Hey guys, I'm looking for a good cpu cooler (Budget is 55-65 USD).

I've been looking around, and it just seems like there are hundreds of them! I don't know which one to choose..
Currently my CPU is running 38-39C Idle and 42-44C full load.

I want to get these temps down by a lot in order to overclock it to 3.0 at first and then 3.6GHZ.

Please recommend good coolers for the budget!
(Mobo: Gigabyte GA965PDS3)
I also have a 250MM fan on the side of my computer so keep in mind that the cooler can't be big! and also I have a 8800GTS and the card is about 0.8 inches away from the fan, so find something of that size

thanks in advance!
Nirkon

i'm not sure what the price would be in $ but you could look up the appropriate Zalman fan for your socket

go to the zalman site and try the coolers near the top of the "Coolers for: Intel CPU's" because they will be the latest ones then you just have to look it up on newegg or the store of your choice for a price

I'm using a Thermalright Ultra120 eXtreme. And a Sunon 120mm fan 98CFM @ 3.6dBA. It will get you to 3.0 no problem. As for 3.6? I suspect you'll be hard pressed to get there on air and be stable.

Edit: Oops! Just saw the big side fan. Never mind. This won't fit.

thanks, but I was looking for more of recommendations of specific models, good as in - the best cooling for that price range, the best temp reducer.

i suppose i'm kind of repeating myself a little bit but i'd recommend anything zalman if you can get it in your case

i think coolermaster hsf's are quite good too but i haven't used one myself

I have been looking at cooling too. I have found a manufacturer called 'Tuniq'. Their numbers are the best I've seen to date.

anything zalman.. i've found a bunch of reviews on zalman in that price range
and the temps I saw sucked!

(thanks ill look into tuniq)

I have heard Tuniq are good, and seen some good reviews and numbers as well, but may be to big to fit for you. Generally a good HSF is larger than a poor one in my experience.

i recommended zalman because i have their products on my cpu and gpu and it took my temps down loads, i'm not saying that you have to have it, it was simply my recommendation, it doesn't mean you have to go with what i say

yeah I have a fitting problem...
it's gonna be tough to find something that fits.

edit:
im gonna measure the space between my cpu/graphic card/25cm fan
Asus V-60
http://www.legionhardware.com/document.php?id=613&p=1
or..
Zalman CNPS9500 LED
best one imo:
tuniq tower 120
http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling/showdoc.aspx?i=2906&p=5

I need stock to cooler comparison...
the temps im seeing are way hotter than mine,
is there any chance that things will get hotter instead of cooler?

You know,the big side fan is limiting not only what size you can get , but the amount of cooling as well. It would seem to me a side fan that big would only create a lot of turbulence inside the case disrupting the front to back air flow. If you want good cooling on air, unfortunately bigger is better, and you are gonna have to go big if you want to see 3.6gigs. Either that or go to liquid. I'm at 3.4 with an E6400 and my temp while writing this is 34C. I'd run that system with and without that side fan running and see how much more cooling you're actually getting from it.

^^ nah I looked it up.. the side fan is doing good, it just adds air from the side of the computer, so instead of Front in - Back out
its Front/Side In - Back out.

anyway, I measured, the distance between the fan and the motherboard is exactly 14CM!

which cuts one of my options.. but 14cm is quite a lot still, although I wanted that tuniq tower 120, which is 15.5CM.. ill find something of the sort only smaller... *back to looking*

edit1: i've found something really nice!
the Thermaltake BlueOrb FX...

edit:2I have a different problem for every single one 0_0!!


see the heatsink and the ram?.... everything is too damn close together...

I guess i won't have this problem with watercooling <.<....
does watercooling need looking-after? like changing the liquid now and then or any more taking care of than a regular fan?

Try the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro. It cools quite well and is cheap too. I don't know how well it'd fit in your PC though. Check it out anyways.