I started putting together my new build tonight and I bought a Cooler Master 212 EVO as my CPU cooler. However, the heatsink is too wide and it blocks the M1015 from being used in the first PCI-E slot.

 

The stock cooler would work fine as I don't overclock any of my computers, but I always prefer aftermarket coolers because I can put bigger fans on them that spin at a slower speed, and therefor give me a quieter system.

 

Is anyone using an aftermarket CPU cooler on the X9SCM that allows for their first PCI-E slot to be used?

As a matter of interest, did you TRY the stock Intel cooler?    The latest generation of these are actually very quiet ... at least until the CPU hits a fairly high utilization % and the fan has to ramp up => but that's very unlikely in typical UnRAID use.

 

Yea... I know they're not as bad as they used to be. I used the stock intel cooler on a Sandy Bridge machine I built not too long ago and it is pretty quiet. I can still hear it... but it's not annoyingly loud. I've always been happy with big towers though because I can't hear them at all.

 

Edit:

 

Just to add... this is going to be an ESXi build... and some of the virtual machines will be doing things like audio and video encodings on the fly... so the CPU could heat up and require the fan to speed up during those times which may make the stock fan annoying to use.

Yea... I know they're not as bad as they used to be. I used the stock intel cooler on a Sandy Bridge machine I built not too long ago and it is pretty quiet. I can still hear it... but it's not annoyingly loud. I've always been happy with big towers though because I can't hear them at all.

 

Just remember, this board and its cooler are going to be inside a large tower that will very significantly dampen the noise before it gets outside the case.    In addition, there are going to be 8 or more other fans spinning ==> I really doubt the difference between a stock Intel fan and a 3rd party unit is going to have any notable impact on the audible noise level a few feet from the case 

The reason I like after market coolers is I get ones that screw onto the MB and don't use the clip system the default heat sinks use.  Unfortunately my current favorite (Zalman CNPS9500) would be too close to the first slot on a X9SCM-F I believe.  I also have a ZALMAN CNPS7000C-Cu on my Intel DH77EB MB which fits in the Lian Li PC-V354B case better with it's smaller height.  It is also quite wide but may fit better than the 9500.  I suspect it might still have problems on the X9SCM.  What I've done in the past is put electrical tape on the back the card where the heat sink might touch the card.  I try not to cover up more than I have to so that most of the components on the card don't get covered up.  But that does work for me when I want to use a specific heat sink on a tight MB.  Back when I had Pentium 4s on a 478 MB I used Zalman CNPS7700-Cu which was extremely wide and would only fit my Tyan S5112 MB.

I'm using the Corsair A50 and replaced the stock fan with a Noctua. Looks like it's no longer carried on Newegg but other stores, including Amazon sell it. Fits great on my X9SCM-F with plenty of room for the M1015 I have in slot 1. Does a great job keeping my E3-1230 v2 cool too, even under extended periods of full load. It's kind of pricey though without any deals. I don't know what you're looking to spend. I was lucky and got it for $10 after rebate.

 

www.amazon.com/Corsair-Series-Performance-Cooler-CAFA50/dp/B003IT6RDE

 

www.rakuten.com/prod/corsair-air-a50-cooling-fan-heatsink-1-x-4-72-2000-rpm/215522103.html?listingId=285899548

 

 

I'm using the Corsair A50 and replaced the stock fan with a Noctua. Looks like it's no longer carried on Newegg but other stores, including Amazon sell it. Fits great on my X9SCM-F with plenty of room for the M1015 I have in slot 1. Does a great job keeping my E3-1230 v2 cool too, even under extended periods of full load. It's kind of pricey though without any deals. I don't know what you're looking to spend. I was lucky and got it for $10 after rebate.

 

www.amazon.com/Corsair-Series-Performance-Cooler-CAFA50/dp/B003IT6RDE

 

www.rakuten.com/prod/corsair-air-a50-cooling-fan-heatsink-1-x-4-72-2000-rpm/215522103.html?listingId=285899548

 

 

 

Do you have a picture of that on your MOBO? I'll have to compare your -F version with my -iif to see if there's a difference in spacing between the CPU and the first PCI-E slot. I can't imagine that cooler working because the width looks to be the same as the 212 EVO (since they both use 120mm fans).

 

Edit:

 

Newegg lists the Corsair cooler as being 4mm wider then the 212 EVO. Not sure how that's fitting on on your X9SCM when the first PCI slot is being used. I'd love to see a picture of this if you happen to have one (just so I can confirm how it all fits together).

 

I compared the F and IIF versions of the MOBO and the spacing between the CPU and first PCI-E slot looks exactly the same.

 

 

Found this image on a search... are you able to push the cooler slightly off center as shown in the attached image?

 

Or is it possible you're pointing the heatsink up and down (fan would blow either up towards the top of the case or down to the bottom) instead of the traditional left to right?

Sorry, yes, I probably should have mentioned that. I have it blowing air towards the "top" of the case (towards the side with the PSU in a Norco 4224) and then use a piece of plastic to guide the air towards the PSU so it gets sucked out of the PSU/rear exhaust fans and doesn't get recirculated back in to the case. Unfortunately I don't have a picture.