Hey everyone! I've done a ton of repasting and have the Thermalright socket bracket set up with two 140mm fans for intake and two for exhaust, plus a couple of smaller ones. I recently switched to a Fractal North ATX case, which I really love. I'm running my i7-13700k with some undervolting, but I've noticed it hits 91°C at peak loads and stays around 85°C during Cinebench tests. I'm using a Phantom Spirit 120 SE cooler right now. My question is: is there an air cooler out there that can keep it below 85°C at around 250W settings, or would I need to go with an AIO instead? I saw Gamersnexus had some good results with this cooler setup, but I'm wondering if I'm missing something. Any recommendations?
2 Answers
If you’re considering upgrading, you might want to look into the Ptm7950—it’s great for hot setups and saves you from the hassle of repasting. Just keep in mind, with the Intel 13th gen, you don't want to push it too hard; it could risk shortening its life. If you opt for an AIO, I'd recommend going for at least a 280mm model. I switched from your cooler to an Arctic Liquid Freezer 3 280 and honestly didn’t see much change, since the Thermalright coolers are top-notch!
Definitely go for the bigger one if you can! More surface area can only help.
Your ambient temperature can really play a role here. Gamersnexus often works in pretty controlled environments, like around 20°C, which is pretty cool. If your room is in the mid-70s to 80°F, it may not make that much of a difference, but it's worth testing. Make sure to keep an eye on how it responds!
Right? That's what I'm thinking! I'll try to keep that in mind.
Interesting! I'm actually limited to 240mm on top, but can fit a 380mm in the front. Should I skip the 240mm then?