Zalman VF900 vs Sytrin VF1 vs Thermalright V1

[Papercut]

Been testing these 3 coolers for the past few days...if I can find the strength and will to take decent pics, I will submit it as a full review
Until then it's just a quick summary.

First, test settings...
AMD Opteron 146 @ 2.9GHz 1.45V, SI-120 + Delta 120mm 74cfm
DFI nF4 Ultra-D, Evercool VC-RE chipset cooler
2x512MB OCZ Value VX RAM
Cooler Master Centurion 530 case
Enermax 535W Noisetaker PSU

The guinea pig...HIS X1800GTO flashed to 16 pipes, clocked at 612/612 for all temperature testing. Voltages were 1.200 VGPU / 2.004 MVDDC / 2.004 MVDDQ. Arctic Ceramique used for all heatsinks except the stock cooler.

Notes for each cooler...

VF900
You can read Chai's full review of the VF900 here: http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.a...tno=327&pgno=0
I can see why it was awarded the reviewer's choice award, I like it very much as well and am keeping it permanently. Flawless base, tool-less installation, great performance

Sytrin VF1
This cooler was a pain in the despite rave reviews around the net. As our fellow forum member commented previously (see link below), the screws provided interfere with installation if your graphics core has a shim around it. Imagine that...incompatible with so many graphics card out of the box, and without warning.
I just bought this (Sytrin KuFormula VF1 Plus)
I have the non-Plus version for which you use your own axial fan, and none of the screws they provide were able to mount the fan to the bracket at all. Terrible.
Also, out of the two I purchased, one had a visibly convex base.

Thermalright V1
Product link: http://www.thermalright.com/a_page/main_product_v1.htm
Installation is a bit tedious (especially after trying the VF900 ). Performance is not too bad...however, it was intended to have the fan cooling the top portion of the heatsink which hovers on the top side of the card (see product pic at Thermalright's website). If your CPU socket is too close to the graphics card slot, then this will be a problem as it was in my config.
I tested this heatsink with an NMB 80mm fan (2500rpm) tied to the bottom portion of the heatsink (referred to as "V1 single" config in the temp graph) and with the original 80x15mm fan cable tied to blow more-or-less at the top portion where it was intended to ("V1 dual").

Test results

Stock cooler fan was locked at 70% speed (5100rpm according to RivaTuner)
Zalman VF900 was tested with its fan at full speed (2500rpm).
Sytrin VF1 was tested with a Delta 92mm fan (AFB0912HH, 58cfm, 38dBA) mounted on the supplied PCI bracket blowing at the heatsink. High setting was full 3000rpm (quite loud!) and low was 2000rpm.
V1 config was explained earlier.

[ChampionLLY]

i looking for a northbridge chipset cooler..
how much did u pay for ur heatipipe one?

[Max_87]

Seems like the VF1 is a better performer How is the noise level when the blower is at full speed?

I still prefer Thermalright V1 any day, because I can use any 80mm fan I like. If not enough, I can always mount a tornado on it

[Max_87]

Originally Posted by ChampionLLY

i looking for a northbridge chipset cooler..
how much did u pay for ur heatipipe one?

NorthBridge chipset cooler?

Anyway, both VF1 and V1 have heatpipes, which are you refering to?

[Papercut]

Er...my chipset (northbridge) cooler is the Evercool "Twinkling VGA cooler" VC-RE...no heatpipes. Not sure if it's available in Singapore yet...enegizer sells a clone version for $12 at his shop in SLS basement.

Originally Posted by Max_87

Seems like the VF1 is a better performer How is the noise level when the blower is at full speed?

I still prefer Thermalright V1 any day, because I can use any 80mm fan I like. If not enough, I can always mount a tornado on it

I would never recommend the VF1 given all the problems it has
I dunno about the blower coz mine doesn't have it...the 92mm fan that I used is rated by Delta as 38dBA at full rpm but it's definitely audible above the combined noise of all the other fans in my case.
Edit: It's an AFB0912HH, 58cfm, 38dBA

Given equal noise level, the VF900 beats the VF1. So I feel that if you were to mod the VF900 with a bigger/more powerful fan or have an additional fan blowing at the card, that will be the best.
Or maybe V1 Ultra provided there is enough clearance above the card. But $$$

[ChampionLLY]

the northbridge cooler no heatpipes?
think i made a mistake... nvm

[Max_87]

er... these are GPU coolers