To cool the processor, a cooler is used, which consists of a radiator and a fan.
Different processors provide different mounts for coolers and have different heat dissipation (TDP). As for heat dissipation, the more powerful the processor, the larger the cooler should be.
For the cheapest 2-core processors (Celeron, A4, A6), any simplest cooler with an aluminum radiator and an 80-90 mm fan is enough. The larger the fan and heatsink, the better the cooling. The lower the fan speed, the less noise. Some of these headers are not suitable for all processors, so check the supported sockets in the description. For example, Deepcool GAMMA ARCHER is suitable for almost all sockets except AM4.
Cooler for processor Deepcool GAMMA ARCHER
Most coolers for more powerful processors are universal and have a set of mounts for all modern processors. The coolers DeepCool and Zalman have an optimal price / quality ratio, and I will recommend them first of all.
Please note that not all coolers can be equipped with a mount for the AM4 socket, and sometimes it can be purchased separately, check with the seller for this.
For 2-core Intel processors (Pentium, Core-i3) and 4-core AMD (A8, A10, Ryzen 3), a small cooler with 2-3 heat pipes and a 90-120 mm fan, such as Deepcool GAMMAXX 200T (for TDP 65 Tue).
Cooler for Deepcool GAMMAXX 200T processor
Or Deepcool GAMMAXX 300 (for TDP 95W).
Cooler for Deepcool GAMMAXX 300 processor
For more powerful 4-core Intel (Core i3, i5) and AMD (FX-4,6,8, Ryzen 5) you need a cooler with 4-5 heat pipes and a 120 mm fan. And the minimum option here would be Deepcool GAMMAXX 400 (4 pipes) or slightly better Zalman from the CNPS10X series (4-5 pipes) for more powerful processors.
Cooler for Deepcool GAMMAXX 400 processor
For even hotter 6-core Intel (Core i5, i7) and AMD (Ryzen 7), as well as for overclocking, it is advisable to purchase a large powerful cooler with 6 heat pipes and a 120-140 mm fan. Some of the best in terms of price / power ratio are Deepcool Lucifer V2 and Deepcool REDHAT.
Cooler for Deepcool Lucifer V2 processor
2. Do I need to buy a cooler separately
Most boxed processors, which are sold in cardboard packaging, and have the word "BOX" at the end of the label, have a cooler included.
If “Tray” or “OEM” is written at the end of the marking, then there is no cooler in the kit.
Some expensive processors, despite the fact that they have the word "BOX" in the marking, are sold without a cooler. But the box is usually smaller in this case, and the description often indicates that the processor does not have a cooler in the kit.
If you buy a processor with a cooler, you don't have to buy a cooler separately. This usually comes out cheaper, and a boxed cooler is quite enough for cooling the processor, since it is just designed for it.
The disadvantages of boxed coolers are a higher noise level and the absence of a heat sink in case of overclocking the processor. Therefore, if you want to have a quieter computer or to overclock the processor, then it is better to purchase a separate processor and separately a quieter and more powerful cooler.
3. Processor parameters for choosing a cooler
In order to choose the right cooler, we need to know the socket (Socket) of the processor and its heat dissipation (TDP).
3.1. Processor socket
Socket is a motherboard connector for installing a processor, which also has a mount for a cooler. Different sockets have different types of cooler mounts.
3.2. CPU heat dissipation
With regard to heat dissipation (TDP), this figure is also often indicated on the websites of online stores. If the TDP of the processor is not specified, then it is easy to find it on the website of another online store or the official websites of processor manufacturers.
There are many more sites where you can find out the characteristics of the processor by model number.
You can also use the Google or Yandex search engine.
4. Main characteristics of coolers
The main characteristics of the coolers are the supported sockets and the TDP for which the cooler is designed.
Each cooler is designed for certain sockets, it simply won't install on others. Which sockets are supported by this or that cooler is indicated on the websites of manufacturers and online stores.
4.2. TDP cooler
Despite the fact that the TDP of the processor, for which the cooler is designed, is the main parameter, its value is not indicated on the websites of online stores and most manufacturers. However, this data can sometimes be found. For example, on the website of one of the leaders in the production of coolers - the Austrian company Noctua, there is a comparative table of TDP coolers.
The TDP value of some popular cooler models, determined approximately from test results, can be found on the Internet. Based on this information and personal experience, I have compiled a table with which you can easily choose the optimal cooler depending on the TDP of the processor. You can download this table at the end of the article in the "" section.
5. Cooler design
CPU coolers come in many different designs.
5.1. Cooler with aluminum radiator
The simplest and cheapest are coolers with an aluminum heatsink and a standard 80 mm fan. The radiator shape can be different. Basically, in coolers for Intel processors, the radiator has a round shape, for AMD processors - square.
Such coolers are often bundled with low-power boxed processors and usually they are enough for them. Such a cooler can also be purchased separately inexpensively, but their quality is likely to be slightly worse. Well, such a cooler is not well suited for overclocking a processor.
5.2. Cooler with plate heatsink
On sale you can still find coolers with a heatsink made of stacked aluminum or copper plates.
They are better at removing heat from the processor than coolers with a solid aluminum heatsink, but they are already outdated and replaced by more efficient coolers based on heat pipes.
5.3. Horizontal cooler with heat pipes
Heatpipe coolers are the most modern and most efficient.
These coolers are bundled with more powerful processors. They remove heat from the processor much better than cheap coolers with an aluminum heatsink, but they blow warm air in a not most efficient direction - towards the motherboard.
This solution is more suitable for compact cases, since in other cases it is better to purchase a more modern vertical cooler.
5.4. Vertical cooler with heat pipes
The vertical cooler (or tower cooler) has a more optimal design.
Warm air from the processor is blown out not towards the motherboard, but towards the rear case exhaust fan.
Such coolers are the most optimal, they have a very large selection in terms of size, power and price. They are best suited for very powerful processors and overclocking. Their main disadvantage is their large dimensions, which is why not every such cooler will fit into a standard case.
The cooler efficiency depends the most on the number of heat pipes. For a processor with a TDP of 80-100 W, a cooler with 3 heat pipes is enough, for a processor with a TDP of 150-180 W, a cooler with 6 heat pipes is already needed. How many heat pipes a particular processor needs, you can find out from the table that can be downloaded in the section "".
In the characteristics of a cooler, they usually do not focus on how many heat pipes it has. But it is easy to calculate from the photo of the cooler base or by counting the number of outgoing pipe ends and dividing them by 2.
6. Base design
The base of the cooler is the contact pad that directly contacts the processor. The efficiency of the cooler also depends on its quality and design.
In coolers with an aluminum heatsink, the heatsink itself acts as a contact area. The base can be solid or continuous.
A solid base is preferred as it increases the contact area between the heatsink and the processor, which has a beneficial effect on cooling. And in the through structure, dust can accumulate in the slots between the radiator and the fan.
First, it is bad for cooling. Secondly, it is impossible to clean the dust from there without removing the cooler from the processor, while a heatsink with a solid pad can be easily cleaned without dismantling it.
6.2. Radiator with copper insert
The radiators of some coolers have a copper insert in the base, which is in contact with the processor.
Copper insert radiators are slightly more efficient than the all-aluminum options.
Coolers with heat pipes can have a copper base.
This design is quite effective.
6.4. Direct contact
Some manufacturers actively advocate almost space technology of direct contact (DirectCU), which consists in saving copper by pressing heat pipes in such a way that they themselves create a contact pad that directly contacts the processor.
In fact, such a design is close in efficiency to a radiator with a copper base.
7. Design and material of the radiator
The efficiency of the cooler also strongly depends on the design of the heatsink and the material from which it is made.
The cheapest coolers have an all-aluminum heatsink, as this metal is cheaper than copper. But aluminum has a low heat capacity and uneven heat distribution, which requires a stronger airflow and, accordingly, noisy fans.
7.2. Aluminum with copper
Coolers with aluminum radiators with copper inserts are a little more efficient, but are no longer relevant.
7.3. Copper radiator
On sale you can still find coolers with heatsinks made of copper plates.
Copper has a high heat capacity and heat is evenly distributed in it. This makes it possible to stabilize the processor temperature at a certain level and does not require fast noisy fans. But the efficiency of such a system is limited due to the fact that a copper radiator has a large thermal inertia and it is difficult to quickly remove heat from it. But such a cooler can be indispensable in compact cases for media centers, since it is quite low.
7.4. Aluminum plate heatsink
The most efficient ones today are coolers with heat pipes and a heatsink made of many thin aluminum plates.
Heat from the processor is instantly dissipated through heat pipes to the fins, on which the fan airflow is also quickly dissipated due to the high dissipation area. This design has a very low heat capacity and thermal inertia, so the cooling efficiency is greatly improved by slightly increasing the fan speed.
7.5. Nickel plated
Good branded coolers can have nickel-plated heat pipes, copper base and even aluminum heatsink fins.
Nickel plating prevents surface oxidation. It always remains beautiful and shiny. But the most important thing is that the oxide does not interfere with heat dissipation and the cooler does not lose its properties. Although, by and large, the difference will not be significant.
7.6. Radiator size
The efficiency of the cooler always depends on the size of the heatsink. But coolers with large heatsinks cannot always fit into a standard computer case. The height of the tower-type radiator for a standard enclosure should not exceed 160 mm.
The width of the radiator also matters. A cooler with a large heatsink may not fit due to a nearby power supply. You also need to consider the size and layout of the motherboard. It may happen that the cooler cannot be installed due to high protruding heatsinks of the motherboard near the processor, closely spaced high memory modules, etc.
All this must be taken into account in advance and, if in doubt, measure the required distances in your computer. It is better to play it safe and take a slightly smaller cooler. If the processor is very hot, and the case is small or the elements sticking out on the motherboard interfere, then tear them off, a horizontal cooler with heat pipes and specially designed with a sufficient distance from the motherboard will suit you.
7.7. Radiator weight
The larger the heatsink, the heavier it is, and the heavier the heatsink, the larger it is. But in essence, the higher the TDP of the processor, the heavier the heatsink should be. For a processor with a TDP of 100-125 W, a radiator weighing 300-400 grams is enough, for a monster like AMD FX9xxx with a TDP of 200-220 W, a radiator of at least 1 kg, or even all of 1200-1300 grams, is needed. I will not give the weight of the heatsink for each processor, since you will see all this in the table that can be downloaded in the section "".
8. Fans
The size, speed and other parameters of the fan determine the efficiency of the cooler and the level of noise it creates.
8.1. Fan size
In general, the larger the fan, the more efficient and quieter it is. The cheapest coolers are equipped with 80 × 80 mm fans. Their advantage is the simplicity and low cost of replacement (which is rare). The disadvantage is the highest noise level.
It is better to purchase a cooler with a larger fan - 92 × 92, 120 × 120 mm. These are also standard sizes and are easy to replace in case of need.
For especially powerful and hot processors, such as AMD FX9xxx, it is better to take a cooler with a standard 140x140 mm fan. Such a fan is more expensive, but the noise will be less.
It is better to limit the choice of coolers with standard sizes of fans, what if you have to replace them sometime? But this is not important, since among us there are real nuggets of kulibins that will screw any fan on the knee to any radiator
8.2. Fan bearing type
The cheapest fans have a Sleeve Bearing. These fans are considered less reliable and less durable.
Fans with a ball bearing (Ball Bearing) are considered more reliable. But they make more noise.
Most modern fans have a Hydro Bearing, which combines reliability with low noise levels.
8.3. Number of fans
To overclock such monsters as AMD FX9xxx with a TDP of 200-220 W, it is better to take a cooler with two 140x140 mm fans. But keep in mind that the more fans, the higher the noise level. Therefore, it is unnecessary to take a cooler with two fans for a processor with a TDP of up to 180 W. Recommendations on the number and size of fans can be found in the table in the "" section.
8.4. Fan speed
The smaller the heatsink and the size of the fan, the higher the RPM will be. This is necessary to compensate for the low dispersion area and low airflow.
In cheap coolers, the fan speed can vary between 2000-4000 rpm. At a speed of 2000 rpm, the fan noise becomes clearly distinguishable, at a speed of 3000 rpm, the noise becomes annoying, but at 4000 rpm your room will turn into a small take-off area ...
The ideal option is a 120-140 mm fan with a maximum speed of 1300-1500 rpm.
8.5. Automatic speed control
Motherboards are able to regulate the speed of the cooler depending on the temperature of the processor. Regulation can be done by changing the supply voltage (DC), which is supported by all motherboards.
More expensive coolers can be equipped with fans with a built-in speed controller (PWM). In this case, the motherboard must also support speed control via a PWM controller (PWM).
It is good if the cooler has a 120-140 mm fan with a speed in the range of 800-1300 rpm. In this case, you almost never wake up to hear it.
8.6. Cooler connector
CPU coolers can have a 3-pin or 4-pin connector for connecting to the motherboard. The 3-pins are controlled by changing the voltage of the motherboard (DC), and the 4-pins are controlled by a PWM controller (PWM). The PWM controller can control the speed of the cooler more accurately, so it is better to purchase a cooler with a 4-pin connector.
8.7. Noise level
The noise level depends on the fan speed, the configuration of its blades and is measured in decibels (dB). Fans with a noise level of up to 25 dB are considered quiet. By this indicator, you can compare several coolers and, other things being equal, choose the one that makes less noise.
8.8. Air flow
The efficiency of heat removal from the radiator and, accordingly, the efficiency of the entire cooler and the noise level depend on the strength of the air flow. Airflow is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). By this indicator, you can compare several coolers and, other things being equal, choose the one with the higher CFM. But do not forget to pay attention to the noise level.
9. Mounting the cooler
There are no pitfalls in mounting a small or medium-sized cooler. But there are surprises with large models ...
Please read the cooler mounting diagram carefully before purchasing it. Some heavy coolers require reinforced mounting with a special frame on the back of the motherboard.
In this case, the motherboard should allow the installation of such a frame and there should be no unsoldered electronic elements at the installation site. The computer case should have a recess where the processor is supposed to be located. It's even better if there is a window that allows you to install and remove such a cooler without removing the motherboard.
A set of universal coolers that fit a variety of sockets may include many different mounts.
If the cooler is of sufficient quality and expensive, then they will not be superfluous if you suddenly want (or have to) change the motherboard and processor with a transition to another platform (for example, from AMD to Intel). In this case, the cooler does not need to be changed.
10. Backlight
Some coolers have LEDs and glow beautifully in the dark. It makes sense to buy such a cooler if your case has a transparent window through which you enjoy how it works while you are resting.But keep in mind that the backlight can interfere and annoy not only you, but also your family members. Therefore, think in advance where the body will stand and where the light will go.
11. Thermal paste
Thermal paste is applied to the processor to improve heat transfer and this is very important. In cheap coolers, thermal paste can already be applied to the contact pad and covered with a plastic cover.
More expensive models come with a small tube of thermal paste, which can be enough for 2-3 times. Sometimes there is no thermal paste included. Check the availability of thermal paste on the website of the online store.
If there is no thermal paste in the kit, then it will need to be purchased separately. Heat transfer from the processor to the cooler depends quite strongly on thermal paste. The difference in temperature between a processor and a good and bad thermal paste reaches up to 10 degrees!
As a budget option, you can take KPT-8 in a white aluminum tube. Its thermal conductivity is not so high, but if the processor is not very hot (TDP up to 100 W) and you do not plan to overclock it, then this will be enough. The main thing is that it is original! It is not advisable to purchase it in syringes, jars, plastic tubes with handmade stickers, since there are a lot of fakes in such packaging.
It should be absolutely clear that the packaging is original.
Alsil-3 thermal paste is close in quality and price, but even in the original it is sold in syringes that are difficult to distinguish from a fake.
12. Cooler manufacturers
The best cooler manufacturers are the Austrian company Noctua and the Japanese company Scythe. They produce high quality coolers and are well-deserved popularity among wealthy enthusiasts. Noctua company gives a 72 month warranty on coolers.
The above mentioned brands are successfully mowed by the Taiwanese company Thermalright, which has very similar models in its arsenal for a slightly more reasonable price.
But the coolers of such familiar brands as Cooler Master, Thermaltake, Zalman are the most popular in Russian-speaking countries. Coolers from these manufacturers have the best price / quality ratio.
But by and large, the manufacturer of the cooler is not so important, since there is nothing special to break apart from the fan. Therefore, it is not a sin to save money and take something cheaper. DeepCool, GlacialTech, Ice Hammer and TITAN offer us a fairly large assortment and low prices.
Do not be afraid to make a mistake, this is just a cooler And let the presence of a guarantee calm your nervous system
13. Warranty
For the cheapest coolers, the warranty is standard 12 months. In principle, all that can come out of standing in the cooler is a fan, and it will be easy to replace it.
But if you buy a good cooler with branded fans, then it is better to have a 24-36 month warranty, as it can be difficult and expensive to find quality fans with the same characteristics.
Top coolers are expensive, but manufacturers give them a warranty of up to 72 months.
I do not recommend purchasing coolers from little-known manufacturers, whose lineup is represented by only a few models, as there may be problems with warranty service. Remember - the guarantee hasn't hurt anyone yet
14. Setting up filters in the online store
- Using the table, determine the main parameters of the cooler for your processor.
- Go to the section "Cooling systems" on the seller's website.
- Select the "For processor" assignment.
- If you want a better cooler, then choose only the best manufacturers.
- If you want to save money, then select all popular manufacturers, in the lineup of which there are at least 15-20 models.
- Select your processor socket.
- Note the presence of heat pipes in the filter.
- Size and number of fans (optional).
- The presence of a speed regulator (only if necessary).
- Cooler height (for a standard case up to 160 mm).
- The presence of backlight (will greatly narrow the choice).
- Other parameters important to you.
- Sort the sample by price.
- Look at coolers, starting with the cheaper ones (you can determine the number of heat pipes and the massiveness of the radiator from the photo).
- Choose several suitable models, view their photos from different angles and compare them according to those parameters that were not in the filter.
- Buy the cheapest available model.
Don't overdo it with filters, as you can filter out good models. Choose only the parameters that are most important to you.
Thus, you will get an optimal cooler in terms of price / quality / efficiency ratio that meets your requirements at the lowest possible cost.
15. Links
Below you can download a table that allows you to easily determine the main parameters of a cooler, depending on the processor heat dissipation (TDP).
Cooler for processor Deepcool REDHAT
Cooler for Zalman CNPS10X Optima processor
Cooler for Deepcool GAMMAXX S40 processor
If you are going to replace the cooler that comes with the processor, then you need to pay attention to the type and manufacturer of the processor, since not all coolers are suitable for every processor.
The cooler is not attached directly to the processor. There should also be a radiator between them, which can also be purchased separately. Pay attention to the material from which the radiator battery of the cooler you like is made of. A radiator with copper plates (reddish-yellow metal) removes heat from the stone better, but will cost you more. An aluminum heatsink (white metal) is cheaper but has less thermal conductivity. In addition, the radiators are different: parallel plates or fanned plates. Strongly radiators and the size of the plates. On the one hand, the radiator copes with heat dissipation more efficiently, but on the other hand, it is heavier, more massive and creates a tipping moment for the entire radiator-cooler system. This is especially critical when the motherboard is vertically located in the case.
Adjusting the floor fan is an important point. Adjusting the height of the foot or the tilt level of the upper part of the fan should be comfortable and not difficult.
A good fan has several blade rotation modes, usually three, which allows you to select the optimal blowing power.
What to look for
Check the stability of the floor fan, it should not wobble on a level surface. The blades must be covered with a strong grate on both sides. At the same time, it is important that the cells are as small as possible - so the fan will be safe for children who like to explore everything.
The timer is a very convenient function, it is not available in all models. Better to overpay a little and buy a fan with a timer. So you can set the time to turn the device on and off and go to bed peacefully without risking freezing at night and getting sick. This is especially true in children's rooms.
There are models with a remote control, but they are more expensive and do not belong to the budget. Although the presence of a remote control greatly simplifies the use of the fan.
During operation, the fan should not knock, creak and make other extraneous sounds. Check the build quality, for this it is better to go to a regular store rather than buying on the Internet.
And of course the fan must have a quality certificate indicating its safety and durability. Make sure that the selected model has a warranty card with the address of the service center, where you can contact in case of a breakdown.
You shouldn't chase famous brands and overpay for a brand. After all, there are less "promoted" firms that produce excellent products.
Considering the above criteria and parameters, you can choose a high-quality and budget fan model that will serve you for many years. Happy choice!
How to Choose a CPU Cooler | The basics (why more is better)
Any electrical circuit has resistance, and it is the principle of electrical resistance that is embedded in both the CPU and toasters. Electrical semiconductors have the unusual feature that they can change resistance from low to high when an electric current is applied in a certain way. These states are represented in the logic diagram as ones and zeros. While the logic circuits in the CPU are not designed to heat anything, in fact we use small hotplates in computers.
Logic groups get very hot while processing data. Therefore, the developers are faced with the task of preventing the melting of small pieces of glass on which these circuits are etched. To do this, they came up with heat sinks in the form of massive metal radiators - these are the key elements of the processor cooling system.
And yet the term "heat sink" means something that absorbs heat. Radiators help to dissipate a large amount of heat into relatively cold air by their fins, which increase the area of \u200b\u200bthe dissipating surface. Thanks to these fins, the standard CPU heatsink turns into a special type of heatsink, if you ignore the terminology. As with most radiators, their main principle of heat transfer is convection (and a little - thermal radiation), this is when heated air rises upward, being replaced by cold air from below.
The heat dissipation of a processor depends on its clock frequency, voltage, circuit complexity and the material on which the circuit is engraved. Some low-power processors require fewer fin heatsinks to cool some low-power processors, but most desktop users want more performance, resulting in more heat that must be dissipated.
When natural convection does not quickly replace warm air with cold air, the process must be accelerated, which is achieved by installing a fan. The photo above shows a rare, all-copper cooler. Copper transfers heat faster than aluminum, but it also weighs more and costs more. To achieve the best price-to-cooling ratio and cooling-to-weight ratio, manufacturers often use a copper bar surrounded by aluminum fins.
Additional fans and increased surface area of \u200b\u200bthe heatsink increase the efficiency of the CPU cooler. Liquid cooling allows you to install huge radiators that are not attached to the motherboard, but to the computer case. A so-called water block is installed on the CPU, which transfers heat to the liquid. The pump is installed on the side of the radiator (as in the photo above) and pumps water (or refrigerant) through the channels of the radiator and water block.
Any of the solutions described above will maximize contact with the circulating air, but they will not work effectively if there is no good contact between the CPU and cooler surfaces. To fill the space between surfaces, use heat-conducting material , it displaces air, which acts as an insulator. Most CPU coolers come with it. In many models, it is immediately applied to the contacting surface. But enthusiasts often opt for third-party heat transfer compounds instead of factory-made materials, although our tests have shown that the difference between them is quite small .
For extreme cooling, refrigerant compressor units are used. Such systems are capable of lowering the CPU temperature much lower than the ambient temperature. But, as a rule, they use much more power than the processor itself. There are versions that compress and cool the air to produce liquid nitrogen. However, serious concerns are caused by condensation around cold components, so even the simplest "refrigerators" are usually used only at exhibitions and competitions.
The bigger is better rule for coolers is limited in this case by the size of your case, but there are several other factors to consider. Since this article is written for beginners, we will only consider models from our list of the best cpu coolers ... It includes large air coolers (over 150 mm in height), low-profile coolers (up to 76 mm), medium-sized coolers (76 to 150 mm), and ready-made liquid cooling systems.
How to Choose a CPU Cooler | What about boxed coolers?
"Boxed" or "boxed" coolers are coolers that are supplied by CPU manufacturers with their products. They are usually not designed for increased processor heat dissipation in overclocking or for installation in the limited space of narrow computer cases. The motherboard typically lowers the fan speed to reduce noise and is the first to respond to a rise in CPU temperature by increasing the fan speed all the way up. If at maximum fan speed the cooler is unable to lower the CPU temperature to an acceptable level, the system reduces the clock speed and CPU voltage. We call this process thermal regulation (throttling) or throttling. In the worst case scenario, you can see a picture when a droning computer is not able to provide the required level of performance.
Third-party coolers typically have a larger scattering surface area, as well as larger fans, allowing you to pump more air with less noise. The photo above shows from left to right: a water cooling system with a radiator for two 140mm fans, a large air cooler with two radiators, two generations of stock or boxed Intel coolers, and a wide low-profile cooler designed primarily for HTPC systems.
Included with the FX-8370 processors, AMD provides cooler Wraith , which is another attempt to raise the cooling efficiency of box coolers.
Temperature change during processor heating
Despite the good performance of AMD's new cooler, buyers are sometimes forced to buy third-party coolers as some high-performance CPU models ship without them.
Recently, AMD and Intel have begun to supply compact liquid cooling solutions to meet the cooling requirements of very hot processors, and buyers do not need to turn to alternative brands. The growing popularity of mounts for 120mm fans in modern cases allows small SVOs to be installed in cases of various shapes and sizes, which favorably distinguishes them from air coolers of similar dimensions.
Hello everyone. Let's talk how to choose cooling for a computer, more precisely for a processor.
In general, any weather (in winter - batteries, in summer - sun) is a difficult time for our computer, because the temperature of the environment (and, as a consequence, of computer components) rises significantly, and therefore cooling systems have to work to their fullest, trying to cool the ardent character of our iron friends.
However, standard coolers do not always successfully cope with their task, which leads to constant reboots, shutdowns and other problems that follow computer overheating.
As you probably remember, the article "" will help you identify overheating (and find out the temperatures of components in general), and today I will tell you how to choose the right cooler for, which, as a rule, has the hardest time.
Why you need to take a separate processor cooling system
To begin with, I would like to explain a little why the processor needs cooling and what is bad about that twist that is usually given in the appendage to the crystal (you mean this very processor). No, seriously, it was impossible to do without this part, because I am very often asked why the option that comes with the processor is so bad, because, they say, they are not fools and know what to put in the kit. I certainly do not argue that the computer works with such a cooling system, but there are still a number of nuances.
To put it very simply, a processor is made up of a huge number of small electrical conductors, each of which needs power. And, as you know from the school physics course, the energy from the conductor does not disappear anywhere - it goes from electrical to heat.
Considering that there are more than half a billion transistors in a modern processor, the question of the need for cooling disappears by itself: there is enough heat from them to heat a small room. The processor cannot independently dissipate such an amount of energy: the area is small, and the materials are not the same.
Therefore, with each crystal, manufacturers supply a simple cooler (if, of course, you buy BOXprocessor version, not OEM). It is enough to work at standard frequencies and at normal temperatures, but for extreme situations (long warm-up, i.e., work with a full-fledged processor-dependent application or game, high ambient temperatures (summer), overclocking, etc.), it is better to look for a more powerful model.
The fact is that under this most unpretentious cooler supplied in the kit, the processor is noticeably hot. No, the temperature does not reach critical, but it does not matter steadilyhigh, and because of it, some chemical processes that continuously occur in the crystal are accelerated, as a result of which, firstly, it can break down corny faster, and secondly, it slows down and skips cycles. The main problem lies precisely in the fact that the processor has a weak cooling system .. mmm .. a small performance margin. Look up all sorts of tables of results on the Internet.
Even in an air-conditioned room, the temperature of the crystal under a standard twist rises to 73 degrees (and this is when the stand is open, that is, without the case). In the case, where hard disks, video cards, floppy drives, etc. live in the neighborhood, the air can heat up under 60 degrees and the higher this temperature, the harder it is for the cooler, and the hotter the ambient air, the more the performance drops.
However, you shouldn't go to the store and buy the first cooler you find. In the world of cooling, sometimes a device is 3000 rubles may well be worse than the model for 1000 rubles and this is due to many factors, which we will now talk about.
Part 1: cooler base
Well, let's get started.
The work of any cooler begins .. at its base, namely, in the place where it comes into contact with the processor. Here the cooler takes heat from it and transfers it to the cooling area. This process is called heat transfer and its efficiency depends on two variables - surface area and surface material.
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It's usually unrealistic to come up with something super-duper here, because the dimensions of the processor are fixed, that is, the contact area cannot be increased, and there is only one material that is affordable and of high-quality thermal conductivity - copper (of course, there is also aluminum, but it is less effective).
Hence, it turns out that the maximum that the manufacturer can do is to make sure that, with all the other components, the heat transfer is carried out as efficiently as possible, namely .. the base must be perfectly polished.
Therefore, one of the first selection criteria is the "specularity" of the metal in the area of \u200b\u200bcontact with the processor, that is, ideally, you should see your reflection on the surface, or at least not observe any significant irregularities or, especially, scratches, because these reduce contact area and reduce work efficiency.
Also, beware of heat pipes "tearing" the base of the cooler (see the photo above), as they also reduce the usable area of \u200b\u200bcontact. If you see that the tubes protrude from the total surface area, then it is better to put aside such a cooler and look for something else.
But what you rarely need to pay attention to (a common mistake of beginners who believe that color always determines the material) is the color, because copper is often coated with nickel.
Part 2: heat pipes
The next stage of work is the transfer of heat to the cooling surfaces. When the processors were weak and cold, there was no such stage: the radiator was attached directly to the base and dissipated heat into the air. With the increase in productivity and the amount of energy released, they began to take heat transfer more seriously - heat-conducting pipes appeared on the coolers.
This invention is old and well known to many. At a copper pipe, one end is sealed, liquid is poured into it, air is pumped out and the other end is sealed. When heated, water absorbs energy and turns into steam, which rises to the upper (cold) part of the pipe, cools, condenses with the release of stored energy and flows down. And so on ad infinitum.
In coolers everything is the same, but with one caveat. When installed in the case, the cooling system is in a horizontal position, and water cannot independently drain into the heating zone. Therefore, the tubes are packed with porous material. Due to the action of the capillary effect, the liquid can move against the forces of gravity and move in any direction.
It is also difficult to come up with something new at this stage, because the operation of heat pipes practically does not depend on their physical parameters, and therefore, as a criterion, one must rely on the number of heat pipes. Globally, the more, the better, but in general, as a minimum, three or four will do (less is already doubtful).
Part 3: body and components
The next phase of the cooler's operation is heat dissipation. This action takes place on the fins of the heatsink, namely dozens of plates strung on heat pipes. It is here that the heat taken from the processor will be given to the air and it will be able to breathe more freely. The radiator can look whatever you want - the developers are not shy about experimenting with shapes, tilt angles, materials, and so on, but all this joy obeys a number of rules, which are the next criteria for choosing.
First, the dissipation area should be as large as possible, that is, the radiator fins should be as large as possible, and the radiator itself should be as massive as possible. Secondly, the thinner the plates, the better, because the heat will be retained less. The requirements for the material of this whole case are the same - high thermal conductivity, that is, copper should act as it. Some say that, they say, copper is not required at this phase and it is important to use it exclusively in the base and heat pipes, because given the high dissipation area, the radiator can be taken from aluminum too .. However, I do not really agree with this statement and I think that even here it is better to choose copper as the material. But see for yourself.
Part 4: active cooling, namely the fan itself
Well, the last stage of the cooling system for the processor is active cooling, that is, the spinner itself. No matter what the manufacturers say, a radiator with a powerful processor alone cannot cope - the limitation of the available area and the high thermal resistance (temperature drop by one watt of the removed heat) will not allow.
Again, the use of a radiator alone is questionable due to the weak emission of dissipated heat from the case, which leads to an increase in temperature in the case and heating of other elements inside it.
The fan naturally helps to overcome such problems: the generated powerful air flow reduces the resistance of the radiator and increases the amount of heat removed.
The rule for turntables is simple: you need to look for the largest ones (and not, contrary to the opinion of beginners, the number of revolutions). The larger the impeller diameter, the more air is taken in one revolution, which means that the required rotation speed and, as a result, noise decreases.
You take a turntable 120 mm from 1200 revs and turntable 80 mmfrom 2400 and comparing these, we get that the first is, firstly, more efficient, and secondly, much quieter.
By the way, in addition to the size and number of revolutions, you must also monitor the type of bearing. If written " Ball bearing"(rolling), - we take, because they are quiet and last a long time. If" Slide bearning"(sliding) - put off, because they make noise and quickly" sour ".
Part 5: choosing thermal paste
When buying a cooler, don't forget about thermal grease. For expensive and good coolers, this usually lies in the kit or is already applied to the surface, but for the rest it is still worth buying separately.
What is thermal paste? This is a layer of paste (just like a toothpaste), the purpose of which, when applied to the surface between the processor and the base of the cooler, is to eliminate the unevenness of the contacting surfaces and remove all the air between them. Good thermal paste may well bring down the temperature by 5-10 degrees.
Unfortunately, there are almost no sensible comparative tests of pastes, and those that are being made do not correspond to reality. The fact is that to get into working mode, the paste needs about 200 hours, and no one will spend so much time on each tube, as you understand. So it is necessary to choose this according to the technical characteristics. The most important parameter is thermal conductivity. The higher the better.
Globally, I sort of covered all the main points and forgot nothing. Probably not in more detail :)
As always, if you have any questions, you want to add or say something, then write in the comments to the same article.
By the way, do not forget that dust often accumulates between the fins of the radiator and it needs to be cleaned, which I wrote about in the article. ”There, by the way, there are a few words about choosing the right case.
As always, if you have any questions, thoughts, additions and all that stuff, then welcome to the comments to this article.
- PS2: I wrote a few words about cooling video cards.
- PS3: For help in writing this article, thanks to your favorite magazine “ gambling addiction”.
To cool the processor, a cooler is required, the parameters of which determine how high-quality it will be and whether the CPU will not overheat. To make the right choice, you need to know the dimensions and characteristics of the socket, processor and motherboard. Otherwise, the cooling system may not install correctly and / or damage the motherboard.
If you are building a computer from scratch, then you should think about what is better - buy a separate cooler or boxed processor, i.e. processor with an integrated cooling system. Buying a processor with a built-in cooler is more profitable because the cooling system is already fully compatible with this model and is cheaper than buying a CPU and a heatsink separately.
But at the same time, this design produces too much noise, and when the processor is overclocked, the system may not cope with the load. And replacing a boxed cooler with a separate one will either be impossible, or you will have to take the computer to a special service. change at home is not recommended in this case. Therefore, if you are building a gaming computer and / or plan to overclock the processor, then buy a processor and a cooling system separately.
When choosing a cooler, you need to pay attention to two parameters of the processor and motherboard - socket and heat dissipation (TDP). A socket is a special connector on the motherboard where the CPU and cooler are mounted. When choosing a cooling system, you will have to look at which socket it suits best (usually manufacturers write the recommended sockets themselves). Processor TDP is a measure of the heat generated by the CPU cores and is measured in watts. This indicator, as a rule, is indicated by the CPU manufacturer, and the cooler manufacturers write what load this or that model is designed for.
Main characteristics
First of all, pay attention to the list of sockets with which this model is compatible. Manufacturers always provide a list of suitable sockets, since this is the most important point when choosing a cooling system. If you try to install a heatsink on a socket that is not specified by the manufacturer in the specifications, then you may break the cooler and / or the socket.
Maximum operating heat dissipation is one of the main parameters when choosing a cooler for an already purchased processor. True, TDP is not always indicated in the cooler's specifications. Minor differences between the operating TDP of the cooling system and the CPU are acceptable (for example, the CPU has a TDP of 88W and a heat sink of 85W). But with large differences, the processor will noticeably overheat and may become unusable. However, if the TDP of the heatsink is much higher than the TDP of the processor, then this is even good, since the capacity of the cooler will be sufficient with surplus to do its job.
If the manufacturer has not specified the TDP of the cooler, then you can find it out by "googling" a request on the network, but this rule applies only to popular models.
Design features
The design of coolers varies greatly depending on the type of radiator and the presence / absence of special heat pipes. There are also differences in the material from which the fan blades and the radiator itself are made. Basically, the main material is plastic, but there are also models with aluminum and metal blades.
The most budgetary option is a cooling system with an aluminum radiator, without copper heat pipes. Such models are small in size and low in price, but they are poorly suited for more or less powerful processors or for processors that are planned to be overclocked in the future. Often bundled with a CPU. The difference in the shape of the heatsinks is noteworthy - for AMD CPUs the heatsinks are square, for Intel they are round.
Coolers with prefabricated heat sinks are almost outdated, but are still on sale. Their design is a radiator with a combination of aluminum and copper plates. They are much cheaper than their counterparts with heat pipes, while the cooling quality is not much lower. But due to the fact that these models are obsolete, it is very difficult to find a socket suitable for them. In general, these radiators no longer have significant differences from their all-aluminum counterparts.
A horizontal metal radiator with copper pipes for heat dissipation is one of the types of inexpensive, but modern and efficient cooling system. The main drawback of designs where copper pipes are provided is their large dimensions, which do not allow installing such a design in a small system unit and / or on a cheap motherboard. it can break under her weight. Also, all the heat is removed through the pipes towards the mother card, which, if the system unit has poor ventilation, reduces the efficiency of the pipes to nothing.
There are more expensive types of radiators with copper pipes, which are installed in a vertical position, not horizontal, which allows them to be mounted in a small system unit. Plus the heat from the pipes goes up, and not towards the motherboard. Coolers with copper heatpipes are great for powerful and expensive processors, but they also have higher socket requirements due to their size.
The efficiency of coolers with copper pipes depends on the number of the latter. For processors from the middle segment, whose TDP is 80-100 W, models with 3-4 copper pipes are perfect. For more powerful 110-180 W processors, models with 6 pipes are already needed. In the characteristics of the radiator, the number of pipes is rarely written, but they can be easily determined from the photo.
It is important to pay attention to the base of the cooler. Models with a through base are the cheapest, but dust is very quickly clogged into the radiator connectors, which is difficult to clean. There are also cheap solid base models that are preferred, albeit slightly more expensive. It is even better to choose a cooler, where, in addition to the solid base, there is a special copper insert. it greatly increases the efficiency of inexpensive radiators.
In the expensive segment, heatsinks with a copper base or direct contact with the processor surface are already used. The efficiency of both is completely identical, but the second option is smaller and more expensive.
Also, when choosing a radiator, always pay attention to the weight and dimensions of the structure. For example, a tower cooler with copper pipes that extend upwards is 160 mm high, which makes it problematic to fit into a small system unit and / or on a small motherboard. The normal weight of a cooler should be around 400-500g for mid-range computers and 500-1000g for gaming and professional machines.
Fan features
First of all, you should pay attention to the fan size, since noise level, ease of replacement and quality of work depend on them. There are three standard size categories:
- 80 × 80 mm. These models are very cheap and easy to replace. They are easily mounted even in small cases. They usually come with the cheapest coolers. They make a lot of noise and are unable to cope with cooling powerful processors;
- 92x92 mm is already the standard fan size for an average cooler. They are also easy to install, produce less noise and are able to cope with cooling processors in the middle price category, but they are more expensive;
- 120 × 120 mm - fans of this size can be found in professional or gaming machines. They provide high-quality cooling, do not make too much noise, and it is easy for them to find a replacement in case of breakdown. However, the price of a cooler equipped with such a fan is much higher. If a fan of this size is purchased separately, then there may be some difficulties with its installation on the radiator.
There may also be fans of 140 × 140 mm and larger, but this is already for TOP gaming machines, whose processor is subject to a very high load. Such fans are difficult to find on the market, and their price will not be democratic.
Pay particular attention to bearing types as the noise level depends on them. There are three of them:
- Sleeve Bearing is the cheapest and most unreliable sample. A cooler with such a bearing in its design also produces too much noise;
- Ball Bearing - a more reliable ball bearing, it is more expensive, but also does not have a low noise level;
- Hydro Bearing is a combination of reliability and quality. It has a hydrodynamic design, produces almost no noise, but is expensive.
If you do not need a noisy cooler, then pay extra attention to the number of revolutions per minute. 2000-4000 rpm make the noise of the cooling system perfectly audible. In order not to hear the operation of the computer, it is recommended to pay attention to models with a speed of about 800-1500 revolutions per minute. But keep in mind that if the fan is small, then the rotational speed must vary between 3000-4000 per minute for the cooler to cope with its task. The larger the size of the fan, the less it must rotate per minute for normal processor cooling.
You should also pay attention to the number of fans in the design. In budget versions, only one fan is used, and in more expensive ones, there can be two or even three. In this case, the rotation speed and noise production can be very low, but there will be no problems with the quality of the processor cooling.
Some coolers can automatically adjust the fan speed based on the current load on the CPU cores. If you choose such a cooling system, then find out if your motherboard supports speed control through a special controller. Pay attention to the presence of DC and PWM connectors in the motherboard. The required connector depends on the type of connection - 3-pin or 4-pin. Cooler manufacturers indicate in the specifications the connector through which the connection to the mother card will take place.
In the characteristics of coolers they also write the item "Air flow", which is measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute). The higher this indicator, the more efficiently the cooler copes with its task, but the higher the noise level. In fact, this indicator is almost the same as the number of revolutions.
Attaching to the mother card
Small or medium-sized coolers are mainly fastened with special clips or small screws, which avoids a number of problems. In addition, detailed instructions are attached, where it is written how to fasten and which screws to use for this.
More difficult things will be with models that require reinforced fastening, because in this case, the motherboard and computer case must have the necessary dimensions to install a special pedestal or frame on the back of the motherboard. In the latter case, the computer case should not only have enough free space, but also a special recess or a window that allows you to install a large cooler without any problems.
In the case of a large cooling system, how and how you install it depends on the socket. In most cases, these will be special bolts.
Before installing the cooler, the processor will need to be lubricated with thermal paste in advance. If there is already a layer of paste on it, then remove it with a cotton swab or disc soaked in alcohol and apply a new layer of thermal paste. Some cooler manufacturers include thermal paste with the cooler. If there is such a paste, then apply it, if not, then buy it yourself. There is no need to save on this point, it is better to buy a tube of high-quality thermal paste, where there will also be a special brush for application. Expensive thermal paste lasts longer and provides better CPU cooling.
List of popular manufacturers
The following companies are most popular in the Russian and international markets:
Also, when buying a cooler, do not forget to check the warranty. The minimum warranty period must be at least 12 months from the date of purchase. Knowing all the features of the characteristics of coolers for your computer, it will not be difficult for you to make the right choice.
