Cooling concerns

[mattsesar]

So I did a general search to see if anyone around these internets (sic) had a similar rig to the one I'm planning to put together. I came across this:

P5K Deluxe in P180 with 8800GTX, E6600, Ultra eX 120 - XtremeSystems Forums

Basically this guy has a **** near identical setup to the one I'm looking at. Same case, same heatsink (well, he's using the Ultra 120 eXtreme and I'd be using the Tuniq Tower 120), same mobo, different processor though. He's using an E6600 @ 3.6GHz (pretty highly overclocked, if you ask me.) He's been getting hot loads, usually somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 Celsius.

Anyway, do you guys think that my attempts will result in a similar product? I don't want to spend a lot of money just to see it all overheat and be worthless (a lot like what happened to my previous build.) The guys in the linked thread made a lot of suggestions but the OP either never followed through with them or just didn't say anything. He does have a later post, though, talking about his switch to liquid cooling.

What do you think? Should I try and air cool this beast or should I go out of my element for liquid cooling? What would you have told this guy to do, had he stuck it out with air?

 

[Sora]

Just because you have the same parts in no way means you will get the same clocks or temps he does. You may get better or worse depending on what CPU you get and if you got a good mobo...

 

[Raziel-Zero]

Let's not forget a possible difference in climatic conditions because, as you most likely realise, air cooling is very dependent on ambient air temperature. Maybe humidity too, I'm not really sure about that one.

 

[mattsesar]

Yeah, I know there are a lot of variables when it comes to things like this, but think about it from my perspective...

When I built my last (and current) system, I spent a good deal of money trying to get high-end components that would last me a long time. While they've lasted three-and-a-half years, I've really only ever gotten maybe 60% or less of the performance that I was supposed to get. I blame most of my problems on my own inexperience and poor case selection, but even having learned what I did wrong, I'm still nervous about either repeating those mistakes or making new ones on another system.

 

[veedubfreak]

If his e6600 is hitting 70C on a TRUE120 he either keeps his room above 80F or doesnt have good air flow in his case. My Q6600 never breaks 65 at 3.6ghz and it has 2 extra cores to help heat it up.

 

[UA_Iron]

You should be able to do better. As other have said before - the ambient temp of the room will make a big difference.

what processor are you looking at?

 

[mattsesar]

The Q6600 G0.

 

[UA_Iron]

I have an antec 900, E6400, Thermalright ultra-120 extreme and I stay pretty cool.

If you apply AS5 right then you should stay within acceptable temperature ranges. How far do you want to overclock?

 

[mattsesar]

To be honest, I've never been much of an overclocker and don't have a lot of experience with it. I'd like to get as much out of my system as I can without doing potential damage to it.

I suppose I could push the proc to 3.3GHz and still feel comfortable, although I don't really have a clue as to what potential this thing will have.

 

[mattsesar]

Oh, and did you have to lap your Ultra 120 eXtreme? I've heard they come with poorly milled bases that need to be lapped...