I picked up a mostly complete PC in a $20 used case, including 16GB of DDR3 memory, a motherboard, an FX-8350, power supply, fans, and a liquid cooler. Unfortunately, the AIO was already failing and stopped working completely after a couple of days. I have a spare GTX 960 and a 120GB SATA SSD, so I'd like to turn the system into a basic functional PC without spending much on it. Since the FX-8350 is known to run hot, I'm looking for a cooler under $30 that can handle its 125W CPU. I've already ordered a replacement AM3+ mounting bracket and backplate, so what inexpensive options should I consider?
2 Answers
A Thermalright Assassin X 120 or Peerless Assassin SE could work if you find one under $30. The FX-8350 runs hot, so a tiny stock-style cooler may get loud or allow the chip to throttle. Just make sure the exact model includes hardware for your AM3+ socket, since some newer versions mainly support AM4/AM5 and may not mount directly.
The Thermaltake Contac Silent 12 is another reasonable budget choice. It’s a single-tower cooler with a 120 mm fan and four heat pipes, and it was originally used successfully on an AM3+ board with an FX-6300. It should be suitable for an FX-8350 as long as the case has enough clearance, and it often sells for around $30.
That was my concern—how would one of those mount to an AM3+ motherboard? I’ll check the included mounting hardware before ordering.