The Tech ARP CPU Cooler Round-Up!

[Dashken]

If you are looking for a CPU cooler, make sure you take a look at our new CPU cooler round-up. We take some of the latest and most popular coolers to task and see how they really perform. Don't buy that cooler until you have seen our results!

Link : The Tech ARP CPU Cooler Round-Up!

[slash]

idle loads sound wrong. if its idling, there wont be any load right? haha

[Max_87]

Actually that's what I was thinking too

Editor?

[Papercut]

Typo error on that same page...

The MiniTyphoon, on the other hand, was the poorest performer. Even with the fan running at full 12V, it still could not beat the Zalman CNPS7000 LED with a 5V fan.

Nice review though, very detailed. Great job
Zalman 9700 is quite impressive.

And omg... http://www.techarp.com/review/CPU_Co...ntents_big.jpg
New sticker?! I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want I want!!!

[Max_87]

Thanks

Yeah, the Zalman CNPS9700 is quite impressive. I was quite surprised with the results, but at full speed the fan was noisy though which is why I still prefer HR-01.

[Skip Da Shu]

I have as yet to find a 'Zally' that will cool my OC'd AMD CPUs as well as a big Thermalright or as well as my price/performance choice futher below.

Being a big fan (no pun intended) of Thermalright's coolers and having used their socket A versions for years along with various other coolers, I'd like to throw two other contenders in here. One of them I believe is the price/performance winner of the whole group.


Blow serious air volume from a pretty HSF:

If you want a VERY nice looking HSF with white LEDs that vary with fan speed on a white bladed, gloss black framed, 120mm, heat pipe based HSF then look to the $34USD X-Fire from Aero Cool. This relatively light weight cooler has the added advantage of blowing 52.25 CFM of air from it's 1500 rpm fan down thru the fins and over nearby components (northbridge). This can be a big + if they are just passively cooled with a heatsink. I find it to be just a very small step behind the following HSF in pure CPU cooling. If you're not at the ragged edge of CPU temp then the added cooling to a passive northbridge and other close by components might make this cooler a better choice.


Max CPU cooling AND a major price bargan:

The price / performance winner has to be Artic Cooling's Freezer 64 Pro. Commonly available on-line for $26USD it cools with the best $50 coolers available AND has a 6 year warrenty on the fan itself! It performs slightly better (0.18 C/W) mounted horizontally as in a tower case (as do many heat pipe coolers). It's 2200 rpm 92mm fan moves 40 CFM in a very light cage that is soft rubber mounted to the cooler virtually eliminating all fan vibration. It can be mounted to direct the hot air out directly towards a rear exhaust fan. The locking clamp (754/939 at least) can also be put on either side to suite your set up. It's tall but not anywhere near as heavy as you'd expect (528g). It's lower output fins are curved downward to direct air over the mobo's voltage regulators also. It is not loud at all but does produce very slightly more noise than the X-fire or the big T-rights with the low speed Sunon fan... about the same as the big T-right with the "medium" speed Sunon fan.


ArticCooling: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produc...uctCode=316435

AreoCool: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835129045

NOTE: Sound levels not measured except with my aging ears in my fairly noisy computer shed. -- Skip

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by slash

idle loads sound wrong. if its idling, there wont be any load right? haha

LOL! That's true. Should just call it.. At Idle.

[Skip Da Shu]

Originally Posted by Skip Da Shu

... NOTE: Sound levels not measured except with my aging ears in my fairly noisy computer shed. -- Skip

Oh, I also forgot my usual disclaimer... not to be misconstrued as actual fact. All are opinions unencumbered by any actual facts or knowledge of the topic.