AMD certified case vs. uncertified

[gossamer]

I'm bound to open a can of worms with this, but I'd like to see what others are doing. As I understand it, an AMD certified case is one that has a rear exhaust fan and a power supply (300 W) that has a bottom intake fan to pull heat off the CPU. I've successfully been running a hand full of athlons and durons over the past year or so with 300 W power supplies and uncertified cases. My reason was why spend the extra money for an expensive case when you could spend less on fans to cool the case and CPU. My setup is this: One 80mm rear exhaust fan and a super cooler in front that has two small fans. I don't even have a "copper heatsink" like I've seen recommended around the web. I just have a simple cooler master heat sink and fan. I monitor the temperature of the CPU and the heatsink daily on my machine just to see how my setup is doing. All the temps are fine. I do run intense apps that require the most CPU power they can get.

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The internet? Is that thing still around?

[kenja]

I don't think there is such a thing as an AMD certified case. They have good cooling guidelines (http://www.amd.com/products/cpg/athlon/pdf/cooling_guide.pdf), and recommended power supplies and heatsinks.

Heatsink notes: I was very disappointed with PCpower&cooling's socket A heatsinks. Both the standard and "quiet" models use 7000rpm fans (I hate that pitch) and they don't make good contact with the processor die. No wonder they're not on the recommended list.

Then I tried a GlobalWin FOP32-1 that has a double ball bearing 4200 RPM fan. Maybe I just got a bad sample, but the thing vibrates like crazy; I was worried about fatiguing the motherboard.

I've been happy with the CoolerMaster heatsinks, I don't think you can beat them for the price. (I bought mine from newegg.com)

[gossamer]

right kenja. i guess i should have said recommended power supply.

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The internet? Is that thing still around?

[nimnorf2]

Hey Gossamer,
Not sure you still want any input on this, but figured, why not throw out a few ideas.
I think if you can monitor the CPU temperature and you're not entering dangerous levels, even when doing CPU intensive applications, then use what you've got. Apparently AMD's stuff is a little more power hungry so it needs approved power supplies. I guess that means that a power supply that would work adequately for an Intel processor might not necessarily work for an AMD one. Right?
The danger that is significant would be overheating, but a power supply that is inadequate won't cause overheating, it'll cause the unit just to not work or freeze or reboot.
One more thing though, power supplies degrade over time too. What works today may not work tomorrow, and those are considerations that AMD is probably taking into account when they "approve" a power source.
Cool? Cool!
peace,

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A man persuaded against his will, is of his old opinion still.