VapoChill Micro CPU Cooler

Well, I was upgrading the 2nd computer system and thought I would get myself a better cooler for the main system while I was at it.

I did a look around the latest reviews and found that the VapoChill Micro fared really well.

So I take out my perfectly fine stock cooler and replace it with the VapoChill .... I turn on the system ...... and it works fine for about 3 min and shuts down.

I crank up the fan and try again. This time, it runs, but it runs at 87 deg C!!!!

I checked the seat and tried and tried again and again ..... then it came to me.

The VapoChill uses refregerant to move heat from the collector to the fins. A neat idea, but my system is a tower. This keeps the liquid on the side instead of the bottom of the cooler!

I tested out my theory by laying the case on its side .... sure enough. It is a great cooler.

My stock cooler runs my 3800+ overclocked to 2.3Ghz at around 55-60C. The new cooler runs around 42C. Impressive ..... but I need my tower upright for lots of obvious reasons!

So, off it comes, and I put the old cooler back on ..... but with a fresh coat of Arctic Silver.

Power up the system, and I now have temps around 50C (at least the new coat of thermal paste did some good

So beware! This is one kick a55 cooler, but it has to be in the proper physical orientation in order to work.

One of these?:

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/257/1/

They are designed to work in tower cases.............maybe you didn't get the right socket fitting or you have an incompatible socket/motherboard?

EDIT: What do you mean by "stock cooler"? If you mean the sort you would get if you bought a retail CPU + Cooler kit, then I would always recommend replacing it with a more powerful solution if you are overclocking. At the very least I would beef up the fan.

I am, of course, referring to the standard "Joe Public" retail kits, not a specialist overclocker's one.:)