Can SI-120 passively cool this CPU?

eternizer · Post by **eternizer** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 8:37 pm

This might be a silly question, but...

MikeC indicated in another thread that Antec NSK2400 case had "a ton of directed airflow focused at the CPU point -- maybe even more than in the P180."

I'm wondering if Thermalright's SI-120 can passively cool my A64 3000+ venice (E6) in this case.
According to the recent SPCR's "Desktop CPU Power Survey," A64 3000+ venice E3 one's TDP is 44.1W (this is sample-specific value). I will probably neither overclock nor underclock mine.
What do you think? Is it possible? or No way?

MikeC also said that HSF for the case must be shorter than 12cm. This precludes most tower HS recommended by SPCR...

sdat1333 · Post by **sdat1333** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 6:00 am

I think the SI-120 would have trouble passive cooling a pentium 3
lol maybe Im being a little dramatic there, but the fins are very close together and theyre not even oriented right to take advantage of case ariflow (which is usually front to back, and on a SI-120, case airflow would just shoot over the heatsink.

Sean

SebRad · Post by **SebRad** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 8:36 am

Hi, you might like to look at this thread to see how Ed cools his Venice 3000+ with XP120 with no fan on it. I would guess his PC is properly very very quiet

Seb

EndoSteel · Post by **EndoSteel** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 11:30 am

It's hard to imagine a heatsink that is NOT capable of cooling a 3000+ Venice

. But SI-120 is not the best choice, as sdat1333 has already mentioned - I would rather go for a Ninja.

P.S. A modded Igloo 7700 (16 fins spaced 6mm) keeps my 3000+ Newcastle within 70C on pure convection.

eternizer · Post by **eternizer** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 1:22 pm

sdat1333 wrote:theyre not even oriented right to take advantage of case ariflow (which is usually front to back, and on a SI-120, case airflow would just shoot over the heatsink.

Antec NSK2400 is equipped with 2 "sidemounted" 120mm fans. So, the case airflow is NOT front to back.

EndoSteel wrote:I would rather go for a Ninja.

Please read my posting carefully. I already said the HSF must be "shorter than 12cm."

SebRad wrote:you might like to look at this thread to see how Ed cools his Venice 3000+ with XP120 with no fan on it.

Thanks! I guess it's doable then~

(I assume SI-120 is equal to or better than XP-120)

diver · Post by **diver** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 3:23 pm

Perhaps you could build a duct for the SI-120 where the air entered from the bottom of the heatsink, turns 90 degrees and right out the case through one of those big side mounted fans. The task would be made easier if the motherboard you choose lines up the CPU socket right with one of those fans. That would probably cool effectively.

eternizer · Post by **eternizer** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:11 am

Well, I'm getting Biostar TForce6100-939 in a few days. I'll see how it's gonna be aligned.

Btw, considering most 120mm fan height to be 25mm, SI-120 might be too tall (90mm) to place a fan on top of it. Total height will be 115mm and only 5mm left. I doubt 5mm is enough for this HSF to breathe...

Well, this's gonna be tough~

AHjota · Post by **AHjota** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 3:48 am

What about the XP120? I don't own one, so I recommend it without any real qualification, but I would think that if it fits your Biostar you could use that, since it is much shorter than the SI.

diver · Post by **diver** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:59 am

XP-120 would be better than the SI-120, assuming no motherboard clearance issues. The SI-120 will just be too tall for a fan or a decent duct on top. You might want to check out the Silverstone NT01 v2.0.

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-nt01v2.0.htm

Its designed for crossflow passive cooling and does not appear to be too tall. I have a feeling this would be perfect. The offset shape should put it right in front of one of the fans.

diver · Post by **diver** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:59 am

Afterthought:

You would need a MoBo where the socket was turned 90 degrees from the ususal to make this one work. Thre are such things, but might not be what you want.

eternizer · Post by **eternizer** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:30 pm

After all, XP-120 might be a better idea... However, the additional fins at the lower side of XP-120 might hinder air flow by the case fans.
Probably I will just buy either heatsink without waiting for SPCR posting its review of NSK2400 and then regret to see later bunch of nice suggestions of the HS choices on the review...

Out of boredom, I made an imaginary set-up with photos from the web.
Here's the lay-out of NSK2400+TForce6100-939+SI-120!

It seems the HS won't be perfectly aligned with one of the case fans.
Note that the above pic is just overlaid photos of the items, so actual position might be slightly different though.

EDIT - added another schematic.

Still can't decide which one would get better air flow from the case fans...

eternizer · Post by **eternizer** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:57 am

My NSK2400 arrived this morning. Now I have to order my heatsink real soon... Still torn between XP-120 and SI-120 though...

diver · Post by **diver** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:23 am

The only thing that concerns me here is the direction of air flow will be along the fins the long way (parallel to the MoBo) and the design has the air flow going along the fins the short way (perpendicular to the air flow). You might recall that in Ed's machine the cooling air comes down the CAG, perpindicular to the MoBo. This is making me doubt that it is possible to use the XP/SI 120 in a passive mode in your applicaion.

I would definitely go with the XP-120 over the SI-120 because if you need a fan as a fall-back, there really is not enough room over the SI-120.

If it were me, I would broaden my search and see if I could find a cooler that is designed for air flow parallel to the MoBo and allows for it to be installed in any direction (most coolers do not). It could very well happen that some cooler that does not test as well as an XP/XI 120 in a standard case would work better with the unusual requirements of the case you are using, with or without a fan.

eternizer · Post by **eternizer** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 6:44 pm

Thanks for the advice, diver!
I agree with you. The air flow is not optimally aligned for XP/SI-120.

Only if I were to find good alternatives... The case is too short, no decent vertical HS would fit in. MikeC mentioned Spire's VertiCool II, but reviews from other sites were somewhat disappointing.

I guess I should go for XP-120 with fan...

Or, providing that fan is needed anyway, searching for an AC Freezer on ebay might be better idea (much cheaper at least). MikeC said the old Freezer would fit in.