DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

CPU + motherboard + cooler queries

54 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/cpu-motherboard-cooler-queries.147873/

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macho84 Original post #1
Oct 22, 2011 at 1:54 AM
. What is the purpose of the computer? (Note: If you are planning to say multimedia, you will have to be more specific as all types of systems are capable of doing that)
A:pure gaming and extreme video conversion Ie all FULLHD

2. Are you open to alternate ideas/products giving similar better performance but offering more VFM/ sellers? If not- why?
A: Always

3. What is your MAX budget?
A:30k

4. Planning to overclock?
A:To the extreme when i can and needed

5. Which OS are you planning to use?
A:Win 7 64 bit

6. How much hard drive space is needed?
A:Already own

7. What resolution will the screen run at & whats the size of the screen you want? If you already want have one and want to use it, mention its resolution and size.
A: 23 inch full hd using

8. How would you rate your hardware knowledge from the count of 1-10? (1 being the lowest, 5 being you are somewhat in sync with the current performers and 10 being the highest)
A:8

9. Have you ever built a desktop before or will this be done by an assembler?
A:Current one in my signature is my own build

10. When are you planning to buy the system?
A: Immediate

11. Are you one of the types looking out for "future proof" configurations?
A:Yes 3 years atleast

12. Are there going to be any components that you don't want to include in this new rig? If yes, do mention.
A:case , hdd, power supply ( I only neeed cpu , motherbaord and ram)

13. Which city do you live in and are you open to buying from shops from other city/states?
A:Chennai

14. Mention any other points if deemed necessary
A: I5 2500k extreme clocking capable and stable motherboard needed. I am getting 2500k for 12.3k is that fine. And gene-z i choose instead of z68 v . Pro and v not sure why 2k difference.










Hi guys i wanted to upgrade cpu and motherboard.

I choosen i5 2500k and gene-z wanted to know all z68 can i overclock to 4.5ghz or only gene-z whats the max safe freequency for stock heat sink

Also let me know the difference between asus z68 v and v pro which should i choose.

Is there any disadvantage on atx and matx kindly let me know.

Would atx have enough space for gpu crossfire and sli and could have big heatsink.

I am owning nzxt case basic one its cool and had 5 fans

Using a 600 watt smps and own a hd5770 with currently running e5800 cpu feels bit slow for current reqs
T
Oct 22, 2011 at 9:07 AM
Fill the Template and ask it here -->PC Components / Configurations - Digit Technology Discussion Forum
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macho84 #3
Oct 22, 2011 at 1:47 PM
I had updated the questionare kindly let me know the best combination.
Cilus
Cilus #4
Oct 22, 2011 at 2:27 PM
Intel Core i5 2500K @ 11K
MSI Z68A-GD55 (Full ATX with SLI and CF support) @ 9.5K
Gskill F3-12800CL9S-4GBXL 4GB X 2 1600 MHz DDR3 @ 3.3K

Total = 23.8K.

BTW, CM Extreme Plus is not a good PSU and not recommended with high end configs like what you're going to build. So I suggest you to get a good PSU like Corsair GS600 600W PSU @ 4K.
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macho84 #5
Oct 22, 2011 at 8:18 PM
How abt the asus z68 v . Is there any big difference between v and v pro. Also what the msi and v when compared to . Which is better full atx or matx

Any help please. which is best gene or z68 v or v pro.
Cilus
Cilus #6
Oct 22, 2011 at 10:24 PM
Both are of almost same league.However, Asus P8Z68-V mobo has mopre features like 3 PCI Express X16 slots (X8-X8-X4), all the other features are almost same. Now Asus mobos normally have slightly better build quality whereas MSI service is better. Both of them are ATX board.
Tenida
Tenida #7
Oct 23, 2011 at 1:54 AM
Asus Z68 Vpro~MSI Z68A-GD80>MSI Z68A-GD65>MSI Z68A-GD55 ;)
topgear
topgear #8
Oct 23, 2011 at 3:43 AM
How abt the asus z68 v . Is there any big difference between v and v pro. Also what the msi and v when compared to . Which is better full atx or matx

Any help please. which is best gene or z68 v or v pro.

if OCing is your main priority then you should opt for ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z (Z68 ) - it's one of the best OCer mobo out there ;-)
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macho84 #9
Oct 23, 2011 at 5:53 AM
But would it be fine i am getting asus v for 13.5k and gene-z for 14.5 k 1k difference is there. But Not a huge overclock fan. But decent with optimal performance.

Any online site with good price with many payment option.
d6bmg
d6bmg #10
Oct 23, 2011 at 8:06 PM
No, its still 12.1K @itwares.

Link: TheITWares - One Stop for all Gizmos!ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

So, Did I miss something here? :unsure:
topgear
topgear #11
Oct 24, 2011 at 4:22 AM
^^ nice find - I thought it was around ~13k - thanks for this anyway ;-)

@ macho84 - get the gene-z without any second thought - it has top notch build quality with some great features and at only 12.1k it's the the real deal for any Z68 buyers ( and OCers ) out there ;-)
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macho84 #12
Oct 24, 2011 at 10:20 PM
Noctua C14 OR D14

Hi guys let me know which is cooler and last longer.

My spec is i am getting asus p8z68 v and Intel i5 2500k with 8gb gskill 2133 ram.

My case is nzxt gamma. I checked the spec and i had enough room i believe. But wondering is that extra 1300 for c14 is worth. Also it weighs less 100 grams when compared to d14 but had low profile and high profile mode.

My one concern is d14@4k and C14@5200k . Which makes me to think twice.

I dont want to end up removing existing fans if i need to insall the cooler. definitely if i go for c14 side 120mm fan is waste As its pushing to the side if i use the top fan. But i felt c14 is less bulkier and more concerned on the weighing side. as one side the heat pipes are popping. Kindly help me to decide which is best for my spec.

Thanks in advance.
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macho84 #13
Oct 24, 2011 at 11:04 PM
Hi top help me with the heat sink which one should i go for c14@5.3k or d14@4k

Case is nzxt gamma.

Sry i had got Asus z68 v then only saw your reply. Its done now.
d6bmg
d6bmg #14
Oct 25, 2011 at 12:21 AM
Re: Noctua C14 OR D14

I highly doubt whether any of them will get into gamma without any space problem. :unsure:
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macho84 #15
Oct 25, 2011 at 2:23 AM
Re: Noctua C14 OR D14

So i cant install the heatsink in my gamma. I had 168mm as per nzxt case

As the hSF requires 160mm only

Just see this for your info.
Nzxt gamma with Noctua d14
topgear
topgear #16
Oct 25, 2011 at 4:53 AM
^^ congrats on the mobo purchase ;-)

go with D14 - @4k ( where ?? ) it's a steal and you'll be able to use it with gamma.
topgear
topgear #17
Oct 25, 2011 at 5:35 AM
Re: Noctua C14 OR D14

Where's D14 is only 4k ??

I say go with D14 though you will have to remove the side panel fan(s) - but still D14 worth it ;-)
d6bmg
d6bmg #18
Oct 25, 2011 at 11:05 AM
Re: Noctua C14 OR D14

I say go with D14 though you will have to remove the side panel fan(s)

yes, this will be the problem... If you can sacrifice side fans then its ok. :)
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macho84 #19
Oct 25, 2011 at 12:45 PM
actually its at 3.9k at bitflang.com. They are good but my bad luck i am not getting the gskill ddr3 2133 ram Until monday due to diwali fest. Not sure i had to wait a week for this ram. Why they dont have these good ram in stock. May be its costly and people rarely get it seems.
skeletor
skeletor #20
Oct 25, 2011 at 1:27 PM
You did the right thing. I also prefer Asus P8Z68-V /Pro over Maximus IV Gene-Z. Both overclock the same. With Gene-Z you'd have only paid for the ROG branding and compromised on slots.
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macho84 #21
Oct 25, 2011 at 7:06 PM
How is this cooler when compared to d14

NZXT HAVIK 140

Havik 140 review

which is better d14 or c14 . I can afford d14 but wondering c14 is a slight improvement for extra 1300 bugs.

By the way whats the best max frequency can i5 be overclocked with stable temp arround

Where can i get this ram quickly.

F3-17000CL9D-8GBXLD Gskill 2133mhz

Hi it seems Thermalright silver arrow is competing with Noctua d14 so which would be better. Actually the d14 avialability is none at most stores and priced arround 5k
topgear
topgear #22
Oct 26, 2011 at 4:31 AM
actually its at 3.9k at bitflang.com.

thanks for the info - the pricing is just great - even cheaper than newegg price of $86 ;-)

Now Havik 140 is priced at $60 - which should be around ~3k here but the cooler is performing neck to neck compared to D14 but as it's almost 1k cheaper buying this one makes more sense.

NZXT Havik 140 Review » Page 4 - Testing & Setup - Overclockers Club

you can OC 2500k upto 4.8-5Ghz with good air coolers ;-)

The only 2133Mhz ram modules I found from G-Skill is CL11 - see if they suffice your needs :

*www.lynx-india.com/index.php?productID=15990
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macho84 #23
Oct 26, 2011 at 6:08 AM
Thanks Top i was tired searching yesterday and gone to 1600 mhz of same brand and saved 2600 . The big thing is i just added 1000 extra and got a Thermalright silver arrrow cooler. Since D14 is also not in stock and costing arround 5k when compared to this at less than 4k .

Thanks for your help guys i will post the pics once installed. I hope i didnt make mistake by choosing 1600 freq ram . Hope 3k doesnt make much difference in realtime.
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macho84 #24
Nov 1, 2011 at 9:11 PM
Hi guys as you said i am stuck at fitting the silveright thermal hsf. Not sure as d14 i cant found at good price. But i checked with thermalright customer support and they confirmed it will fit. But not sure what went wrong i cant get thing going. Also help me on this. after fitting this heatsink i found it difficult to fit the cpu 8 pin 4x2. is there any xtender for the same.
topgear
topgear #25
Nov 2, 2011 at 3:55 AM
this is called 8-Pin (EPS12V) Extension Cable ;-)

*www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/images/large/products/8-PIN-EXT_t_LRG.jpg

you can grab one from here ;-)

*www.theitdepot.com/images/proimages/500-9214-5.jpg

*www.theitdepot.com/details-Lian+Li+ATX+Extension+Adapter+Cable+(PW8-8)_C4P9214.html
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macho84 #26
Nov 2, 2011 at 8:28 PM
Thanks actually i saw mega system pics and he routed under GPU so i did the same and finally its reaches without issues as of now. But future i might need to upgrade psu and case since this huge upgrade is killing me like anything. I am stuck at midlevel case and psu.

Help me to decide i am going to high end gpu for me and my brother.

I liked AMD and considering asus direct cue 2 card costing 23k in bitfang. I can pay only by card not account transfer. Since its a huge amt. If you find any trusted seller let me know. before that coming to the performance how long this card can be pushed for in future gaming say 2+ years. Also i know my current psu may not be sufficient so which psu is good say i need arround 850 watts. Max budget is 5k but can i try this card with my psu without overclocking.

For my friend he likes 3d more and wanted to move with nvidia gtx 580 and its a good combination as he owns hafx i7 with gene-z 8gb 2133 to overclock a loot. But he is confused which to go Plait 3gb card or msi twin frozer. As matrix takes lot of space he is panic to move to that card. Also he might add another one later a year.
Ayuclack
Ayuclack #27
Nov 2, 2011 at 9:38 PM
Asus Z68 Vpro~MSI Z68A-GD80>MSI Z68A-GD65>MSI Z68A-GD55 ;)

Truly Agree with Him....I Was to Buy GD 55 But at Last.:twisted: moment Took GD65.
topgear
topgear #28
Nov 3, 2011 at 4:51 AM
Thanks actually i saw mega system pics and he routed under GPU so i did the same and finally its reaches without issues as of now. But future i might need to upgrade psu and case since this huge upgrade is killing me like anything. I am stuck at midlevel case and psu.

Help me to decide i am going to high end gpu for me and my brother.

I liked AMD and considering asus direct cue 2 card costing 23k in bitfang. I can pay only by card not account transfer. Since its a huge amt. If you find any trusted seller let me know. before that coming to the performance how long this card can be pushed for in future gaming say 2+ years. Also i know my current psu may not be sufficient so which psu is good say i need arround 850 watts. Max budget is 5k but can i try this card with my psu without overclocking.

For my friend he likes 3d more and wanted to move with nvidia gtx 580 and its a good combination as he owns hafx i7 with gene-z 8gb 2133 to overclock a loot. But he is confused which to go Plait 3gb card or msi twin frozer. As matrix takes lot of space he is panic to move to that card. Also he might add another one later a year.

tell your Friend to get N580GTX Lightning ;-)

which DC2 card is this ?? If it's HD6970 DCII then you can grab that without much thinking ;-) though I don't have much exp about online sellers.

You can't get a 850W PSU at 5k - a seasonic 850W PSU will cost you 6.3k but if you want to save money you can take a look at Corsair GS600 @4k ;-)
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macho84 #29
Nov 3, 2011 at 7:58 AM
will my current cm600 extreme will be suffice for normal gaming without overclocking. Not sure. need to see. Waiting for some time to decide. i am getting it for 23k is this a nice deal.
topgear
topgear #30
Nov 4, 2011 at 3:29 AM
if you are getting HD6970 get a new PSU along with it - play safe ;-)
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macho84 #31
Nov 5, 2011 at 2:01 AM
I know but my current card is running good without any issues may be early next year i will give a shot as dollar value goes down price will also go down. As my new ultra build smothens the play and without sluggishness. I am pretty much happy. As i had overclocked to 4.3ghz its doing good job. I will need to buy a better case when i had a chance which support more than 170 mm cpu cooling solution. Let me know your suggestion under 5k. Its big budget for me.
Tenida
Tenida #32
Nov 5, 2011 at 2:32 AM
^^Hey buddy can u post pics of newly purchased pc in showoff section ?:)
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macho84 #33
Nov 5, 2011 at 8:01 PM
Sure i can do that. Give me some time. Right now iam in testing phase . I will surely do that. By the way how is your cooler is doing for I7 OC to what freq. As my friend is owning one and the sys cant allow to oc above 2.6 neither me . Both had a decent cooler. Though i had some low profile psu he had a good glacial tech 950 watts. But 5ghz i7 can reach easily. But 3.3ghz to 4.3 ghz is great boost from 38gflops to 62 giga flops.
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macho84 #34
Nov 9, 2011 at 10:44 PM
I tried searching for a better PSU but i dont feel until i change the gpu. As most of the games i am getting arround 25fps and felt ok only certain phyx hungry games i cant make it or fps is too low like 14fps which is hard to play.

But i am ok with 5k budget get me a good psu which could do 6970 CF.
R
rajnusker #36
Nov 9, 2011 at 11:31 PM
I tried searching for a better PSU but i dont feel until i change the gpu. As most of the games i am getting arround 25fps and felt ok only certain phyx hungry games i cant make it or fps is too low like 14fps which is hard to play.

But i am ok with 5k budget get me a good psu which could do 6970 CF.

XFX PRO650 Core.

Edit: Sorry, I misread as a 6950 CF, the TX850 V2 or the SS-850AT would do.
masach315
masach315 #37
Nov 9, 2011 at 11:51 PM
Seasonic 850W SS-850AT, to be on the safer side...

It means you have to shell out a little bit more for your 6970CF. XFX 650W Core Edition seems not enough.

And for your information, XFX Pro 650W is manufactured by Seasonic
R
rajnusker #38
Nov 9, 2011 at 11:57 PM
It means you have to shell out a little bit more for your 6970CF. XFX 650W Core Edition seems not enough.

And for your information, XFX Pro 650W is manufactured by Seasonic

I have edited my post. And I know that bolded part mentioned by you. Thanks.
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macho84 #39
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:07 AM
oK 6K is high for me . 1k extra. Ok fine let me know if corsair 400r is good to go model at 5.7k

I will keep sesonic in mind when i buy the gpu again confused AMD OR NVIDIA.
R
rajnusker #40
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:19 AM
oK 6K is high for me . 1k extra. Ok fine let me know if corsair 400r is good to go model at 5.7k

I will keep sesonic in mind when i buy the gpu again confused AMD OR NVIDIA.

CM Storm Enforcer. And about AMD or NVIDIA, it totally depends what you want, eyefinity or physx. I would suggest go for nvidia atleast you would save yourself from the trouble of drivers.
MegaMind
MegaMind #41
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:23 AM
oK 6K is high for me . 1k extra. Ok fine let me know if corsair 400r is good to go model at 5.7k

I will keep sesonic in mind when i buy the gpu again confused AMD OR NVIDIA.

400R is a good case.. Also look for Nzxt Tempest EVO in the same price range...

6970 CFX is a good choice.. As scaling is better in AMD...
skeletor
skeletor #42
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:34 AM
any reason for Crossfire or SLI. Too many issues.

21k = HD 6970
28k = GTX 580
38k = HD 6990

Had nVidia. Switched to AMD. Both have sh!t drivers.

Multi GPU won't really be "future-proof".
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macho84 #43
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:39 AM
But Mega i had silverligh arrow which is protruding 168+mm So i want a full cpu support above 170mm on the safer side. As well from USB. This is little high on my tight budget but good for a long run i felt. Looks nice and neat design. I actually not interested in investing case but due to my setup is pushing me in everything to build a proper setup.

@ICO I dont wanted to jump in CF but later a year or so when game demands more vram or gpu power and need for cf to run much smother. As you could see games are keep on growing in graphics though not hard on gpu ie high end but still fps is not a big deal but smoth play is a must welcome by every type of players. We dont wanted to loose a play because of low profile gpu or other setup. After all it makes us feel happy while playing which should not at any case gets disturbed.
skeletor
skeletor #44
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:51 AM
yup. I got your point there. VRAM won't double if you SLI/Crossfire two 2 GB cards. It shall remain effectively 2 GB only. Not 4 GB.

I agree on your point from the performance point of view. But you see, after a year you'll see a mid range card of 17k performing 50-60% more than the mid range card of this generation. That would be like 70-80% the multi GPU setup between previous gen's 2 mid range cards. And that too without any driver issues rendering your multi GPU setup not worthwhile. That's all I have to say. :)
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macho84 #45
Nov 10, 2011 at 1:05 AM
So you recommend me to go for CF now or later. I believe any possibility to pair a furture card with current 9 series. Advise me on this. I had an eye asus cu2 6970. But which is better 6950 or 6970. As i could save 5k if i get 6950 oc . Would i get similar performance. I dont want to feel later i could have gone high. As now i felt if i had gone 6850 for that extra 2k would save me investing another 20k gpu. Which is hard you know. its a life time investment on these cards and wanted for us to go with it for years.
topgear
topgear #46
Nov 10, 2011 at 4:59 AM
^^ Hold your horses a little more ( 3-4 months ) and prepare to get HD7970/7950 ;-)
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macho84 #47
Nov 10, 2011 at 8:05 PM
Any spec and review for those cards. I believe they are PCI-E 3.0 based card. Any improvement over design and amount of bandwith. can my current pci-e 2.0 can handle the demand of that card.
MegaMind
MegaMind #48
Nov 10, 2011 at 8:24 PM
Since u asked, some rumors on AMD 7950 & AMD 7970
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macho84 #49
Nov 10, 2011 at 8:40 PM
is that xfx is good that too good but whats the heat radiation in that card. i heard they had good cooling.
MegaMind
MegaMind #50
Nov 10, 2011 at 8:54 PM
is that xfx is good that too good but whats the heat radiation in that card. i heard they had good cooling.

Ico has the 2GB version with the same card/cooler, u should ask him..

*www.acecomputers.com.au/images/xfx%206950.jpeg
skeletor
skeletor #51
Nov 10, 2011 at 9:00 PM
I have a minor issue with this card. I have to beef up clocks manually under load by creating an AMD Catalyst profile. So, I won't suggest XFX. It could either be a BIOS issue or driver. Probably BIOS as no one else (other manufacturers) is facing this issue.
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macho84 #52
Nov 10, 2011 at 10:14 PM
Hi one quick question for E5800@3.2GHZ with 4gb 2x2gb@800mhz with 80gb hdd later 1tb sata with dvd writter will 450 watts is sufficient.

zebronics brand
topgear
topgear #53
Nov 11, 2011 at 4:34 AM
^^ yep - looks like a download rig ;-)
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macho84 #54
Nov 15, 2011 at 3:57 AM
The same setup i had with HD 5770 got fried the 450 watts psu within hours. So letting the setup to go as it is with cm600 later a room for a gpu.