CPU Heatsink Guide - Using the Thermaltake Big Typhoon (CL-P0114 120mm CPU Cooler)

Having a strong CPU cooling solution is a key part of having a stable and long lasting PC. As todays CPUs get more powerful, they will generate more heat. There are some exceptions to this rule, but in general, running the CPU at a higher frequency will generate more heat, as it takes more voltage to run it.

There are many kinds of heatsinks on the market and Thermaltake has a wide range of solutions to choose from depending on your needs. In this guide I address the usefulness of the "Big Typhoon" series of heatsink and particularly this model, the CL-P0114.

Supporting Intel P4 LGA775, Intel P4 Socket 478 Prescott, AMD Athlon 64/ Athlon 64 FX, Athlon XP up to 3.4GHz, and Sempron up to 3.4GHz. Here is a cool fact, I am using this heatsink currently to cool a QX6700 Core 2 Quad and I have used it to cool an X6800 Core 2 Duo since those CPUs run very cool! I have no doubt this 120mm cooling solution will be able to handle a Smithfield or even a Presler generation of Intel Dual core also.

What this means is that you can purchase this heatsink for your older Intel or AMD systems using more legacy CPU sockets and it will work with the newer models. You can invest the $50 or so in the heatsink and it can follow your upgrade as you build the next system.

Installation is very solid with easy to follow instructions as well as alternate instructions if you run into a problem. You will be required to remove your motherboard to mount the back plate underneath the motherboard. There is an adhesive pad that sticks  to the bottom of the motherboard but you do not necessarily have to stick it on. You can keep the adhesive shield on if you think you will be moving the cooler to a more long term motherboard. It just makes it easier to install if the pad holds itself in place.

What I did, was I fully installed the heatsink onto my motherboard and then put the whole assembly into the case so I didn't have to bang my knuckles on my powersupply. This made it easy to make sure everything was properly lined up.