New Ultra 120 xtreme something amiss...

[LostInRehab]

I just finished installing and testing my new Ultra-120 Extreme after having having sky high temps with my old scythe infinity. Under occt load I was getting temps of 66c - 72c with my old scythe with a overclock at 3.42ghz (380x9) using cpu v1.535 (v1.49 - v1.5 under load according to µguru) and room temp somewhere between 88f - 93f. Now before someone says " holy U$(@)84 are you crazy. you're going to kill your cpu!" I'm quite aware of that i really could care less if this cpu last till july 22 at the earliest (quad core price drops) but would really hope it last till Q2 2008 at the latest. Now after installing my new ultra making sure everything is working and reoverclocking my cpu back to what it was I get a suprise. My temps are the about the same in fact they look exactly identical. Now I know this cooler is better heck I even have a higher cfm fan what I can't under stand is why are the temps the same... I quickly take apart my computer remove the heatsink to find that my paste looks like it had great contact. Now I'm completely at a loss on what I should do next.

[BenchZowner]

Sounds like a really bad IHS.
Test your CPU's IHS ( Integrated HeatSpreader ) flatness with a blade, or thermal paste + something flat ( like glass, etc ).

[XtremeTiramisu]

Sounds like a really bad IHS.
Test your CPU's IHS ( Integrated HeatSpreader ) flatness with a blade, or thermal paste + something flat ( like glass, etc ).

that's a good idea, maybe I should try this the next time I remove my heatsink...

I'm also on the waiting list to get an Ultra 120 extreme or IFX-14 but I see more people reporting negative reviews on the Ultra 120 extreme day by day from various forums. Some says the mounting isn't secure enough to no significant improvment in temp...

There is absolutely no one I've seen could acheive the exact same clock speed vs temp reviewed by anandtech...It's hard to trust review sites nowadays...only honest reports from end consumers like us on forums can be take into account

[BenchZowner]

I've got both the Ultra-120 and the Ultra-120 extreme and the temperatures are quite on spot with the AT review measurements.

Take caution that there are a lot CPUs with bad IHS, and also chances of "user error" as well.

Have a search here in XS for a thread about the Ultra-120 Extreme from Hicks.
Check out his CPU in..flatness pictures

[TouGe]

Yeah, I don't see why the Ultra Extreme would be getting negative reviews from anyone unless they just aren't mounting it correctly, their IHS just isn't flat enough, or they're going crazy w/ the thermal paste.
I couldn't be more happy with my Ultra Extreme. It beat my Tuniq in both idle and load temps and I'm finally able to do 3.6GHz w/o breaking 60C full load (55-57C after 2 hours @ >1.48V (~1.43-1.44V BIOS)) using OCCT @ 75-77 ambient.

I would definitely check the flatness of your IHS and make sure you don't over due the thernal paste or, better yet, get yourself some liquid metal and .

[deees]

I've got both the Ultra-120 and the Ultra-120 extreme and the temperatures are quite on spot with the AT review measurements.

Does anyone know what the ambient temperatures were for AnandTech's testing? I've read the Ultra-120 and Ultra-120 eXtreme reviews and haven't found it.

[BenchZowner]

Are you sure that they didn't mention their ambient temp ?
If yes, pm bingo13 here, he should be able to find that information for you

[LostInRehab]

Well seems like my extremely high ambient temps were part of the reason my temps haven't changed but I purpousely tested at that temp because I remembered what my scythe temps were at the same temp. This morning I tested again when my ambient temps were 75 - 78 and the highest temp was 60c core 0 59c core 1 after an hour of occt. I know I could get lower if I lapped my processor (I haven't checked to see if my IHS was bad yet though) and heatsink but I'm a punk so I'm not going to try that yet.

Yeah, I don't see why the Ultra Extreme would be getting negative reviews from anyone unless they just aren't mounting it correctly, their IHS just isn't flat enough, or they're going crazy w/ the thermal paste.
I couldn't be more happy with my Ultra Extreme. It beat my Tuniq in both idle and load temps and I'm finally able to do 3.6GHz w/o breaking 60C full load (55-57C after 2 hours @ >1.48V (~1.43-1.44V BIOS)) using OCCT @ 75-77 ambient.

I would definitely check the flatness of your IHS and make sure you don't over due the thernal paste or, better yet, get yourself some liquid metal and .

noob question. What is liquid metal I've seen quite a few people mention it but I don't know exactly where to get it or what exactly it is although its obvious its some sort of thermal paste.

[deees]

Are you sure that they didn't mention their ambient temp ?
If yes, pm bingo13 here, he should be able to find that information for you

Thanks for the referral. Actually, I answered my own question. After sending a PM to bingo13, I though I'd checkout the Anandtech forum one more time. I still can’t find the data in the various Ultra-120 reviews, but there was a comment that referenced the information. The ambient temperature was given as 20 C in the preproduction review, (although I can't find it), and 22 C for the production sample. It helps explain some of the discrepancies in performance other people have seen with this HSF.

[AzN_plyR]

What do you guys think off my temps? Yes crappy cpu.

E4300 @ 3.2ghz 1.55vcore on an ultra-120 with 2 high speed panaflo.

loads dual othros @ 72c .....

[BenchZowner]

What do you guys think off my temps? Yes crappy cpu.

E4300 @ 3.2ghz 1.55vcore on an ultra-120 with 2 high speed panaflo.

loads dual othros @ 72c .....

That's way to much.
Check your IHS flatness.

[xTr33m sammich!]

Well, I'll tell you something, the surface of my 120 extreme is definately not flat, It beats my Zalman 9700 hands down, I'm in the process of lapping it tonight, the bottom is convex, as in the thermalpaste test leaves paste in the middle only, as in after 30min of lapping on and off with 400grit only the center part has a nice coppery look, the edges are still silvery... can't wait to finish up with the 2000grit paper...

[TouGe]

Well, I'll tell you something, the surface of my 120 extreme is definately not flat, It beats my Zalman 9700 hands down, I'm in the process of lapping it tonight, the bottom is convex, as in the thermalpaste test leaves paste in the middle only, as in after 30min of lapping on and off with 400grit only the center part has a nice coppery look, the edges are still silvery... can't wait to finish up with the 2000grit paper...

I think the heatsink was designed this way, to be a tiny bit convex in the center so as to apply more pressure to the center of the IHS. I checked the flatness of the sink when I got mine it and it was basically flat with a tiny bit of a rise in the center. Since I'm not an engineer, and the people who designed this over at Thermalright are, I errored on the side of not lapping and I am happy that I did.
Since you are lapping though, you might want to find an alternative method to mounting your heatsink onto your processor since it might not sit tight enough anymore.

Just my two cents.

[AzN_plyR]

That's way to much.
Check your IHS flatness.

Yeah seems like too much considering my room temp is very low with the AC on all the time, and I just remounted the cpu/heatsink.. and the contact was PERFECT using the dot method... the dot spread all over the cpu's ihs perfectly covering the whole thing.

Also, http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ighlight=e4300

same cpu, same clocks, but my vcore is a tiny bit higher, same results with coretemp... but using speedfan I am loading in the mid 50's and apparently coretemp has trouble with allendales..


O and allendales reads 100c tjuntion instead of the regular conroe which reads 85c...

so basically 72-15 = 57c load ..

[xTr33m sammich!]

We'll see about the retention bracket, seems it should fit nice with what it came with, maybe a slight adjustment with a drill and sending the screws further through my backplate :P or maybe a little washer in the divet where the bracket meets the HSF (I don't think it will need it)

[mukmaster]

Hmm concave IHS

[nealh]

Yeah, I don't see why the Ultra Extreme would be getting negative reviews from anyone unless they just aren't mounting it correctly, their IHS just isn't flat enough, or they're going crazy w/ the thermal paste.
I couldn't be more happy with my Ultra Extreme. It beat my Tuniq in both idle and load temps and I'm finally able to do 3.6GHz w/o breaking 60C full load (55-57C after 2 hours @ >1.48V (~1.43-1.44V BIOS)) using OCCT @ 75-77 ambient.

I would definitely check the flatness of your IHS and make sure you don't over due the thernal paste or, better yet, get yourself some liquid metal and .

Well I got say this Ultra extreme is pure crap...
I have L47G that I ran on water in main box, with setup in my sig
3500 @1.525v I would have a delta of 20C..loads in 58-60C on Prime

So I know the IHS is pretty good

This Ultra extreme twists easily sideways...I have the screws as tight as they will go....3420 with 1.48v idle at 40C....load shots up to over 65-68C in like 2min on Prime95 and system reboots....
Moreover the heatpipes/bottom of the HS is not getting warm as if there is no heat transfer

Any suggestions on how to get this thing to work...I am not lapping it.. Iwill send it back for a refund before I do anything...no way I should have to fix a HS....garbage

[P§I]

Well I got say this Ultra extreme is pure crap...
I have L47G that I ran on water in main box, with setup in my sig
3500 @1.525v I would have a delta of 20C..loads in 58-60C on Prime

So I know the IHS is pretty good

This Ultra extreme twists easily sideways...I have the screws as tight as they will go....3420 with 1.48v idle at 40C....load shots up to over 65-68C in like 2min on Prime95 and system reboots....
Moreover the heatpipes/bottom of the HS is not getting warm as if there is no heat transfer

Any suggestions on how to get this thing to work...I am not lapping it.. Iwill send it back for a refund before I do anything...no way I should have to fix a HS....garbage

oh this is not what i want to hear after ordering one/

[BobHarris]

People are saying the mounting bracket is a defective design. The HSF will move around even if you tighten the screws all the way.

[P§I]

People are saying the mounting bracket is a defective design. The HSF will move around even if you tighten the screws all the way.

Ok if alot of people saying that the mounting bracket is a defective design well TR make a better one? Will they swap it you think? Or do you think they will ignore the problem?

[Firelord-OCHW]

I have an original Ultra 120 and it has the solid mounting brackets and its easily the best sink I have ever used.

e6420@ 3.2GHz 1.475v and all fans at 7v gives me about 55/56c under load in a closed case. Beats the stock sink hands down by nearly 20c at load and idle!

Something suggests either an incorrect mount, concave IHS or poor airflow.

[LuckyNV]

even though it twists, it only does this because of the thermal grease, it is still held on tightly. Try twisting without any grease on it. (yes I tried and yes my temps were sky high, but it was a test anyway)

[Retrolock]

well if you can twist it around, will the thermal grease be displaced?

[nealh]

I have an original Ultra 120 and it has the solid mounting brackets and its easily the best sink I have ever used.

e6420@ 3.2GHz 1.475v and all fans at 7v gives me about 55/56c under load in a closed case. Beats the stock sink hands down by nearly 20c at load and idle!

Something suggests either an incorrect mount, concave IHS or poor airflow.

My cpu L47G was under water first as a test of temps...well within expected from L628A66 temps....no odd ball temp spikes, or one core 10C higher than another...and I pushed more vcore and speed

The case has 120mm intake, 120mm exhaust..a 7300gt, passive cooled, one hdd and ODD, 2 x 1gb ram...nothing else

I am sorry I could buy another cause but I specifically tested quickly on my watercooling setup for this reason

I can not promise my IHS is not slightly concave but nothing significant for sure..I would have seen temp issues on my water setup


The TR Ultra 120 E....when mounted you have to get the 4 screws in place and it takes a fair bit of pressure to get the last 3 screws to engage with the mounting bracket and they are as tightly screwed down as possible...

the HS moves IMHO way to much laterally...what other high end HS ever did this

My hetapipes and base are not getting warm at all...there seems to be little to no heat transfer

If you look at the installation instruction..the X bracket goes below the mobo for support, place the HS on chip, place anothe Xbracket on the HS base and screw in 4 spring loaded screws..tighten and done

What am I missing?

[LuckyNV]

well if you can twist it around, will the thermal grease be displaced?

when I remounted, the paste was evenly spread, obviously if one puts too much it may squish out the sides. I just put a blob in the middle, most likely my accidental twisting while mounting another fan spread out the paste. My IHS is slightly concave though