Ender
01-25-2012, 05:13 PM
Just wanted to share my recent computer BS so no one else goes through it. If you ever need to order a CPU heat sink on Newegg, it is a pain in the ass. They have the chipset compatibility divided up into around 40 different categories. 13 of them include AM2, which is the chipset I have. However, the first one I saw was near the top and it was just called "Socket AM2", so I assumed that this included all of the heat sinks for that processor, of which there were only 4.
The first one I bought from this category was designed for a server computer so it ran at 7k rpms and sounded like a jet engine. I didn't read the comments though, which was the only place where you would find out that it was for a server. I returned this one.
The second that I bought from that category was apparently designed for 65W CPUs, but that was not identified anywhere in the specs. My CPU is a 125W, so the cooling power was very insufficient.
Finally I figured out that there are a shitload of more categories than just the "Socket AM2" one. After that, I bought this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065
However, installing that one was another pain in the ass since I had to remove the existing backplate on my motherboard, which was stuck on with an adhesive pad... so i had to pry it off without damaging the board... not easy. The advantage of the first 2 models that I bought was that they screwed directly into my motherboard using the existing backplate. But, I eventually got this one installed and it works great... 30-35C at idle and in game it never gets over 60C.
The first one I bought from this category was designed for a server computer so it ran at 7k rpms and sounded like a jet engine. I didn't read the comments though, which was the only place where you would find out that it was for a server. I returned this one.
The second that I bought from that category was apparently designed for 65W CPUs, but that was not identified anywhere in the specs. My CPU is a 125W, so the cooling power was very insufficient.
Finally I figured out that there are a shitload of more categories than just the "Socket AM2" one. After that, I bought this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065
However, installing that one was another pain in the ass since I had to remove the existing backplate on my motherboard, which was stuck on with an adhesive pad... so i had to pry it off without damaging the board... not easy. The advantage of the first 2 models that I bought was that they screwed directly into my motherboard using the existing backplate. But, I eventually got this one installed and it works great... 30-35C at idle and in game it never gets over 60C.