BleepingComputer.com: heatsink compatibility

i'm looking at this page CPU heatsinks for my P4 in my Dell. my CPU is a P4 2.53ghz i dont know the model (Winchester, Prescott, etc. i'm blowing stuff out my butt here) all the fans are compatible with models higher than 2.53ghz CPUs will that make any difference? i really wanna know bcuz i dont like the way Dell setup the cooling for the CPU, and it gets so hot it'll melt the skin off my skin off my fingers even tho they are 1/2" away i dont like it being that hot.

i might be wrong but if you pop the hsf off that's on there now, you should be able to see the laser stamp on top of the cpu, just use that and run a search or something on the internet to find out what core it is...i'm not sure but there's a app called cpuid that may tell you what core your p4 is...

here's the link to that cpuid app: http://www.cpuid.org/cpuz.php just d/l that and it'll tell you what the code name for you proc is

thanx for the link, heres my CPU specs

Intel Pentium 4 Northwood at 2.53ghz

well, i guess thats all u need

i checked with Newegg.com it definitely is a socket 478, so the heatsinks will fit, or no?

Take a look at the inside if your Dell, can you see the CPU fan fitting? If you forsee problems with getting it in there, then i'd keep looking. Remember, airflow is important.

the heatsink is so freakin huge!!! dimensions: 4"x3"x5" (h x l x h) then u got the air shroud over it, which has a fan sucking air out, but when i get the heatsink/fan combo i'm gonna take off the shroud air use the fan to suck air out of the comp in general. i'm gona look in some local computer shops for a heatsink/fan combo for my CPU.

Whoa Lego,

You have a air shroud on the CPU fan going to the outside of the case?

Thats better then most setups! The outside air is considerably cooler then the case air.

If you are worried about the other components then I would upgrade the front and rear case fans.

If you still want to change, I run a Vantec tornado with a Thermalright X90C heatsink. Extremely noisy at 12vdc but ok a 5vdc.

Let us know,

junkdk

my head hurts... ok so youre saying that the air being pulled from the heatsink through the air shroud and out the 80mm fan is better? how can it be better when its also pulling all the air from the case too? when all that air is hot, it has to go through the CPU heatsink. making the CPU even hotter. that is why i want a CPU heatsink/fan combo and take the air shroud so that the 80mm fan can be used as a case fan.

Pulling the air through the heatsink is a good thing, because this causes airflow through the whole PC. Ths hot air that may be passing by your heatsink really isn't that hot... acually, with a stronger case fan, it may help keep it very cool. The ways to get it cooler is to remove the heatsink and shroud, and get a nice big Thermaltake fan like this. or this ... I know that they really don't know what effective use of space means at Dell though... some of their cases are packed badly.... thus reducing airflow.