Best Cpu fan?

[Elvenmunky]

thinking of getting a 'intel core 2 duo e6600' just wondering what fan i should buy for it? any suggestions/recommendations?

[SkuriN]

noctua all the way :)

[lynx]

What's wrong with the fan that comes with it?

[clocker]

You need to define your goals.
Do you want the lowest temps or the quietest operation?

[Kojiro]

SPCR Recommended Fans (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article63-page2.html)
The best heatsink there is... (http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2981&p=3)

[Elvenmunky]

lowest temps, not bothered about noise

[clocker]

lowest temps, not bothered about noise

Then I would recommend an Apache helicopter.


Watch your fingers.

[accat13]

lowest temps, not bothered about noise

Then I would recommend an Apache helicopter.


Watch your fingers.
Now thats cruel

But if noise is not a constraint try one of these http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:GE90_dsc04644.jpg
:w00t::w00t:Hopefully size will not be a constraint considering the diameter of the fan is 128 inches(over 10 feet in diameter)....I'm sure clocker could think of some mods to help it fit :w00t::w00t:

[Elvenmunky]

...hah...

[clocker]

...hah...

"Hah", indeed.
Lynx asked the most pertinent question so far...what IS wrong with the stock fan?
Until you can pinpoint/define the shortcomings of the system (and by this I mean the entire in-case environment) you cannot begin to address them.
Having chased the cooling dragon for a few years myself I can appreciate the siren call of low temps- before you succumb, gather some baseline data or you'll forever just be shooting in the dark.

[Elvenmunky]

oh ok ill stick with the stock fan then, for my new case theres gonna be twofans at the front blowing air to the back, one at the side blowing air out, another at the back blowing air out and another one at the top blowing air out. does that answer your question? (its the antec nine hundred case btw)

[clocker]

oh ok ill stick with the stock fan then, for my new case theres gonna be twofans at the front blowing air to the back, one at the side blowing air out, another at the back blowing air out and another one at the top blowing air out. does that answer your question? (its the antec nine hundred case btw)
Actually no, it doesn't and don't give up so easily.

I can think of a few things wrong with the stock HS/fan but my opinion doesn't count when it comes to your PC.
You need to decide how the case cooling is working out and then make changes based on what you've observed.

-Make sure you have SMART enabled in BIOS so you can grab temps from the HDD(s).
-Where is the PSU located in that case? You neglected to include it's fan in the tally.
-I'd probably start with both the sidepanel and backplane's fans blowing in.

Run the stock setup for a week or so, monitoring temps (and writing them down- data is important!), then either swap some fans to exhaust or unplug them altogether and see what happens. Airflow within a case is NEVER as obvious and orderly as the manufacturer's simplified diagrams would have you believe and surprising results can come from completely non-intuitive changes.

When you do decide to make a change, make one at a time so you can isolate it's effect on the cooling system.

More/bigger/louder fans do not necessarily mean better results.

After you can present some data from the above procedures THEN we can talk about aftermarket parts.

[S!X]

The Antec 900 has excellent airflow, so it'd make perfect sense to run an aftermarket cpu cooler to add the icing on the cake. The arctic cooling freezer 64 has been working very well for me. With the intake and exhaust fans on low, and the top 200mm fan on medium (best settings if you wanna keep things quiet) the cpu tends to stay in the mid 30's, load it hits the early 40's. You should check out the ACF7, it's fairly inexpensive yet effective. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

[Elvenmunky]

cheers linkin

[Kuberr]

Zalman heatsinks all the way. Tried and true.

[TiToiNc]

lowest temps, not bothered about noise

Then I would recommend an Apache helicopter.


Watch your fingers.

lol
i don't have a space for it :)

[lynx]

Then I would recommend an Apache helicopter.


Watch your fingers.

lol
i don't have a space for it :)http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/apache-helicopter-48.jpg
The apache helicopter can carry 4 hellfire missiles on each rail.

It creates it's own space. :D