I'm a Big Fan

[Newtun]

I'm considering replacing the stock cooler on my Ryzen 7 3700x processor, with CPU utilization 100% 24×7, working on the World Community Grid.

My case is a Thermaltake Versa H18, which is listed as supporting CPU coolers up to 155 mm high.

I'm concerned about getting a cooler that is exactly 155 mm, especially since the side panel is glass and I don't want to have a "shattering" experience.

Should I look for a shorter cooler, or would that be a "tight fit" but workable?

Thanks for your opinions.

 

[Chewy509]

My son has the same case, and has a Cooler Master Hyper H410R for an Intel i5-11500. Works perfectly fine. (He has 3x intake on the front and 1x outlet on the back).

The other option is a front mounted AIO.

Just re-checked the spreadsheet I used at the time to build/price/spec, these where the options that I had access to and considered at the time:

Cooler Master Hyper 103 Universal CPU Cooler	43 CFM	108 x 90 x 139 mm	92mm fan, 30dBA, 130W
Cooler Master Hyper H410R RGB CPU Cooler	34 CFM	102 x 83 x 136 mm	92mm fan, 29dBA, 100W
Cooler Master Hyper H411R Air CPU Cooler	34 CFM	102 x 83 x 136 mm	92mm fan, 29dBA. 100W
Cooler Master Hyper D92 Universal CPU Cooler	54 CFM	147 x 130 x 97 mm	2x 92mm fan, 95W
Cooler Master MasterAir G200P Low Profile RGB CPU Cooler	35 CFM	95 x 92 x 39.4 mm	92mm fan
CoolerMaster RR-T4-18PK-R1 Hyper T4 Universal CPU Cooler	70 CFM	132 x 73 x 153 mm	120mm fan, 32 dBA, 140W
Cryorig M9i	48 CFM	102 x 87 x 125 mm	92 mm fan, 27dBA, 120W
Thermaltake Contac 9 CPU Cooler	40 CFM	100 x 72 x 140 mm	92mm fan, 30 dBA, 140W
Antec C40 CPU Air Cooler(92mm Led Fan) with Cooper Coldplate	38 CFM	100 x 77 x 136 mm	92mm fan, 95W
be quiet! Pure Rock Slim 2 CPU Cooler	35 CFM	97 x 82 x 125 mm	92mm fan
DeepCool Gammaxx C40 Multi Socket CPU Cooler	33 CFM	92 x 84 x 137 mm	92mm fan
Cooler Master i71C RGB 120mm Intel CPU Cooler	37 CFM	120 x 120 x 60 mm	120mm fan

As you can see, most of the tower coolers are 92mm, and a few of the down-draught coolers are 120mm.

 

[Chewy509]

IIRC, The CM Hyper T4 will fit, but was out of stock when I built his system.

 

[ddrueding]

Historically I've always been able to shave a few mm from a fit with basic hand tools. Usually it is as simple as using side cutters to shave off some decorative plastic somewhere. If a part fit is tight, just take a look at the image and see if there is room to be saved.

 

[Newtun]

In the interim, I searched reviews a bit for good CPU air coolers, and I was interested in the well-regarded be quiet! Pure Rock 3; it's a silly mm shorter, at 154.

But when I checked into it a little more, it seems that it would be a fairly major hassle for me to install.

Instead of "just" pulling off the original cooler and replacing it, I would have to multi-unplug, unscrew, and pull out the motherboard just to install some proprietary mounting hardware on the "dark side". I'm getting too old for that .

I guess I'll have to start looking for coolers that don't have that complete-disassembly "feature", and I could just unplug-plug-and-play.

Also in the interim, I did a little "house-cleaning", stopping that PC and vacuuming all around the case. That seems to have gotten me a few degrees of freedom (long-winded details to follow):



But over the longer term, the temperatures have grown fairly substantially, which is why I'm looking into a cooler upgrade:

 

[ddrueding]

On the Thermaltake Versa H18, according to the images I found online, there is a cutaway on the motherboard mounting tray that allows access to that backside without removing the motherboard. Maybe just pull off the other case side and check.

 

[Newtun]

Thanks, DD, I'll check into those options.

I had thought the other side of the case was "solid", but downloading the doc'n, I see that I was wrong.

 

[Mercutio]

No love for the Peerless Assassin 120? They're like $35, barely make noise and fit over the standard AMD mounting system.

 

[Newtun]

Thanks, Merc, I just started checking into that Assassin (in between the sweet 16); "cool" design - "twin towers", dual fans.

But it's 155 mm tall, whereas the Pure Rock 3 is 154 mm.

Upon further review, Tom's likes it.

 

[Newtun]

Alright, I "pulled the trigger" on the Assassin, V2, from Amazon, so it's an easy return if it doesn't fit.

Thanks, all, for your comments and suggestions.

 

[Newtun]

Well, the install is done, but it was a lot more hassle than I'd hoped.

The first problem was that, even though I left the PC running "full bore" until just before I turned it off, and got right into trying to remove the old heat sink while it was still hot, following online advice, I tried to twist it right and left, instead of pulling it straight up. Unfortunately, that didn't work, and the CPU was stuck on the heat sink when I got it off. I cleaned it up, and reinserted it in the socket, but I was worried that it was damaged.

I was hoping it would take about half an hour, but wrestling the old cooler off and the new one on took about 1:38.

But it seems to be running at 100% OK, and hasn't since produced any errors on the results it's sent to the World Community Grid.

​

And the temps are way down (as well as the fan noise):

 

[ddrueding]

Glad to hear it worked out, and that temp improvement is very nice. The new "pins on the motherboard" thing does make heatsinks sticking to CPUs much less risky.