I'm running a hand-me-down Athlon 1333 (socket A architecture) with stock cooling which has been adequate, but the fan's about to go (I can hear it grumble which is new). So, I'm ready to upgrade my heatsink/fan combo, but I'm having trouble finding any good info on socket A cooling. What I've seen so far here is for XP systems, and all I've managed to google seems out of date (like my processor). Any suggestions? I'd like to stay within a reasonable budget, but have some decent cooling as well. Easy to install would be nice too... I've seen that some heatsinks actually bolt to the motherboard. The stock combo uses a clip, and I haven't looked recently to see if bolting is an option.

Sorry for sounding so no0bish, but the last system I built was a PII 333 (still running) with a heatsink that looks like a Jeep grill, so this kind of cooling is a new area for me. Thanks.

Any heatsink that works on an XP should work with your Athlon. I would highly recommend some of the Thermalright products, specifically, either an SLK-800 ($37 shipped) or an SK-7 ($25). The SK-6+ (make sure it has the "+"), at $19, is a reasonably good-performing budget heatsink. I'm using a Thermaltake (AX-7) on my pre-XP Athlon 1.4 and it works great. By the way, Thermalright comes pretty highly recommended from a lot of the regulars here.

For a good, up-to-date heatsink roundup, check out http://www.overclockers.com/articles373/. Any heatsink under the heading "Air Cooling DIE Simulator C/W TEST RESULTS" on that page will work for you.

These prices do not include shipping ($5 flat rate) or fans. Prices were taken from BestByte.net, which also has a good selection of fans; you can pick up a nice 80mm for under $10.

EDIT: I originally wrote Thermaltake, but as Grimm points out, I did in fact mean Thermalright

Thanks for the reply FunkyFresh.

I hadn't seen anything regarding compatiblity between socket A and socket 462 so I had assumed that they must not be. I was specifically led to this assumption by a review for the SK7 which said it was for AMD Athlon XP 1600+ and better, which my processor is certainly not. Thanks for the clarification. Makes my job much easier.

Um, not to be picky or anything, but I thinkthat Funky meant Thermalright, not Thermaltake.

BTW Check out www.svc.com for the cheapest ive seen on the ThremalRight Gear, 19 for the SK7 and 29 for the SKL-800, and remeber both of those are without fans so you will need to pick up a good high quarlity 70-80 MM fan

Oops, good catch, Grimm -- I did mean Thermalright.

Nice link, scapegoat! Shipping there's reasonable, too.

Not sure exactly what you meant by Socket 462 and Socket A compatability, but they are not compatable mounting systems.

Socket 370, and Socket A are though as far as heatsinks go.

I use a SLK-800 myself and I am very serious about cooling gear so take that for what it is, my preference.

You chip is a fairly hot CPU, so don't skimp and you'll be happy.

Thanks for the assist guys. This thread has be really informative for me.

A friend of mine who heard about my plight is sending me a ThermalTake Chrome Orb (NIB) that I can use as a stop gap until I can afford to get an SK7 and fan (bills have to come first... being responsible sucks sometimes).

So, now I have a new question: When the Orb gets here, should I use arctic silver, knowing that in another couple of months I'll likely be taking it off to replace the hs/fan, or leave it off? And if I do leave it off, how much is the performance going to suffer? If I put it on, how do I take it off for the change out?
Again, I apologize for sounding the no0b here, but there wasn't any need for goop on my PII.

Carefull there guy.

I will say this one time, that's all it should ever take.

Never put on a Heatsink without thermal compound !

You have a hot CPU, that Crome Orb is mediocre at best, and it will need all the help it can get to keep that chip alive.

Arctic Silver is a paste like substance, kind of thick and easy to work with.

It only takes a small amount, use a business card to smooth it out over the core, get it on paper thin. Really, it only takes a small drop. A tube lasts a long time.

I always thought socket A and socket 462 were synonymous. In fact ......... I am pretty damn sure!

I with you there putwig, my a7n8x says socket 462 right on it, and i ordered a socket A processor they seem to fit together very well.

I've been running a Tt volcano 9 for some months now on my 900Mhz t-bird and have yet to see the temp go above 105F. Usually it runs between 100 & 102F under full load. You can get it here for $22 with free shipping. http://www.goroyalpc.com/submain.asp...an&action=list

Doh !, I was thinking Socket 468, goofing again.

I have been here in GA so long, my brain is rotting

Hojo, The Volcano is fine for a 900mhz T-Bird, that isn't nearly as hot a chip as his 133mhz T-Bird.

AMD's Technical Data Sheet for Athlon Processors lists this table.

As you can see, at stocks speed, the 1.3gig chip runs at about 40% more power, 46 vs 61 watts.

When making recommendations to others, please try and consider their requirements and that they may not be the same as yours.

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The volcano 9 is rated up to 2800+ and should have no problem keeping a 1333 cool. With the stock hsf that came with my t-bird I used to run around 130F so I had a hell of an improvement with the volcano 9. If his stock cooling was ok then I think he will see an improvement also. At $22 delivered it's a good buy also. I do admit however that I do not have the technical knowlage that a lot of you guys have including you Icpiper.

Hojo, I would like to show you something else as well.
I will have to double post to get these pics in.

The first is for the XP T-Bred chips except for the last, (the XP2200+ is an early T-Bred A).

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And this one is for newer T-breds.

Although this sheet doesn't list the newer 2700 and 2800 chips, you can tell by the trend of the others, that they shouldn't draw more then 63 or 64 watts which puts the 1.3gig T-Bird right up there in the same range.

This is what they run at stock speeds, add a little overclocking and over-volting and you will quickly exceed the cooling capability of anything but the best heatsinks.

If you suggest he save $10 now, it may cost him an entire new heatsink if his requirements change.

And it isn't because I am so knowledgable, I take a moment and look it up. Thatt's because I want to really help the guys out and so I try and consider all the angles. Oh, and did I say that I look it up ?

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OK gotcha. I see where you're coming from.

lcpiper, thanks for rescuing me from certain doom. A quick trip to the Arctic Silver website (which I should have made to begin with [RTFM]) quickly alleviated my confusion. I was mistaking thermal compound with thermal paste. I was concerned about not being able to seperate the heat sink from the cpu. Confused no more!

Thanks also to Putwig and Buzz for clearing up my confusion on my socket. I've had my head in code for the last 5 years and haven't had any time for hardware. I'm just glad that Slot 1 architecture died.

Well, this has certainly been an education for me. Thanks again, all, for the help.

Ummm, I might be mistaken but I think you still are a little confused still.

Thermal Compound and Thermal Paste are synonimous. They are not adhesives.

The ones to watch out for are Thermal Adhesive and Thermal Apoxy. They stick things together and they don't come apart without great risk from damage. Only use these if that is exactly what you need.

Does this help ?

Thanks for making sure. In this case, it was a matter of semantics... I was using "paste" when I meant "adhesive". Poor word choice on my part. Yes, actually according to the Arctic Silver website: "Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive IS NOT intended to be used between a CPU and the CPU heatsink.
On a CPU, only use Arctic Silver Thermal Compound." Not a mistake I plan to make...

I really can't express how much I appreciate the fact that you and everyone at PR go so far out of your way to make sure no one fries their system if you can step in and provide the info. to prevent it. Thanks again.