Power supply for 25.00. Sketchy, much?

[Shura]

I installed EVGA's Precision X application in order to better manage my GPU fan. Once I set it up, it auto-set my base fan to run at 40% (which before my base was 30%). Obviously there is no need for it to run at 40% without the game running (I assume?) Is there any problem just allowing my fan to run at 40% whenever I have my computer on?

Before the fan never bumped up past 40% and the GPU got up to 63-66c while running benchmark/beta. Running the benchmark today with this application, both the the fan and temps both stay in the low 50's. This is a much better situation for my GPU, right?

As for my CPU, I'll be doing that "oil change" (as I call it, just cleaning and re-thermal pasting the stock fan) to see if that will reduce my temps before going further.

I'm a bit terrified of watercooling if I get that far, you guys think that is perfectly safe? Seems crazy to put water anywhere in there

And one more comment/question... is it possible that increasing my GPU fan which thereby lowers the temp that the GPU stays at, can reduce the CPU temp? It almost seemed like that was happening.....


EDIT! Just noticed, when I turn off the EVGA app, the fan goes back down to it's other default speed (30%). Hmm, just have to remember to run it while I have the game on. Best of both worlds maybe?

Ya nothing wrong with leaving the fan at 40% or even 50%; some fans might be loud but if you don't mind then all good. As already mentioned, unless you plan to do extreme overclocks, you don't need a water cooled system. I know some people like to push their systems to the limit but i personally don't overclock much so I don't bother watercooling. On Air, my temps are around mid-high 20s idle and mid 40s to 50 under load. For your system, A High quality air cooler or something like the H60/H80 in a push pull setup will be better.

Yes increasing your GPU fan can contribute to your CPU temp, if your GPU was running hot then it would of made the overall temp in the case high. Just throw the Evga APP in the Startup folder so you don't have to turn it on all the time, unless you only want to turn it up when you play games, in that case you'll have to manually launch it every time.

Good to hear your GPU temps are down, now just need to get the CPU down a bit and your all set for ARR launch.^^

[Riv]

Yup Precision lets you set a custom fan curve too so you can adjust the fan speed versus temps if the noise level bothers you. Just set it to start with Windows. It also has a handy on screen overlay monitoring feature that you can set up to see anything you want to know about your GPU in game.

[JillyBean]

Ahh good to hear about watercooling. Nope, I don't plan to ever overclock! It is a bit noisier but it won't bother me (like it did before) because I know exactly why it's happening, and that it is better all around for the computer.

As for my CPU temps, my house temp was pretty low yesterday, so that may have contributed. Hopefully the GPU fan/temp will influence it a little as well, and next week I'll get into that CPU "oil change", and possibly ordering a simple aftermarket CPU heatsink/fan if need be.

You guys are the best! Thanks again! ^^

[JillyBean]

Simple Push-Pin Aftermarket Coolers:

Rosewill RCX-ZAIO

Rosewill RCX-Z90

Assuming your Motherboard Tray does not have a hole and your willing to take the motherboard out, then i recommend this CPU Cooler:CORSAIR Hydro Series H60

Also for Thermal Paste, while AS5 is good, there are some better options that will lower your temp by a few Cs. Here are some examples:

ARCTIC MX-4
GELID Solutions GC-Extreme
G751 Shin-Etsu This is a really good Thermal paste but is thick making it a bit more difficult to apply.
Prolimatech PRO-PK1 Currently out of stock at newegg

PK1 and Gelid seem to be getting some really good reviews, followed by Shin-Etsu then MX-4.

Well, I've fully cleaned the heatsink/cpu connection and re-thermal pasted (twice actually, trying the Arctic silver5 that I have on hand, as well as the MX-4), and there's not really any difference. While my temps during benchmark/beta are, I believe, "safe", they are not what I think they "should" be. They are still in the high 50s/low 60s while gaming under a load that varies 15-30's%. Further, spike "max" temps range from 70-74, not that they stay there, but they've hit that once every hour or so.

I've ordered the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835200056 which looks like it will fit just fine. Also, the PRO-PK1 is back in stock, so I've order that too! Safe to say, this cooler has got to bring my temps down, right?

Stupid question perhaps, does the fan on this cooler blow out or draw in? And would it be better for the fan direction to be pointing down (towards the graphics card) or up (towards the top of the box - pretty much just power supply and excess cords there)? I suppose it could also point to either side? (being towards front or back of the computer) though I am not 100% sure those options would fit.

On the bottom of my side panel is a metal-meshy intake area (holes made in the case to form a screen about 2x8 inches, right in line with the graphics card, or slightly below). Other than that, no venting on the sides. The back, just below the PS (which I believe blows "out), is another case fan which blows out. I haven't checked to see how I think the graphics card fan is blowing. It's an EVGA 560

[Shura]

Well, I've fully cleaned the heatsink/cpu connection and re-thermal pasted (twice actually, trying the Arctic silver5 that I have on hand, as well as the MX-4), and there's not really any difference. While my temps during benchmark/beta are, I believe, "safe", they are not what I think they "should" be. They are still in the high 50s/low 60s while gaming under a load that varies 15-30's%. Further, spike "max" temps range from 70-74, not that they stay there, but they've hit that once every hour or so.

I've ordered the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835200056 which looks like it will fit just fine. Also, the PRO-PK1 is back in stock, so I've order that too! Safe to say, this cooler has got to bring my temps down, right?

Stupid question perhaps, does the fan on this cooler blow out or draw in? And would it be better for the fan direction to be pointing down (towards the graphics card) or up (towards the top of the box - pretty much just power supply and excess cords there)? I suppose it could also point to either side? (being towards front or back of the computer) though I am not 100% sure those options would fit.

On the bottom of my side panel is a metal-meshy intake area (holes made in the case to form a screen about 2x8 inches, right in line with the graphics card, or slightly below). Other than that, no venting on the sides. The back, just below the PS (which I believe blows "out), is another case fan which blows out. I haven't checked to see how I think the graphics card fan is blowing. It's an EVGA 560

Based on all the reviews for that CPU cooler, yes it does preform a lot better then the stock Intel cooler; but keep in mind that it is a push pin cooler therefore won't preform at the same level as high-end mounted coolers. (Don't mean to be negative lol)

Here is a test done which uses your CPU.

Hardware Secrets Test
Tweak News Test

You'll notice they report a 10-15C difference between the ZAIO and stock Intel cooler; Also the 2nd Link uses a older generation CPU which natively runs hotter.
In regards to which way to face the Cooler, you want the fan(front) to face the CD drive and the back to face the back fan in your case. Its an intake fan so you don't want it to intake hot air and you want your case fan to disperse the heat exhausted from the back of the heat sink outside.

[JillyBean]

Based on all the reviews for that CPU cooler, yes it does preform a lot better then the stock Intel cooler; but keep in mind that it is a push pin cooler therefore won't preform at the same level as high-end mounted coolers. (Don't mean to be negative lol)

Here is a test done which uses your CPU.

Hardware Secrets Test
Tweak News Test

You'll notice they report a 10-15C difference between the ZAIO and stock Intel cooler; Also the 2nd Link uses a older generation CPU which natively runs hotter.
In regards to which way to face the Cooler, you want the fan(front) to face the CD drive and the back to face the back fan in your case. Its an intake fan so you don't want it to intake hot air and you want your case fan to disperse the heat exhausted from the back of the heat sink outside.

Once again, thank you for your excellent information, Shura!

This is exactly what I needed to know, and it looks like it will fit just fine in that position. The one thing I guess will find out when the cooler arrives, is just how this push-pin thing works. The stock cooler is in there with screws, no push pin situation. Hope the push-pin mount thing works with those sockets that the stock cooler was screwed into, assuming it will - it must be pretty standard.

I am just now realizing ....that the fan's job is to cool the heat sink; the heatsink's job is to cool the CPU. The fan is not there to directly cool the CPU. Duh! That is why this stock cooler, or anything that even looks like a stock cooler, makes pretty much no sense! The fan needs to be perpendicular to CPU to blow that air it draws from the heatsink it in an entirely different direction. Sheesh! Well I guess it's fine for every day computer use but not video games.

Getting a great education here^^

[JillyBean]

Hmm something I just thought of, do you know how much more power supply use it will need compared to the stock cooler?

My stock Dell PS was 350 watts. When I changed from the 240 video card to the 560, I upgraded to 650w PS. (more than enough for that upgrade).

That's the only hardware change I've made other than this new cooler.

[Shura]

Once again, thank you for your excellent information, Shura!

This is exactly what I needed to know, and it looks like it will fit just fine in that position. The one thing I guess will find out when the cooler arrives, is just how this push-pin thing works. The stock cooler is in there with screws, no push pin situation. Hope the push-pin mount thing works with those sockets that the stock cooler was screwed into, assuming it will - it must be pretty standard.

I am just now realizing ....that the fan's job is to cool the heat sink; the heatsink's job is to cool the CPU. The fan is not there to directly cool the CPU. Duh! That is why this stock cooler, or anything that even looks like a stock cooler, makes pretty much no sense! The fan needs to be perpendicular to CPU to blow that air it draws from the heatsink it in an entirely different direction. Sheesh! Well I guess it's fine for every day computer use but not video games.

Getting a great education here^^

Hmm.. this is a bit concerning; when i checked on the Dell XPS 8000, it said it used push-pin cpu coolers but after reading what you mentioned above, i looked deeper and it seems some models did use screws to mount the cooler. While it is still possible to install the CPU cooler you ordered, if the stock was screwed in then chances are that motherboard has a backplate installed, which you might have to remove.

Any chances you can post some pictures of your heatsink and if possible see if you can take the opposite side panel off.

Also, again i don't mean to be negative but see if your order has already shipped, if it has not canceling the order might be a good idea until we sort of what type of mounting your board needs. Though you can still use the one you ordered, it might require you to access the back of the motherboard to remove a backplate. The whole reason i recommended the push-pin was so you wouldn't have to but if your gonna be forced to do it anyway, there are better coolers.

I Apologize, i should of made sure what the mounting solution was on your current PC, i did not realize XPS 8000 had two different models with different mounts.

[Dhalmel]

Hmm something I just thought of, do you know how much more power supply use it will need compared to the stock cooler?

My stock Dell PS was 350 watts. When I changed from the 240 video card to the 560, I upgraded to 650w PS. (more than enough for that upgrade).

That's the only hardware change I've made other than this new cooler.

Air cpu heatshinks hardly use any energy, it's only when going into custom water cooling to power a water pump is when there really some notable energy use but even then it's really not something to worry over.

I Apologize, i should of made sure what the mounting solution was on your current PC, i did not realize XPS 8000 had two different models with different mounts.

Dell always does weird things like that so it's not surprising.

[Riv]

Should barely use any more power, if any more at all, than the stock fan.

And yes, the fan just cools the heatsink.