- The TDP (heat dissipation factor) of the cooler must be at least 2 times higher than the TDP of the processor.
On the one hand, this will allow the fan to spin much slower than the maximum speed. Slower is quieter. On the other hand, you have TDP headroom for overclocking the processor.
- Heat pipes must be open.
This means that the tubes must be in direct contact with the processor cover. If they are closed with a cooler heat sink, then the gaps inside will worsen the heat transfer.
- Too thick "tower" of the radiator is poorly ventilated.
It is easier for air to escape to the sides than along the radiator fins. In normally designed radiators, large "towers" are divided into two parts, equipped with separate fans.
- 800 rpm is the audible threshold for any fan.
At this speed, any fan becomes clearly audible. Especially large. Hence the following rule.
- The size of the fan is not critical.
How to choose a cooler for a processor by the number of heat pipes
The heat in the processor is produced by a die that takes up a much smaller area than the processor cover. Usually the crystal is in the middle, give or take. For the radiator tube to effectively remove heat, it must cover the maximum die area.
- For single-tube coolers, the tube runs down the center of the sole.
- For two-pipe - at a decent distance from the center. Therefore, a simple one-pipe cooler can be as effective as more sophisticated models. Double pipes are not an option at all; three pipes also do not offer much advantage.
- If you spend money, then on six-pipe. Their entire sole is occupied by tubes, so the heat sink is the most effective.
Watch the video review of the Be Quiet cooler! Shadow rock tf 2
How to choose the right CPU cooler by bearing type
There are three types of bearings:
- slip;
- roller;
- hydrodynamic (SSO).
The latter is positioned as the quietest and most reliable. And expensive, respectively. But there is a nuance. For the SSO bearing to work optimally, the fan must rotate at a speed of at least 1000 rpm. That is, make noise.
At the same time, you can take a valve on a cheap sleeve bearing, set the speed lower and enjoy its operation for at least 5 years. During this time, it will definitely not wear out.
How to choose a cooler for an Intel processor
All modern tower coolers can be installed on any sockets of recent years. In other words, they are suitable for all current generations of Intel and AMD processors.
Within a generation, processors differ in power and, therefore, in TDP. Find out the maximum TDP of your "stone" and return to point 1 of the first section of this article.
Watch the video review of Be Quiet! Pure Rock Slim BK008
Choosing a CPU cooler ... what about the size ?!
They tell scary stories about gamers who had to throw out top-end video cards because a brand new huge cooler rested against them ... Okay, this is a joke. But with a word of caution. You can spend $ 100 on a cooler, and then it turns out that there is no place for it in the system unit. So first determine the location, and then select the cooler for it. Trust me, a medium-sized tower can be just as good as a giant one.
Helpful article: "How to set up sound on the front of your computer"
Watch the video on how to choose CPU cooling
