NB cooler uh-oh?

GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
edited November 2003 in Hardware
I just bought three of these Zalman heatinks from SVC. They're very high quality units, a little bit taller and heavier than the stock NF2 northbridge cooler. However, the base of the Zalman isn't as wide in one direction as the NB is! It's about 8MM narrower in total. Will it still provide better cooling than the stock heatsink?

This photo sort-of shows that the Zalman is narrower than the sticky gunk patch on the bottom of the stock cooler:

Comments

  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Here's a comparison of the two next to each other:
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    And here's the zalman on the NB... you can see where it doesn't totally cover the sides:
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited November 2003
    It should be fine. The base isn't as wide as most non-flipchip northbridges, but mine (the older gold version, with a 40mm fan) works just fine on my dually.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Even at 200+ FSB, you think it'd be better than stock cooling there?
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited November 2003
    I dunno. I think you should just get a Coolermaster DPA-A505 (or something like that) socket 7/370/a heatsink and put it on there...
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Hmm... these things were 6 bucks each! :(
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Actually, look at the FIN STRUCTURE for why. Note that air, if normal, flows from bottom front to top back. The longer fins, if you orient them along this flow, will work as well or better than the stock fins. BUT, if you orient it wrong it will not work right period. I would rotate it 90% CLOCKWISE as your picture shows its long side adn longer fins are against the ari flow and that then the air will not move through the sink as well as if you did this. You might have to move it a bit so it does not touch the CAPACITORS, and that is why a square one was used in the first place. If a vertical mount were used instead of a diagonal for YOUR NB, the thing from Zalman would work better. But it DOES need to be rotated long axis in line with case air flow pattern to work right, as much as possible-- even if you have to have upper end closer to edge of NB that lower end is to other opposing edge.

    John.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Thanks, John. If I keep these heatsinks, I'll rotate 90 degrees clockwise. I originally oriented it like this because I thought that the mouting clips could only face this way, but looking at it again it could go either direction, so I'll turn it like you suggest.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Good, it should work fine, though some heatsink compound would also help it instead of the usual pad-- Ceramique would be good, but since the top of the NB is non-conductive as far as electricity itself goes you could use AS4 or AS5 or Arctic Silver Alumina Adhesive Epoxy on it (the last, only AFTER you have had it on for a while, it is kinda permanent). The only other thing is anodizing does not conduct heat as well as bare metal heatsink contact surface. Some 1500 Grit Wet\Dry could be used to remove anodizing on contact plane where it is against NB if they were not nice enough to do that for you. EVERY passive HS I stick on gets its bottom polished to take the dang dip-anodized coating off the bottom.

    John.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited November 2003
    GH, how much was that Zalman thing? I didn't think $6 was particularly expensive...
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Cool. I guess I will be taking the anodized coating off of it then. And heatsink compound is a definite... Zalman doesn't even recommend a pad, they provide a little tube of compound with each heatsink.

    Geeky, svc carries the Zalman heatsinks for $6 each, yes, but I meant that in the case that it doesn't cool as well as the stock cooler because of lack of contact, then it's still $6 wasted...
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited November 2003
    http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=35-103-122&depa=1

    You'd be better off with that.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    My problem is that I want passive cooling on the NB though...
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited November 2003
    so, take the fan off... ;)
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