Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II chipset cooler on Abit AW8D 975x motherboard

Funny with all this conroe/DDR2 talk, had an itch to see if i can figure out the issues with AW8D and fsb limits.

Folks say NB chipset cooling for LGA775 is the key to high fsb, so decided to try a Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II chipset cooler on the NB chipset. Bought 2 of these coolers from i4memory.com sponsor Mittoni.com.au http://www.mittoni.com.au/extreme-sp...er-p-2318.html :)

Fits just right for video card, and Swiftech G4 Storm waterblock and even has allowance for Maze4 GPU waterblocks' mounting bolts which extend out by ~25mm from the back of the video card. The orientation pictured below will allow the Maze4 GPU waterblocks' bolts to extend out without touching the chipset cooler :D

Full pics posted at http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...SpiritII/html/

Preview pics:

The Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II cooler on top of existing Abit AW8D heatpipe passive heatsink to show how it would look in it's place. Also seems the stock heatpipe heatsink's TIM doesn't even properly contact the chipset core or is it meant to be that way ?

Please note, this Abit AW8D is an early engineering sample so might not reflect the final retail product.

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_001.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_005.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_016.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_017.jpg

The larger heatsink connected to the heatpipe located near IO connectors is covering some mosfets. So removing the passive heatpipe, you would need to find another heatsink to cover these. Luckily, I found just the right heatsink off my old Asus P4G8X chipset heatsink measuring 42mm x 42mm. Even luckier is the fact I have double sided TIM adhesive tape which measures nearly the same size too!

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_018.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_024.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_025.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_026.jpg

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_042.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_044.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_045.jpg

Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II chipset cooler even comes with a circular foam piece for smaller chipset cores to prevent crushing the core! Here's it fully installed on Abit AW8D.

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_029.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_036.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_037.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_038.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_061.jpg

Haven't booted the system up yet so will find out if it helps higher FSB as well as lower temps :)

OMFG, guess what, this cooler should be able to handle a stock speed Conroe! lol

1. I thought the AW8D did not support conroe but the AW9D will?
2. The AW8D has been for sale retail for a week or two why use a es version?

:confused:

eva,what this function?thankyou ;)
http://img.techpowerup.org/060622/AW8D_034.jpg

yeah AW8D doesn't support conroe only AW9D does... mines ES sample board and it came with that wire on it.. not sure what it is to be honest

only using AW8D has it's provided for me and well AW9D ain't out yet heh

hard to justify buying a AW8D retail right now when conroe supported boards are coming soon.. using this as a test to see if NB cooling helps :)

does this cooler fit on DFI ULTRA-D ?

i have retail AW8D but seem's like different,so that mod @your ES AW8D mobo for support Conroe?thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TEDY

does this cooler fit on DFI ULTRA-D ?

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probably but haven't tried it...

as to the mod/wire not sure if that is for conroe.. as i got this ES month or so back so probably not

thankyou eva2000.i'm wait till conroe launch and arrive @ Indonesia :banana:

Well booted her up and so far some improvement not sure if it's to do with NB cooling but my OCZ PC5400 Platinum XTC 3-3-3-12 DDR2 ram couldn't do cas 3 before wouldn't boot pc... now with chipset cooler installed running memtest with 3-3-3-12 as rated!

Bios temps look cool at 14x200HTT stock for 920D but have to wait to get into windows before i can compare as i really can't remember what the bios temps were before heh.

Bios temps & fan speed
http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...s/AW8D_007.jpg

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...s/AW8D_008.jpg

Running system pictures below
http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_001.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_002.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_003.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_004.jpg http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/mot...b_AW8D_005.jpg

These below dual stressprime and dual 32M were temps in windows WITH stock heatpipe heatsink with the pictured 60x25mm 4.9W fan on top of the passive heatpipe heatsink heh

@4506mhz
http://fileshosts.com/abit/aw8d/resu...uz_idle_tn.jpg

http://fileshosts.com/abit/aw8d/resu...me_load_tn.png

http://fileshosts.com/abit/aw8d/resu...me_load_tn.png

http://fileshosts.com/abit/aw8d/resu...rpi-32m_tn.png

Will redo windows results with the Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II chipset cooler soon :)

Cooler looks good.
But you should also try the Thermalright HR-05, I love it with a 70mm fan.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SMa

Cooler looks good.
But you should also try the Thermalright HR-05, I love it with a 70mm fan.

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yeah no stock of Thermalright HR05 in OZ till early July heh

Nice cooler eva! :)
What about its noise?

One off topic question what audio chipset does AW8D has? Have u found any reviews on the net?

Nice mod, but I guess the little fan on it is quite noisy, isn't it?

actually chipset fan is pretty quiet 19dba :)

tech spec http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/...es=1&model=313

AW8D sound =


Audio
- ABIT AudioMAX™ HD 7.1 CH
- Supports auto jack sensing and optical S/PDIF In/Out
- Dolby Master Studio Certificated

eva, does the board work with Conroe later on? Just interested...

PS: BTW, haven't heard from you for a long time in the Atomic froums. What ahppened there? :p:

nah AW8D won't work with conroe, need AW9D for that

Atomic forum's software just too hard or pathethic to use.. Atomic should change to vBulletin.com forum software :D

Looks like either uGuru software temps are not accurate (idle to load only system temp changed from 31C to 32C) or there wasn't much gain in lower system temps but i did gain being able to properly boot with CAS 3 instead of CAS 4 with the OCZ DDR2 memory.

No gain in max oc, probably either Abit board limited or differences in cpu waterblock mounting contact this time around

with Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II chipset cooler and MCH/PCI-E voltages at 1.7v compared to stock heatpipe with 1.65v volts.

idle:
http://fileshosts.com/abit/aw8d/resu...me_idle_tn.jpg

load:
http://fileshosts.com/abit/aw8d/resu...me_load_tn.jpg

Will try this again with an Asus 975x LGA775 DDR2 board later to properly see how it goes.

Ah, k. THanks for the headsup dude :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eva2000

actually chipset fan is pretty quiet 19dba :)

tech spec http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/...es=1&model=313

AW8D sound =


Audio
- ABIT AudioMAX™ HD 7.1 CH
- Supports auto jack sensing and optical S/PDIF In/Out
- Dolby Master Studio Certificated

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Do u know exactly what chipset it is? I know these specs from abit's site.

it's 25$ here....wonder if it works on DFI NF4 ULTRA-D

try it and find out hehe

eva2000, actually the Abit AW8 series doesn't report NB temps (confirmed by Abit). The system temp that you see in BIOS/uGuru is actually case/mobo temp. You'll need to stick a temp probe near the NB to get the readings. Hope it helps...

Does anybody know how it fit on asus P5W Dh ?:)

probably fit but remember if the larger heatsink near the IO connectors covers and cools something underneath, you'd need another heatsink too... i was lucky my old Asus P4G8X nb heatsink fits there heh

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pcmoddingmy

eva2000, actually the Abit AW8 series doesn't report NB temps (confirmed by Abit). The system temp that you see in BIOS/uGuru is actually case/mobo temp. You'll need to stick a temp probe near the NB to get the readings. Hope it helps...

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hmmm that would explain why temps never budged more than 1C LOL

I`m curious how the Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II chipset cooler will compare to this baby, the Coolermaster Blue Ice II http://www.coolermaster-europe.com/p...7e87893887.jpg
http://www.bytesatwork.be/shop/produ...roductid=20747

and the newest zalman : http://www.cdromland.nl/img.php?file...k-ZM-NBF47.jpg

The Spirit is nice simply because you can rotate it leave more room for those gigantic coolers.

http://lp.pcmoddingmy.com/albums/use...ht/HR-05/5.jpg

Thermalright HR-05 Chipset cooling, if you combine this with a 80 cm fan you`ve got a killer combo :)

these look like 2 buildings http://www.legionhardware.com/pic.ph...5/Image_13.jpg :D

review here : http://www.legionhardware.com/document.php?id=530

i though hr-05 used 60mm fan?

Is that Blue Zalman passive? I'm guessing the fan just hasn't been put on?

the blue zalman is passive

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mykou

Does anybody know how it fit on asus P5W Dh ?:)

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http://www.venomousmofo.com/pictures/dh.jpg


Fits mine fine :)

no :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vapb400

i though hr-05 used 60mm fan?

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Nah, it's a 70mm but the fan doesn't come with it. They do give you zip-ties and instructions for how to go about mounting it though. As if instructions are actually needed to figure out how to do that. Heh.