Loving the NGX with my new i5 2500k chip but still using it at the stock 3.3Ghz - what cooler would everyone recommend for overclocking it? :) Tah in advance.

These guys have a good unit as well. I've been cooling my i7 960 4.08 fine with, even when the ambient air temps went up in the house during the summer. http://www.coolitsystems.com/ The eco alc unit is affordable and good. - John

For water : Corsair H100 is good but it comes with a 240mm radiator so you need a case than can take it and not all them can. Also look at the Corsair H80. I have the H80 in Fractal Design case cooling a i5 2500K in a push-pull arrangemet. I replaced the stock fans with Akasa Apache PMW units and can't hear it, even under load ! I'm overclocked and stable at just over 4.7ghz and I'm pretty sure I can push it higher as temperatures are maxing under load in low to mid 70s. For Air : Noctua is good, but custom PC magazine did some cooler bench tests a while back and the Artic Cooler Freezer 13 came out well for good performance, being quiet in operation and good value The sandy bridge processors run cool and frankly if you get a good aftermarjket cooler you will probably reach the limit of the overclock before you the limit of your cooler. The i5-2500K has a design temperature limit of 98 deg C (although your Bios could be set to shut down down before this) I am running FSX with REX, Active Sky, UTX, GEX, SHADE and textures set at 4096 with high sliders and complex airports under WIN7 64bit. I use an external framelimiter and have a tweaked config file. I have an Nvidia 570 (overclocked and stable with MSI Afterburner). I am getting a minimum of 20fps at complex airports with all of the above and 30fps with the NGX in the air. I hope that this helps you. Good luck.

I'd say get yourself the Scythe Mugen 2 REV B. It's only about 40-50$ and performs pretty much identical to all other coolers like the Noctua D14, Corsair H100 etc. With the Scythe the temps only get about 1-2C hotter, pretty much no difference at all.

I really like the cooling performance of the NH-D14, but i have to admit the extra room you get with the H100 does interest me and my case will take the 240mm rad.

Time and time again, other cooling options represent the "pay more, get less" proposition when compared to Noctua. It landed in the first spot in every test against the H80 in the OverclockersClub review of the H80. http://www.overclock...hydro_h80/4.htm

Dude, do you work for Noctua? Everybody has acknowledged that Noctua make good coolers and everybody accepts the fact that they are huge. Why can't you accept the fact the other people can make good coolers as well. This negative rubbish "pay more, get less" has no place in informed discussion.

Dude, do you work for Noctua? Everybody has acknowledged that Noctua make good coolers and everybody accepts the fact that they are huge. Why can't you accept the fact the other people can make good coolers as well. This negative rubbish "pay more, get less" has no place in informed discussion.

Must admit, you don't always get what you pay for.

Here are a test between Liquid cooler Antec H2O-920 (which I have) and the air cooler Noctua NH D14.The Antec is slim and not that huge as the Notctua and also it´s easier to get moreairflow to the MB because of that. Very good coolers both though. / Leffe

Dude, do you work for Noctua? Everybody has acknowledged that Noctua make good coolers and everybody accepts the fact that they are huge. Why can't you accept the fact the other people can make good coolers as well. This negative rubbish "pay more, get less" has no place in informed discussion.

Notice I said "other cooling options represent the 'pay more, get less' proposition." I didn't say ALL other coolers. And, I did not deny that other people make good coolers. I'm afraid you are reading way too much into my post. That said, you are absolutely mistaken if you think paying more guarantees you better cooling performance. And, I think an "informed discussion" should recognize, rather than shy away, from that fact. And, yes, I do work for Noctua. Just kidding. EDIT: Just to clarify, by the way, the real comparison I was trying to draw here is between the Noctua NH-D14 and liquid cooling setups (which are generally more expensive). That's why I said "other cooling options" rather than "other fans".

I am running the coolermaster 212 lapped and cracks filled with silver and am getting a top of 56 C at 4.53Ghz on my i52500k. If you run on air with direct heat pipe contact coolers you should lap the base of the cooler, it makes a big difference. I think I will be able to get 5Ghz on air with this one.

I am running the coolermaster 212 lapped and cracks filled with silver and am getting a top of 56 C at 4.53Ghz on my i52500k. If you run on air with direct heat pipe contact coolers you should lap the base of the cooler, it makes a big difference. I think I will be able to get 5Ghz on air with this one.

Nice.

Listen to Trevor guys. Actually he's spot on. The D14 "was" the best air cooling solution. The Thermalright Silver arrow now beats it by a couple of degrees. And don't forget noise. What good is a Corsair H100, matching a D14, if the H100 has to be fitted with fast, noisy fans to do so? Stick those noisy, fast RPM Corsair fans on a D14, and you'll get even better performance from the NH-D14. The D14 is more efficient, simple as that. But I say again... The Thermalright Silver Arrow now beats the D14, is quiet, has a good retention mechanism, and [iIRC] doesn't have the memory compatibility issues. But hey, if you like the H100 simply for it's aesthetics, go ahead and buy one. But expect more noise than the D14 for the same temp. If you don't need the cooling/acoustic advatage of the D14, then the Corsiar may suit you.

Notice I said "other cooling options represent the 'pay more, get less' proposition." I didn't say ALL other coolers. And, I did not deny that other people make good coolers. I'm afraid you are reading way too much into my post. That said, you are absolutely mistaken if you think paying more guarantees you better cooling performance. And, I think an "informed discussion" should recognize, rather than shy away, from that fact. And, yes, I do work for Noctua. Just kidding. EDIT: Just to clarify, by the way, the real comparison I was trying to draw here is between the Noctua NH-D14 and liquid cooling setups (which are generally more expensive). That's why I said "other cooling options" rather than "other fans".

If you want to be pedantic about it, you didn't say "Some other" either, and as for your assertion that paying more dosen't get you more, I agree with you completely. I can get better cooling then the Noctua for less, just consider Leffes chart above, less then 2 degrees C between best and worst listed yet the H50 is half the price and less then half the size (and it is liquid cooling system). That makes it better for me, but, and this is the bit I am not sure you understand, the fact that the H50 is better for me does not stop the Noctua being better for you.

The NH-D14 is a very good cooler, but it is enormous! Unless you already have a huge case and are committed to air cooling for other reasons, I would suggest looking at the Antec Kuhler H20 or the Corsair Hydro H60. One of the nicer things about the i5 2500k chip is that it is not nearly as hot as the chips it replaces, even when clocked.

+1

I went for the H60 on the 2500k i5 - no temperature considerations involved for me - runs very well and quiet at 4.7Ghz.The only reason I chose it was weight, air coolers are 'possibly' better at cooling but I didn't want a huge weight hanging on the motherboard.John Ellison

i have the DH-14 and i can concur that it is a great quiet cooler im running 4.3ghz and have gotten up to 4.6G but 4.3 is perfect