Help with AM3+ CPU cooler compatibility

Bink · 18 Oct 2011

Hi,

My CPU and M/B died on me for no reason and I've had it with Intel so I've moved back to AMD. I've been using Arctic cooling for years now and I looked through the coolers and picked one out with the motherboard and CPU. "I think some die hard AMD fans have already worked out where this is going already..." Well I actually the difference between AMD and Intel in comparison with size of CPU and motherboard layout. Well I purchased a Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 Pro along with he rest of the kit. Went to install the cooler and then looked with a confused look coupled with steam coming out of my ears.

I think it went a little like this. Oh of **** sake you ******* idiot. This isn't going to fit my motherboard because the RAM is in the way so I have an option. RAM is just stupendously cheep at the moment, so I'm thinking do I get 8GB of DDR3 RAM or spend £50+ on a cooler...?

Even though the Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 and Pro is compatible with AM3+ it does come very close to the RAM even though there is a clearance there for the RAM we are talking less than 1mm

It's a pain in the backside because they state that its compatible but, depending on the RAM you have as well. I've got Dominator RAM and as well all know these are beefy SOB's.

Which is the best CPU cooler for AMD AM3+ the problem with AMD is the positioning of the cooler can only go in one direction as with Intel you have an option of 360 degrees. this is my problem.

Thanks in advance.
Simon

Britton30 · 18 Oct 2011

Hello Bink. If you can get oone of these with the bracket, it should take care of it Newegg.com - Computer Hardware, CPUs / Processors, enzotech

The bracket wil let you mount the cooler about anyway you like it, I have one. I was limited with only one direction because it hit my PSU. There are other AMD coolers with a similar bracket though. It clears my RAM about 12mm, 1/2" or so, GSkill ripjaws.

Bink · 18 Oct 2011

Thanks for that, only one problem... I'm 3000 miles away.

Jezus the price of memory at the moment is just insane it's actually logical for me to get a pack of 8GB of DDR3 memory 9-9-9-24

Britton30 · 18 Oct 2011

Bink said:

Thanks for that, only one problem... I'm 3000 miles away.

Yup, understood. I suspect someone in the UK has similar cooler though.

Bink · 18 Oct 2011

Thanks for the tip though I shall bear this in mind. Just ordered 8GB of DDR3 memory for only £51.00 that's the bargain of the month for me.

stormy13 · 18 Oct 2011

One of these,

Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R1 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with latest Intel 1366/1155 and AMD FM1/AM3+

which can be mounted in an up/down or the usual front/back orientation,

Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus AMD Installation & Clearance - Hardware Canucks

and is cheaper than the Freezer Pro 13. And if the fan is in the way of the ram slots, it can be mounted on the back of the heatsink to pull air through instead of set to push when mounted the usual way.

P.S. Is your ram 2 x 4 GB or 4 x 2 GB? Also which motherboard did you get?

Britton30 · 18 Oct 2011

Cool! DDR3 is getting cheap here too. In Jan 2010 I paid $234 for 8GB of DDR3, about 178 pounds?
Another option is one of these if your case has room for the radiator, which could be installed outside the rear of the case.
http://www.corsair.com/cpu-cooling-k...pu-cooler.html

noelw1969 · 28 Nov 2011

I had a similar issue with my old Nexus CPU cooler getting ridiculously close to my RAM but the obvious option was to move the 2 sticks I had into the 2nd channel slots.

Nonetheless, after deciding on major upgrades to my system, I purchased the Corsair H60 water cooler and threw a 2nd fan onto it giving a push/pull configuration into the case. My mobo runs at a steady 25 degrees C and my Phenom II X4 965 BE (running at stock 3.4GHz) rarely gets above 36 degrees C, even under heavy gaming conditions. Plus, the H60, in no way encroaches on the RAM, regardless of what or how much you put in there.

My old mobo always ran at around 50-55 degrees C (close to overheating !!) and my old Athlon 64 X2 6000+ only went below 38 degrees C when the computer was turned off !! That was with the more than capable Nexus XIR 2300.

Forget the RAM, go water cooling. I'll never buy a fan again and RAM will only get better and cheaper.