Cooling Goodness

Recently, I have been noticing that the CPU temperature on my PC has been getting higher and higher.  According to the hardware monitoring software that came with my motherboard, ASUS Probe, the CPU temperature has consistently been 60 degrees C and above.  The threshold setting in the software is 60 degrees, so it is always alarming.  It was reaching these temperatures without really doing anything, just sitting idle.  I decided it was time for a new CPU cooler to replace the standard Intel cooler that came with my Core 2 Duo E6400.  I ended up with a Scythe Kabuto from PC Case Gear (pictured below).

The first thing I noticed about the Kabuto was the size of it.  Compared to the Intel cooler, it was huge!  However, featuring huge fins and cooper heat pipes for heat dissipation and a 120mm fan, it does a great job at keeping my CPU cool.  Tonight as I have used the computer, it has been hovering around the 30 degree mark, which is a great improvement from before.  I don't think the stock cooler was all that bad, but I believe the thermal paste/grease that is applied between the top of the CPU and the bottom of the heatsink, had probably lost its effectiveness and was one of the causes of the overheating I was experiencing.

Here are some photos that show the difference in the size of the coolers and the space taken inside the case.

Side by side

Intel cooler installed

 Kybuto Installed

The Kabuto is secured to the motherboard using the same "Push Pin" system that is used for the Intel coolers.  There is a bracket that screws to the bottom of the cooler with the push pins attached.  I really don't like using this "Push Pin" system, because it sounds like the motherboard is about to crack when you put pressure on the pins to secure them.  Due to the size of the cooler, I had to remove the power supply from the case to allow room for my hand to reach in and push the pins into place to secure the cooler.  Once secured, I then looked at the gap between the top of the case and the cooler where the PSU had to fit to go back into the case.  There wasn't much room there!  It was a tight squeeze, but I just managed to get the PSU back into the case.

Once fired up, the fan on the cooler is quiet, probably more so than the stock Intel cooler.  It has been spinning at around 675 RPM for most of the time.

I'm impressed with the Scythe Kabuto CPU Cooler.  I don't overclock my PC, so I don't require huge cooling, but this is sure doing a great job so far.

Here is an artsy shot, just to show off the heat pipe design :-)