A good and *CHEAP* Northbridge fan/cooler? (CoolerMaster? ThermalTake? ThermalRight?)
 

I'm ordering a DFI Lanparty tomorrow, and I'm considering likely changing the stock chipset fan on it...(anyone know if the stock is any good?...I typically assume not.)

Eventually, I'll likely be water-cooling the chipset, so I don't want to spend *too much* (say, no more than $17 or $18?) on a cooler/fan....so can anyone recommend one that is good *and* cheap?

Is this CoolerMaster (SLC-S41-U1) any good (thermal tape issues aside)?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103155

Or this Thermaltake (A1899)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835116010

Or this Thermalright (NB-1)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835109116


Thanks!
Xylo

Stock cooler is fine. You will probably loose performance water cooling it. Adding that extra restriction in the loop will lower flow rates which raises CPU temps.

Zalman make excellent passive northbridge heatsinks.

Possibly...but not if I have a strong enough pump... ;)

That dosn't make any sense. :shrug:

Simply meaning that that is true, unless I have a pump capable of really pushing to keep the flow rate somewhat resonable....OR a separate pump on a semi-separate loop, most likely. ;)

Cooling the northbridge is generally pointless. If you do watercool it, it will simply add heat to your cooling loop, and the performance of the chip won't improve.

If you insist on cooling it, get a block, an 80mm rad, and one of the new Mag pumps. There's no use in committing too much case space or much money in it...