What is the best CPU cooler for an i7

[Surf314]

Getting one this week after I get paid. What CPU cooler should I go for? Must fit in a midtower.

[copulatingduck]

Vroom Vroom!

[CaffeinePowered]

Ive gone with Zalman on my past two builds....but that thing is indeed a beast

[Eightball]

I've got that very cooler. Here are some reference photos to give you an idea of how beastly this thing is:

Stock i7 cooler from Intel:

(pencil for reference)

Cooler Master V8:

ENTIRE TEAM IS BABIES

It's not quite the size of your head, but it's pretty damn big. Was surprised that my side door even shut.

[copulatingduck]

but how cool does you shit run? was it worth it?

[Surf314]

Will it fit in a midtower with a fan on the side?

[Surf314]

Also I'm back and forth between getting a new case and giving my sister my old one and getting her a case and swapping out mobos. I think it might be easier just to leave the mobo where it is and move everything else though  :-\

[Didzo]

Also I'm back and forth between getting a new case and giving my sister my old one and getting her a case and swapping out mobos. I think it might be easier just to leave the mobo where it is and move everything else though  :-\

Get an HAF 932 or 932 X.

Then place whatever beast of a cooler you want in there.

[Surf314]

[quote author=Surf314 link=topic=4891.msg168772#msg168772 date=1281566613]
Also I'm back and forth between getting a new case and giving my sister my old one and getting her a case and swapping out mobos. I think it might be easier just to leave the mobo where it is and move everything else though  :-\

Get an HAF 932 or 932 X.

Then place whatever beast of a cooler you want in there.


[/quote]

Yea I think I will just do this.

[Surf314]

Just got a i7 930, V8 cooler, and HAF 932. I was considering briefly the HAF X but it was $70 more and didn't seem worth it.

[Eightball]

but how cool does you shit run? was it worth it?

There's a dial that controls the fan speed and sticks out in the back of your comp where your PCI components would have their outputs. I accidentally had it at minimum for the longest time now and it ran at about 45 idling, up to 55 full load. Turned it up to max and it rarely peaks 45. i7s tend to run pretty hot, so that's not bad.

And Surf, it should fit. Although my case is a full tower, it's not any wider than the average mid-tower. You could, in theory, run into some problems if your RAM chips are too close, but I doubt this'll be an issue.

[Surf314]

[quote author=Duck link=topic=4891.msg168737#msg168737 date=1281560205]
but how cool does you shit run? was it worth it?

There's a dial that controls the fan speed and sticks out in the back of your comp where your PCI components would have their outputs. I accidentally had it at minimum for the longest time now and it ran at about 45 idling, up to 55 full load. Turned it up to max and it rarely peaks 45. i7s tend to run pretty hot, so that's not bad.

And Surf, it should fit. Although my case is a full tower, it's not any wider than the average mid-tower. You could, in theory, run into some problems if your RAM chips are too close, but I doubt this'll be an issue.
[/quote]

I got the full tower and the mobo I have puts some space between the chip and the RAM for big heatsinks. It was one of the things that sold me on the ASUS over the Gigabyte.

So basically I was too lazy to move the mobo from case to case and so my sister is getting my case, mobo, processor and I got her a all-in-one card reader too so she can easily manage her pictures.

[Surf314]

Wow, this was super easy. I didn't even have to reinstall. It just started up changed out all the drivers automatically and restarted. I love Windows 7.

[Didzo]

Pics.