Do I need a heatsink?

[Alcsaar]

Right now I'm using a Zalman aftermarket heatsink on this board/cpu, I'll be upgrading my pc soon, completely replacing the motherboard and cpu.

I'm going from a Core2Duo to an i5...but I've been wondering if an aftermarket cooler is really going to do me any good. I don't overclock, sooo.

Basically I'm taking this old motherboard/cpu out and I'm rebuilding my second pc that hasn't worked in a while. My choice is to pray I still have the stock heatsink for this CPU lying around somewhere, then I'll just use this Zalman on my i5 (I believe its compatible). Or I use the stock i5 heatsink/fan. I really really hate installing aftermarket heatsinks >.<.


My options are:

If I can find the heatsink for this core2duo I can remove the zalman since it will be my secondary pc and see basically no use, and then try to install the Zalman on my i5

I can just use the stock i5 heatsink and just move the motherboard/cpu/zalman as one piece.

Or I can purchase a new heatsink, but I won't spend more than $25 on it.


What do you guys think? All I really do is game on my pc, and I've never overclocked anything or really cared to.


(P.S. I realize this post has absolutely horrendous structuring and scattered thoughts, sorry. Writing as I go.)

[xXNyteStalkerXx]

New heatsink should come with the cpu that will work fine if you don't overclock.I would still recommend getting a new heatsink considering most are fairly cheap.

[m2geek]

My Advice, go out and buy a new cooler, there its not a sure thing that the Zalman will fit the socket 1155 which i5's are, core2duo is 775 which is a smaller socket. New coolers aren't exactly expensive and most of em are real easy to install.

[Alcsaar]

My Advice, go out and buy a new cooler, there its not a sure thing that the Zalman will fit the socket 1155 which i5's are, core2duo is 775 which is a smaller socket. New coolers aren't exactly expensive and most of em are real easy to install.

I haven't had good experiences installing heatsinks..ever. I was browsing newegg and found what I believe is the same heatsink I purchased a few years back, and it states that it does support 775, 1155 and 1156. So I think it would work, its just a matter of how much of a pain in the ass it will be to uninstall/reinstall it.

Right now I think my best option is to find the Core2Duo Heatsink, which I'm almost positive I have sitting in my closet somewhere, and reinstalling that on the Core2Duo for my secondary pc and using the Zalman (assuming it will fit) for my i5. Plus it has blue leds and matches my sparkly blue leds on my case soo.

[Xuvial]

Zalman's past coolers have been excellent, I assume you're running a CNPS 9000 series like 9500, 9700, etc? They will all cool your new CPU fine as long as you have the 1155/1156 backplate.

[Alcsaar]

Zalman's past coolers have been excellent, I assume you're running a CNPS 9000 series like 9500, 9700, etc? They will all cool your new CPU fine as long as you have the 1155/1156 backplate.

A backplate huh


About that.


>.<

[Xuvial]

A backplate huh


About that.


>.<

http://zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Prod...ad.asp?idx=364
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835118053

It's all available brah

[Chiaroscuro]

I'm going from a Core2Duo to an i5...but I've been wondering if an aftermarket cooler is really going to do me any good. I don't overclock, sooo.

Basically I'm taking this old motherboard/cpu out and I'm rebuilding my second pc that hasn't worked in a while. My choice is to pray I still have the stock heatsink for this CPU lying around somewhere, then I'll just use this Zalman on my i5 (I believe its compatible). Or I use the stock i5 heatsink/fan. I really really hate installing aftermarket heatsinks >.<.

If you don't overclock, you're really unlikely to see any benefit from an aftermarket cooler. Intel's box coolers have been more than adequate for the past couple of years. Hell, the first i5s were able to achieve modest overclocks on the stock cooler.

Like the other posters have pointed out, since your Zalman most likely predates socket 1156/1155, you'd need to buy those brackets to allow it to attach to your new mainboard. IMO, it's not worth the bother to get those parts and play musical coolers when you don't want to overclock.