installing new mobo and heatsink questions galore

[ciscoball]

I am using a EVGA nForce 680i SLI. Last week the sucker blew some capicitors, and literall made three successive popping sounds. I thought I got shot (j/k). They sent me a new one. I got some questions. I am using a dual core e6700. The thing cam with a fan and heatsink.

is there a better fan/heatsink combo that might work more effciently than the one intel provided.

what r the quietest fans?

do front panel fans provide any extra cooling?should i be using one? I want a quiet pc.

2 more questions then im done. What is the best thermal paste to use? and how do i remove the old paste from the top of the processor?

Thanks everyone
CS

are the kingwin gladiators effective?

 

[GhostGT]

Cooling fans...almost any other good aftermarket cooler will do a better job than the stock cooler/hs. I've heard good things about these babies:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118019


Thermal Paste-

Heard good things about Arctic Silver 5. Can't go wrong with it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

 

[worshipme]

I agree with GhostGT. The Freezer 7 PRO is a brilliant price to performance cooler, there is also another I would recommend for that price: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835202005- I have this and my quad is currently running at 3.465GHz at safe temps. The Zalman is a high performance cooler with a matching price tag. Buy it if you're an extreme overclocked and if you've got $50 to blow just on a cooler. AS5 is the thermal paste most people use around here. It's very good but if you want the best of the best then get MX-4.

 

[RicoDorenzo]

I agree with GhostGT. The Freezer 7 PRO is a brilliant price to performance cooler, there is also another I would recommend for that price: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835202005- I have this and my quad is currently running at 3.465GHz at safe temps. The Zalman is a high performance cooler with a matching price tag. Buy it if you're an extreme overclocked and if you've got $50 to blow just on a cooler. AS5 is the thermal paste most people use around here. It's very good but if you want the best of the best then get MX-4.

Arctic 7 pro all the way! I run my q6700 at 3.15 oc'd and it runs at 27 degrees at rest and never gets over 40 degress under load. IMO it is the best after market cpu cooler out there given the price. Another great thing about it is that the fan just pops off so you can more easily install it wiht your mobo in the case! I have one on all three of my rigs!!!!

 

[worshipme]

Yep, it's certainly a great cooler. I have it's rival, the OCZ Vendetta. 3.6GHz here