Scott Mueller's Upgrading and Repairing PCs Forum

I've ordered a second hand i7 870 cpu for a good price (my motherboard is a msi socket 1156, so i cant install a 2nd or 3rd generation i7).

I would just like to know if the stock(Intel) cpu cooler/ heatsink & fan of the i3 540 3.06Ghz will be sufficient in cooling the new cpu ? or do i need a new cooler?

It's hard to find exact part numbers for fans at Intel's website but you might be interested in this:
http://download.intel.com/design/proces ... 322167.pdf

Also try poking around this website:
http://click.intel.com/

Note that under the Desktop Computer Parts > Fans, the fan labeled for the i5 series also supports i7 processors and others.

Socket 1155 and 1156 HSF's are interchangeable from a form factor spec standpoint. But not a cooling standpoint.

Usually there is no difference in HSF in the swap, but I usually look at the documentation for both CPUs for thermal considerations and check Intel for CPU package insert that may list spec Intel HSF part number.

You can see a comparison of those two processors here. From that you can see that the i7 870 has a TDP (Thermal Design Power) rating of 95W vs. the 73W rating of the i3 540. That would indeed require a higher capacity heatsink to allow for full performance. While the stock i7 870 heatsink would be fine, my favorite Socket 1155/1156 heatsink is the Intel DHX-B, also known as the BXXTS100H. It is easy to install, quiet, durable, relatively inexpensive, and has a very high cooling capacity. That unit can handle any processor that fits in those sockets. Scott.