CPU Coolers

[MiiCK]

Hey you guys, long time no see!

Basically just building a new rig (parts arrive tomorrow! i3 2100, Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3, OCZ 550W PSU OCZ-ZT550W-UK) and it's for the main living room (yes board is overkill for the i3, but needed onboard hdmi, usable graphics with no need for graphics card and potential to overclock everything in future allowing for i5/i7 etc) so it needs to be pretty silent.

I'm looking for the best value for money quiet, effective cpu cooler, I currently use Noctua NH D14 in my gaming rig, but that's overkill for the i3 machine, have seen multiple reviews online but wondering what everyone here would use. I've seen the arctic cooling freezer pro rev 2 for example, quite cheap etc but haven't seen any test results vs. other coolers of the same price range etc.

£65ish is what a NH D14 costs, so wouldn't want to pay that much for another cpu cooler or i'd get another NH D14, so i'd say around the £20-30 mark?

Best regards, MiiCK! 

[absic]

Hi again,

if you are not overclocking anything you could probably get away with the stock Intel Cooler. Why waste money if you don't need to?
And, if you are really worried about the Intel fan noise it would be cheaper just to replace that part of the cooler.

[MiiCK]

Well reasons would be Cooling efficiency + Quietness, I feel the intel stock doesn't cool as well as others and is slightly loud, it's not as if i'm poor or anything, just not necessary to be spending £60, would be willing to spend up to £30 to get maximum cooling with a very quiet cpu cooler, will be using some aftermarket thermal paste too (NT-H1) to help with cooling that little bit more, the pc is right next to the settee so the quieter the better really, and coolness a major issue too!

Any advice appreciated lads, cheers absic.

[absic]

I got a reasonable O/C from the stock Intel cooler that came with my 2500k but I will admit the fan did get louder the more I ramped it up.

I've used the Scythe Shuriken in a couple of HTPC's and they are pretty good for stock cooling. http://www.scan.co.uk/products/scythe-shuriken-revb-quiet-low-profile-cooler-3-heat-pipe-htpc-ready-all-amd-intel-cpu