Recommendation for Dual Core Opteron 2.0 [gHz] Socket 939

dman777 · Post by **dman777** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 1:49 pm

I have a dual core Opteron 2.0 ghrtz Socket 939 that runs pretty hot at 43 c idle(50c idle in Linux). My PC is a htpc that I never overclock, so I would like to get a CPU cooler that is quite as possible but will still cool these hot cpu's. The cpu cooler also needs to fit in my case. Here's what I have so far to choose from:

1) ZALMAN CNPS 9700 NT 110mm 2 Ball Ultra Quiet CPU Cooler
2) Tuniq Tower 120 Universal CPU Cooler 120mm Cooling Fan
3) SCYTHE NINJA

Although I've spent many hours doing research, I'm still pretty novice to what's out there(for dual core opterons). So, I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks,
-Dman

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:15 pm

Hi and welcome to SPCR!

Before you buy a new cooler:

- Is Cool n Quiet enabled in BIOS and does it work in the OS?

- Have you tried undervolting?

- Are you using some decent thermal paste?

It's a bit hard to help you without knowing what motherboard or case you're using.

All those heatsinks are pretty tall, so I guess you already know that they will fit.
If you need something with lower height then I suggest that you have a look at the Thermalright SI-128 SE. Thread here.

Otherwise I think the Ninja will be fine, a better choice than the Zalman since it's easier to swap fan.

m0002a · Post by **m0002a** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:13 pm

I would not spend a lot of money trying to make it cooler. You can get a 4850e and new AM2 motherboard for about $130 which will idle in the mid-20's. You will need different memory also, but you can get 4 GB for $50 these days (with a MIR).

On my older system with Opteron 185 it idles at 36 C (at least according to Asus) using a Thermalright XP-120 (I don't think that exact model is made anymore) and a slow speed fan running. Turning up the fan speed only helps lower temps by 1 C at idle (I suspect it would help a lot more under load). Opterons take the same HS's as any 939 chip. My Thermalright required a new mounting bracket to replace the stock one.

On most new Linux distros Cool n Quiet is included by default (and is running on my RH Fedora 9 system) so that my dual boot system runs the same temp on Windows and Linux.

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:24 pm

m0002a wrote:On my older system with Opteron 185 it idles at 36 C (at least according to Asus) using a Thermalright XP-120 (I don't think that exact model is made anymore) and a slow speed fan running.

Did you undervolt it? My Opteron got a lot cooler from that.

Getting a good cooler to his Opteron is not a bad idea, especially since most of them will work with AM3 and S1366 in the future.
The SI-128 SE is the latest successor to the XP-120 (SI-120 and SI-128 was in between), with much improved performance:

dman777 · Post by **dman777** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:17 pm

I'm glad to know there's other Opteron owners that feel my pain.I use an Asus A8n SLI Premium motherboard(but just 1 video card that is not a gamer card so it's pretty silent).

Naw, i don't want to upgrade my chipset just yet. i would like to wait a year or two for the quad cores to get better so i will have a bigger gap when i upgrade.

No, I don't mess with the voltages. I'm not really good at that stuff.

Cool and Quit is a joke for the opterons because they run so hot that it doesn't matter... stock fan runs at high rpms anyways because of the constanst heat. I have this thing calle Qfan but it doesn't kick in unless the CPU's goes over 51c.

Wow! I am really impressed with the Thermalright si-128 se! That may be the cooler I will be buying! After reading some reviews, it cools just as good(almost...close enough)as the big Thermalright ultra-120 when using same fans. Why is this since the ultra-120 are so much bigger? And will si-128 se be able to handle the hot Opterons as good as the Thermalright ultra-120ex?

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:22 pm

Undervolting can make a big difference, and CnQ DOES matter when it comes to idle temps. And it's free.
Isn't it obvious that dropping the frequency from 2 to 1 GHz and at the same time lower Vcore will lower the power consumption?
It did for me, at least.
I think most people here who have tried both can tell you that.

dman777 · Post by **dman777** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:45 pm

I was looking on Frozen Tech and the Scythe Zipang was in the top 5 for best heatsinks for noise for AMD. Even though the SI-128SE is cooler, the ratio of fan noise to coolness is not as good as the Zipang(hence I guess that is why the Zipzang made it into the top5 and the SI-128E didn't). Should I go by these results? What do you think about the Zipzang as compared to the SI-128SE?

Code: Select all

                                                  Temp          Fan noise
Thermalright  	SI-128SE  	 	22.0  	44.5

Scythe 	Zipang 		23.3 	33.1

Also, where do I change the voltages? I went into motherboard bios in CPU->Hyperthread. It was set to auto but I put it at it's lowest 1x. My system runs slower at some instances but the temps run the same...they haven't gone down.

m0002a · Post by **m0002a** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:23 am

dman777 wrote:I'm glad to know there's other Opteron owners that feel my pain.I use an Asus A8n SLI Premium motherboard(but just 1 video card that is not a gamer card so it's pretty silent).

Naw, i don't want to upgrade my chipset just yet. i would like to wait a year or two for the quad cores to get better so i will have a bigger gap when i upgrade.

No, I don't mess with the voltages. I'm not really good at that stuff.

Cool and Quit is a joke for the opterons because they run so hot that it doesn't matter... stock fan runs at high rpms anyways because of the constanst heat. I have this thing calle Qfan but it doesn't kick in unless the CPU's goes over 51c.

Wow! I am really impressed with the Thermalright si-128 se! That may be the cooler I will be buying! After reading some reviews, it cools just as good(almost...close enough)as the big Thermalright ultra-120 when using same fans. Why is this since the ultra-120 are so much bigger? And will si-128 se be able to handle the hot Opterons as good as the Thermalright ultra-120ex?

My mb is Asus A8N-E and my Opteron 185 (2.6 GHz dual-core) runs at 36 C idle with Cool n Quiet, which certainly does make a difference in my system.

I was not aware the equivilent Athlon 64 X2 chips (same speed, cache, etc as the Opteron) was any cooler at the time I bought mine. I thought the difference is that the Opterons tested at higher frequencies (making them more reliable at rated frequency) and that they were no unlocked, making them a little harder to over-clock.

With regard to heatsinks, the Xigmatek S1283 that I have installed on 4050e Linux server works exceptionaly well, and is very cost effective (especially if you can find a MIR).

pony-tail · Post by **pony-tail** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 1:27 am

I have a socket 939 opteron 185 in a Shuttle SN25 , it idles in the low 40s and runs in the low 50s at max load - with the stock ICE cooler .(my ambient is 27 - 30 c )
I would avoid the Zalman cooler if you are after silence their fans are annoyingly buzzy and not easily changed . I would go a Ninja 2 for quiet .

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 5:50 am

dman77: The SI-128 SE comes without a fan so it's no problem. In the test you're talking about they use a Mechatronics 120 mm fan, while the Zipang uses a 140 mm fan, no wonder they get different results.
They have different sizes so they're not really comparable.
Nothing says the Mechatronics fan is quiet. In the end of the article they admit that the fan is not low noise model.

Just buy a recommended fan and you'll be fine.

What kind of cooler are you using now?

Here's a must read about applying thermal paste.

dman777 · Post by **dman777** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 6:25 am

I'm using the stock cooler with Artic Silver paste. I turned on the Cool and Quiet and it made my fan alot more quiet! I don't remember it working this good a few years ago when I tried it. Man! I'm really in love with the cool and quit feature. Will the Cool and Quiet work on the SI-128 SE or Zipang? If not, would I still be better off upgrading to one of those coolers and not using the cool and quiet?

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 6:46 am

dman777 wrote:Will the Cool and Quiet work on the SI-128 SE or Zipang? If not, would I still be better off upgrading to one of those coolers and not using the cool and quiet?

It will work with any cooler, there's no reason to turn it off if it works properly.
You can get it even cooler with undervolting.
Replacing the fan can also be a good idea, if you have the 80 mm heatpipe cooler.

- What temps do you get now?

- Can you make it work in Linux?

dman777 · Post by **dman777** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:58 pm

I'm in my linux admin right now and it's hard to say. It's graphically more intensive, so it uses alot more cpu. If it is working, it's just a tad more quit.The Temps I get in Linux are 50c working and 45c idle. In my Windows I don't know because I need to get a new program since the Asus one won't run in with cool and quiet enabled.

I'm probably going to get the SI-128SE because I know it will fit in my case for sure. Should I use the thermal compound that comes with it or should I use artic 5?

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:51 pm

Arctic Silver will be fine.
The distances from the center of the CPU socket to the edges of the heatsink are 62.5, 62.5, and about 60, 85 mm.

m0002a · Post by **m0002a** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 5:41 pm

dman777 wrote:I'm in my linux admin right now and it's hard to say. It's graphically more intensive, so it uses alot more cpu. If it is working, it's just a tad more quit.The Temps I get in Linux are 50c working and 45c idle. In my Windows I don't know because I need to get a new program since the Asus one won't run in with cool and quiet enabled.

I'm probably going to get the SI-128SE because I know it will fit in my case for sure. Should I use the thermal compound that comes with it or should I use artic 5?

I don't know what Linux distro you are running, but RH Fedora 9 has Cool n Quiet enabled by default (text mdoe or GUI). You need to download Asus Probe to see the temps in Windows. You can get a power meter from the AMD site that shows the CPU voltage and speed of the processor.

rickp001 · Post by **rickp001** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 6:07 pm

I'm using an ANDY Samurai Master cpu cooler from scythe and it cools my opteron 170 down to 32c. 120mm Fan on heatsink spins at around 600rpm so it's very quiet.