Suggestions on cooling my P4?

Sorry if this is another mundane cooling question for you guys...LOL

Here are my system specs:

board -Asus P4PE
chip - Pentium IV 2.4BGhz (533)
RAM - 256MB Kingston DDR PC2700
video - ATI All-In-Wonder 8500DV
hard drive - Maxtor 20GB
hard drive - IBM 40GB
sound card - Creative SB 512
network card - Linksys LNE100TX
CD-rom - Lite-On 48x
CD-burner - Plextor 12X
Case - Antec KS-282 Mid-Tower
power supply - Antec True 480Watt

Ok, now that you have a bit of background on my rig, I also have one 120mm intake & one 120mm exhaust fan. However, I am concerned about my processor's temps. I am using the factory heatink/fan that came with my P4 and I am not sure if it is adequate enough or if anyone might have some advice as to upgrade to a newer HSF combo (I am lost as to what brands are considered "good" and which ones are junk -LOL).

My P4 temps are roughly 41-43C at idle and jump up to around 50C during full load. I am not able to readily consider water cooling right now because I tend to move my system around semi-frequently. Sooo, is my P4 running too hot or is it acceptable? Is it worth upgrading to a better heatsink/fan?

Thanks in advance for your advice gang.

 

Personally I'd go for a new HS/F over a stock "retail" HS/F. And (personally) I'd go for an Aero based HS/F, but thats just cause I like the funky rotary design

 

Yeah, that was the plan, to upgrade to an aftermarket HSF instead of relying on a retail/OEM version. I've been busy Googling for Intel P4 / socket 478 HSF combos and have found several models but not sure which one to choose (decisions, decisions LOL).

According to the Coolermaster website, the "Aero"/rotary design is a better option than a traditional HSF. Do you have any specific examples of which P4/478 "Aero" models I should consider purchasing? I'd like to keep the price around $50 or so, fan noise is of no concern either (my rig is already "loud").

And lastly, is "Arctic Silver" still considered the best thermal compound or has something newer surpassed it?

Thanks for your help, I'm slowly trying to catch up to today's technology. It's funny how far hardware has come along in the last couple of years or so...

 

Arctic Silver 5 is the best stuff there is.

I wouldn't know about the P4 Aeros, but I have an all copper one and it performs much better than the "Lite" version which is bimetalic (copper and aluminium). So to that end I'd go for an Aero 4. I have an Aero 7+ (AMD version).

IMO the "ultimate" combination for me would be a ThermalRight SP-94, and an Aero rotary cooler on top. ThermalRight makes the best HS you can get for a sane price (they're award winning). Aero coolers are both efficient and quiet (they go quite slowly. My setup ive maxed it out but thats just because I need to keep my CPU cool (its a 3000+)

 

Arctic Silver 5 it is.

I was considering this Aero model http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/cpu-cma-04.html , but also have found a couple different HSFs that utilize "heat-pipe" technology (namely this Thermaltake tower: http://www.thermaltake.com/coolers/cl-p0025/cl-p0025silentTower.htm ).

Anyone with a P4 478 have anything good/bad to say about the two models I linked above? Thanks...

 

Oooh, tough choice.... I'd go with the heatpipe because its quieter. I've got more than enough fans in my PC and I wouldn't want the Jet to make any more noise (from what I've heard it whistles)

That thermalright HSF i posted uses heatpipe but in a more conventional way to the Tt tower.

 

I forgot to mention that I was also looking at this one too!

 

you can install 2 fans on the computer one directly on the cpu and another cooling the resto f the hardware.

 

I have a P4 3.06 CPU. I'm having good luck with a $20.00 CoolerMaster.
Enlight "desktop" type case. One 80mm fan in front intake. 2 60mm exhaust
in the rear. normal idel temp 34-36C On a hot day under a heavy load 45C.
System is quiet too.

 

More than 2 is usually better

Thats the F part of HSF

Thats a case fan, and to get good airflow its a good idea to have one intake fan (which pulls air in), usually at the bottom at the front, and an exhaust fan at the back at the top, probably next to the CPU. That way you take out the hot air and bring in cold air

What CoolerMaster model is it exactly? I'd be quite interested to know this

 

http://www.coolermaster.com/index.p...4-7H53D-08&other_title=DI4-7H53D-08CPU Cooler

There used to be one more rated for P4 3.0 and up. May be discontinued. but this is what it looks like. A friend has one of those vantech all copper silent
coolers, ($50.00) He's real happy with. He's into over clocking. I am not. My
CPU and RAM work great so I leave em alone

 

That looks like a retail heatsink to me, with a 60mm fan on it. Same cooling I have on my server, BUT I lapped the bottom so it was smoother, and put a skirt on the fan so it was pulling over the heatsink more efficiently.

I would LOVE to get a silent cooling system, but unfortunatley I can't afford to put money into my own machine at the moment.

 

I've been using this CPU for close to two years. The Intell cooler that came
with was junk. I got this coolermaster a couple months later.

 

Kewl. Sounds like a "buy"