temperature.
The Intel TAC 1.1 initiative is what puts the round and rectangular holes in all the chassis these days. The rectangular hole is to cool the hot hot video cards the gamers use, while the round hole and an air duct are used in conjunction with the round heatsinks used with Intel socket 775.
The two ways the round hole can be used: provide cool ambient air as input to the HSF, which is then exhausted into the chassis after being used. This provides better cooling for the CPU die.
I had not previously heard of the alternate use: cooling the CPU with chassis air, and then exhausting the hot air to the outside world, which provides better cooling for the chassis.
It also means that you now have _3_ exhaust fans for the chassis: The regular one, the PSU fan, and the HSF fan on the Intel HSF, all exhausting air to the outside world. I hope you have a great big air _intake_! Otherwise those 3 fans will just be creating a (partial) vacuum inside the chassis...
The Intel TAC 1.1 initiative is what puts the round and rectangular holes in all the chassis these days. The rectangular hole is to cool the hot hot video cards the gamers use, while the round hole and an air duct are used in conjunction with the round heatsinks used with Intel socket 775.
The two ways the round hole can be used: provide cool ambient air as input to the HSF, which is then exhausted into the chassis after being used. This provides better cooling for the CPU die.
I had not previously heard of the alternate use: cooling the CPU with chassis air, and then exhausting the hot air to the outside world, which provides better cooling for the chassis.
It also means that you now have _3_ exhaust fans for the chassis: The regular one, the PSU fan, and the HSF fan on the Intel HSF, all exhausting air to the outside world. I hope you have a great big air _intake_! Otherwise those 3 fans will just be creating a (partial) vacuum inside the chassis...