Original Link: https://www.anandtech.com/show/825



Introduction

Almost six months have passed since our last cooler roundup - and in that time, quite a bit has been happening on the cooler market. Today, we see more copper coolers than ever before, and more models are using larger fans.

For this roundup, we used the same testing methodology as in the last roundup, published in March. This means that the temperature data and noise measurements from this roundup can be directly compared to the the last roundup .

This time, we're reviewing a selection of 18 new heatsinks, many of them with different fan/fan speed combinations. All in all, this resulted in 29 indivitual tests. Each test takes an hour, and to make sure the values are correct, we do each test three times. In other words, this roundup is the result of 87 hours of heatsink testing.

Let's have a look at the cooling performance tests first.



The Test

The first test was done with a 43 watt heat load - this corresponds to the typical power usage of a 1 GHz Palomino CPU. The temperature readings given here is the temperature difference between core and ambient temperature. As usual, lower temperature readings are better.


(1) the Miprocool was tested with the temperature controlled fan at maximum speed


Since in the 43W test, the top-performing coolers are very close to each other, we also publish the results of a test with a higher heat load - here, performance differences become more obvious. The second test (with the best-performing coolers from the first test) was done with a  61W heat load. This corresponds to the typical power usage of a 1.3GHz Thunderbird CPU.

Here are the results of the 61W test; remember, lower temperatures are better:


(2) from the March 01 cooler roundup

Our "simulator" would not allow testing of the less efficient coolers in this roundup at 61W, since the foil heater used would overheat. We are already working on a new simulator device that allows cooler testing with a heat load of 100-150W, to represent the cooling requirements of future CPUs. Details about this will be published before the next roundup, in a new "testing methodology" article.

By now, the AMD Athlon MP (Palomino) with its internal diode for temperature measurements has become available. However, the temperature readings taken from that diode aren't accurate enough for a meaningful performance test. If you look at how small the performance differences between some cooler models in this test are, it will become obvious that a temperature measurement with a resolution of 1°C isn't accurate enough. However, the fact that now an AMD CPU with on-die temperature measurement is available has given us the opportunity to check whether our "simulator" represents the real-world situation accurately. The difference between the C/W values calculated from our test data, and the C/W values calculated from test data obtained with the Palomino's internal diode is around 10% (based on the Silverado test data published in c't magazine, issue 17/01).

You may be wondering why our test results are in some cases (e.g. the Silverado) so much different from the test results published on other websites. We are aware of this, but there's nothing we can do about it. We've double and triple-checked our results. The only advice we can give is: Check which testing methodology is used for that particular test, and decide for yourself which review to believe. Information about our current testing methodology can be found here.



Noise measurements

While CPU coolers have become a lot more efficient over the past months, they have usually also become louder. Last year, the terribly annoying Delta 7000rpm fans came only optionally, with selected heatsink models targeted at hardcore overclockers. By now, they have become pretty mainstream, and are the default equipment of many coolers. We think that this is a bad development. The permissible noise exposure scale for employees is 90db(A) for 8 hours a day - none of the coolers tested here exceed this limit, but even below 90db(A) noise negatively affects your health. It can be a source of stress, high blood pressure, and it can lead to lack of concentration. Especially people who spend long hours on their PCs should carefully consider whether a few extra MHz of overclocking speed are worth the nuisance and the possible long-term health risks - we think that in most cases a quieter (though less efficient) cooler is the better choice.

The good news: Some of the coolers reviewed in this roundup are quieter than any coolers we've reviewed before. However, don't forget to consider cooling performance as well, especially if you have an AMD CPU with over 1GHz. Below are the results of the noise measurement - the coolers are still ordered by cooling performance, so that you can judge about performance and noise at one glance.



Alpha PAL8045

It seems that when designing the PAL8045, Alpha's engineers looked at the design of the older model PAL6035, and said to themselves: "We can't make it better, but we can make it bigger". Just like its little brother, the PAL8045 features an anodized, cold-forged heatsink with hexagonal fins, and a copper base plate. The heatsink, as the name suggests, is 80x80x45mm big, and is equiped with an 80mm fan.

cooler photo

View from below

Installation
 
The PAL8045 is fixed to the motherboard, using screws.  This means that you will have to uninstall the motherboard in order to install the cooler, but it does hold the heatsink a lot more safely than the "clip" mounting. The pressure to the CPU is provided by springs; in order to adjust the pressure to the particular CPU (there are noticable tolerances in thickness!), several nylon washers are included. Since the PAL8045 is quite large and heavy, Alpha made the right choice when they decided to use the screw mounting. Swiftech were the first to take advantage of this mounting method, it's good that others follow. The disadvantage is that you won't be able to use the PAL8045 for Intel CPUs, because of the lack of mounting holes on the motherboard.

Performance and noise, conclusion

The PAL8045 sample we received came with an Orix fan. But just like previous Alpha models, the PAL8045 will be available with a variety of fans, since Alpha commonly sells heatsinks alone and retailers bundle them with a choice of fans. This leaves customers the choice between a high performance and an ultra quiet solution.

We tested the PAL8045 with different three fans: With the 80x80x38mm 68 CFM Delta fan that is also shipped with the Swiftech MC462, with the Orix 80x80x25mm fan supplied by Alpha, and - as the "ultra quiet" solution - with a 80x80x25mm Papst fan, supplied by Frozen Silicon .

To make it short: The PAL8045 could convince in all setups.

With the high performance Delta fan, it provided the best cooling performance of all coolers we tested so far, even slightly outperforming the Swiftech MC462. This makes it the top choice for ambitious overclockers. The price for this, besides the high price tag, is excessive noise.

With the Orix fan, the PAL8045 still provides very good cooling performance, while being quieter than the competitors equiped with 60mm 7000rpm Delta fans. This configuration is still not super-quiet, but is definately a good choice for those who want a cooler for extreme overclocking that isn't excessively loud.

The Papst fan with its little weights The Papst fan we received for testing was a 8412NGL unit, which is the quietest Papst 80mm fan.Thanks to its Sintec PTFE sleeve bearing, it is extremely quiet. Another "speciality" of Papst fans is that, in order to prevent vibrations, they are exactly balanced, thanks to tiny metal weights sticked into little slots around the fan motor - as you can see on the picture on the right, the weights are marked with red circles.

With this Papst fan, the PAL8045 a good choice for a super-quiet, high performance PC. It is even quieter than the Silverado in quietest mode, while providing better cooling performance. Still, we don't recommend the Alpha/Papst combination for overclocking, but it does provide enough cooling even for the most power-hungry non-overclocked Socket A CPU, the Athlon 1.4GHz.

Only the Zalman CNPS3100s in low RPM mode are quieter - but these don't cool as well as the Alpha with Papst fan.

The ideal setup for a super-quiet PC would be the Alpha heatsink with a temperature controlled fan - preferably with an external temperature sensor. Such fans are also available from Papst (e.g. model 8412NGMLV); however ideal placement of the sensor would require modification of the heatsink (like drilling a hole in the base to accomodate the sensor).

 
Alpha PAL8045
Fan: Available with various fans
Price: not yet know (high price expected)
Advantages
  • Best cooling performance when used with a high-performance fan
  • Best performance/noise ratio when used with a quiet fan
  • Very good mounting method
Disadvantages
  • Expensive
  • Does not fit most motherboards for Intel CPUs (heatsink mounting holes required)
  • Not yet available on the market; will be available only in small quantities at first
  • No RPM monitoring


Kanie "Wing"

The performance of Kanie's latest single fan Hedgehog coolers couldn't impress us very much anymore; with their dual fan "Wing" type cooler they reach for the top performance again. Thanks to one of Kanie's European distributors, bacata.net , we got our hands on a sample very early.

cooler photo

View from below


View from below - notice the perfect surface finish. Also note that the base plate is only as large as on single-fan 60mm heatsinks. This improves motherboard compability, and makes sure that air can circulate freely through the fins (no high pressure builds up inside the cooler).

Installation and clip

The Kanie Wing can be installed as easily as a normal single-fan cooler. Its clip is good, it uses all six cleats on the socket. Although the Socket clip isn't as good for heavy heatsinks as the through-motherboard screw mounting, the clip has the advantage that it is also compatible with motherboards for Intel CPUs. Due to the strange form of the "Wing", we still recommend to carefully check motherboard and case compability before buying one.

Performance and noise, conclusion

The "Wing" sample we received comes with two 7000rpm Delta fans. We consider even one of these fans too loud, so two of them are almost unbearable. In this configuration, the "Wing" set a sad new record: loudest cooler we ever reviewed. However, the "Wing" performed well - with the two 7000rpm Delta fans, it was outperformed only by one cooler: The Alpha PAL8045 with an (also noisy, but a little more bearable) 68CFM Delta fan.

We recommend the Wing only for users who don't care about noise (everybody should, though!), and want the best possible cooling performance, but can't use the Alpha because of motherboard compability problems.

With slower-spinning fans, the "Wing" could also be used as a quiet cooler with still good performance; however, for a low noise cooler one large 80mm fan is usually better than two 60mm fans.

 
Kanie "Wing"
Fan: Two Delta 7000rpm (also available with other fans)
Price: unknown (will be expensive)
Advantages
  • Excellent performance
  • Good clip
  • Also suitable for motherboards for Intel CPUs
Disadvantages
  • Excessively loud - the loudest we ever tested
  • Expensive


Thermalright SK6

Shortly after we published our last roundup, the Thermalright SK6 appeared on the market. It is an all-copper cooler with fins that are soldered on a relatively thick base plate.

cooler photo

View from below

Installation and clip

The SK6 comes with a standard clip which uses two of the six cleats on the CPU socket. This isn't great, but since the SK6 isn't very large or excessively heavy, it doesn't cause problems when moving around the PC either. Installation is easy; a screwdriver is required, though.

Performance and noise, conclusion

The SK6's performance is quite amazing - especially considering its small size. Among the coolers equiped with one 60mm fan, the SK6 proved to be the most efficient.

Thermalright sells the SK6s without fans, so they are available with different fan combinations. Thanks to the good design of the heatsink, the SK6 is also a good base for a "quiet" cooler, when used with a lower RPM fan.

Conclusion: We definately recommend the Thermalright SK6. Its performance is good - it is outperformed only by the Alpha & Swiftech units with 80mm fans, and the Kanie Wing with two 60mm fans. So, the SK6 is the top choice when the Alpha/Swiftech coolers with through-motherboard mounting can't be used, or in any case where small size is an advantage. This makes the SK6 the best choice for Intel Celeron/P3 CPUs. Also, at around $34, the SK6 is a price/performance winner.

When buying the SK6, keep in mind that the Delta fan we used for testing is loud, and consider getting it with a lower RPM fan.

 
Thermalright SK6
Fan: available with various fans, tested with Delta 7000rpm fan
Price: around $34
Advantages
  • Excellent cooling performance, especially considering the size
  • Good motherboard compability, also suitable for Intel CPUs
  • Available with a variety of fans
Disadvantages
  • No major disadvantages :-)


Cool Jag JAC-212C / DYNATRON DC1206BM-0

Cool Jag is a new cooler manufacturer from Taiwan. The samples we received from them caught our eye even before we started testing: These heatsinks have the finest fins we've ever seen, and they're even made of copper. Cool Jag uses some proprietary production method in order to make these heatsinks; we suppose that they're milled and sawed out of a copper block, apparently with a super-fine saw blade or wire.

Recently, coolers that look identical to this unit have appeared on the market under the name "DYNATRON DC1206BM-0". We do not have a confirmation yet whether this cooler is actually identical to the "Cool Jag", but chances are it is.. "Cool Jag" / "Jagwire" belong to a company called the C.C.C Group.

cooler photo 

View from below

Installation and clip
 
Installation of the JAC-212C's clip takes a screwdriver and is straightforward. Unfortunately, the clip uses only two of the six cleats on the socket. This isn't too good, but since the cooler is relatively compact, and the center of gravity close to the CPU, this shouldn't cause problems unless you really bang your PC around.

The JAC-212C ships with standard silicon-based thermal compound.

Performance and noise, conclusion


The performance of the JAC-212C is good - among the coolers with a  single 60mm fan, it is the second best, being outperformed only by the Thermalright SK6.

Just like all other coolers equiped with the Delta 7000rpm fan, the JAC-212C is very loud. A version with a smaller, quieter Top Motor 60x10mm fan is also available as model JAC-101C.  

Conclusion: If you can get this cooler at a low price, go for it. Keep in mind that this is one of the first products from a new manufacturer - and their technology is interesting. We're sure that we'll hear more from Cool Jag in the future.

 
Cool Jag JAC-212C
Fan: Delta 7000rpm
Price: unknown
Advantages
  • Very good cooling performance , especially considering the compact size
Disadvantages
  • Very loud (model JAC-101C is quieter, though)


Millenium "Glaciator"

The Millenium Glaciator is another all-copper heatsink, with the fan embedded into the cooler. The lower part is cut out of a copper block, the upper part (surrounding the fan) is soldered onto it.


cooler photo
 

View from below

You might wonder: Where do these little spots on the lower side come from? Well, the Glaciator ships with a protective foil on its lower side, which also prevents corrosion. The spots are there where little air bubbles in the foil allowed the copper to oxidize. The oxidation layer is so thin, though, that it does not negatively effect thermal transfer.

Installation and clip

The Glaciator is excessively heavy - it weights 710 grams, which make it the heaviest heatsink in this roundup. Nevertheless, it comes with a clip that uses only two of the six mounting cleats on the socket - so there is a high risk of breaking off the heatsink when moving around the PC. And you can imagine what kind of damage a 710g copper block will cause inside your PC case once it's broken off during transport. The manufacturer is aware of this problem, and therefore recommends to uninstall the heatsink before moving the PC. Definately not practical. Fortunately the clip at least allows easy installation and deinstallation. Millenium includes genuine ArcticSilver II thermal compound with the Glaciator.

Performance and noise
 
The Glaciator is less noisy than the coolers equiped with 7000rpm Delta fan - nevertheless, it outperformed most of these (except for the Thermalright SK6 and the Jag Cooler JSC-212). We think that it was a wise choice of Millenium Thermal to sacrifice a little cooling performance in order to achieve a slightly more bearable noise level. The Glaciator still isn't a "quiet" heatsink, but its performance/noise ratio is good. Only the Alpha PAL8045 with Orix fan provided similar performance at an even lower noise level but the Alpha does not fit motherboards for Intel CPUs, and ist more expensive. The Glaciator costs  only $34 (including Arctic Silver II - keep this in mind when comparing prices), and also fits most motherboards for Intel CPUs. So, if you can live with the limitation of not being able to move your PC around without first uninstalling the heatsink, then the Glaciator is a good choice. We'd be more enthusiastic about it if Millenium used a better clip which takes advantage of all six pegs on the CPU socket.

 
AaMillenium "Glaciator"
Fan: Proprietary (Mfr unknown)
Price: around $34
Advantages
  • Good performance without excessive noise
  • Not very expensive
  • Arctic Silver II included
Disadvantages
  • Very poor mounting mechanism, considering the weight of the heatsink


Zalman CNPS5000plus/CNPS5001

The CNPS5000+/CNPS5001 is Zalman's "performance" cooler for both AMD and Intel P4 CPUs. We received one cooler from Zalman directly, and one from a retailer (Frozen Silicon ). The only difference between the two is the fan: One comes with a 3.2W Sunonwealth fan, one with a 3.0W fan (manufacturer unknown). Also, both include two adapters for reducing the voltage, so that the cooling performance can be adjusted according to the needs of your CPU, to keep noise down.

We tested the cooler in four configurations: With the 3.0W fan, with the 3.2W fan, the 3.2W fan with voltage reduced to 5V, and finally, with the Delta 7000rpm fan that comes with many other coolers.

Cooler photo    


What a surface!

Comparison between CNPS-5001 and CNPS-5000plus:

The Zalman Brothers   

Installation and clip

Just like the Alpha PAL8035 and the Swiftech MC462, the CNPS5000 is mounted using screws, which take advantage of the mounting holes in the motherboard. This mounting method is superiour to clip mounting, but makes the cooler incompatible with motherboards for Intel CPUs.

But, Zalman goes even one step further, by including the necessary mounting material for installing the cooler on a P4. So, if you want a good cooler for your Socket A CPU, but plan to switch to a P4 system, then this is the cooler to get.

Also, there are lots of washers included for protecting the motherboard, a small plastic bag with "spare parts" (we've never seen this before - even a "spare hologram" is included). AOS thermal compound is also included (which is not as good as ArcticSilver, but better than standard compound).

Performance and noise, conclusion

The performance of the CNPS5000 is good - especially with Delta 7000rpm fan. However it didn't perform as well as the cheaper Thermalright SK6 or the Cool Jag unit in this roundup, and it didn't come close to the 80x80mm monsters from Alpha and Swiftech. Still, with the 3.0W fan, this cooler is worth recommending for its good performance/noise ratio, its great mounting method, and the additional P4 compability.

An astonishing detail: The version with 3.0W fan was both more efficient and quieter than the 3.2W version. So try to get this version if you have the choice.


Zalman CNPS5000+ / 5001
Fan: 60x25mm 3.2W Sunonwealth or 60x25mm 3.0W unknown Mfr. Also tested with Delta 7000rpm
Price: Around $50
Advantages
  • Reasonable performance/noise ration
  • Also suitable for P4 CPUs
  • Good mounting method
Disadvantages
  • A little expensive
  • Both cheaper and more efficient coolers are available


Kanie Hedgehog 294M

Back in November '00, the Kanie Hedgehog provided the best performance in our cooler roundup. By now, a new model is available - the 294M. The difference is that it has more and finer fins than the old version.

cooler photo
 

The Silver Mountain mirror (eeh... heatsink)

The surface finish is good, however not as good as on the even newer Hybrid Hedgehog.

Installation and clip

The Hedgehog's clip was also improved. The new model comes with a great clip that takes advantage of all six cleats on the socket. Installation is easy.

Performance and noise, conclusion

Our Hedgehog sample came with a Melco fan. With this fan, the Hedgehog provides a reasonable compromise between performance and noise (the performance/noise ration isn't as good as on the Alpha PAL8045, though). With the Delta fan, it performs better - as expected, a little better than the old model, but not to the point where we would be impressed in any way. More efficient coolers are available by now, e.g. the Thermalright SK6.


Kanie Hedgehog 294M
Fan: available with a variety of fans. Tested with Melco 60x25mm, Delta 60x25 7000rpm
Price: unknown
Advantages
  • Relatively good performance
  • Reasonable performance/noise ration when used with Melco fan
Disadvantages
  • Very loud when used with Delta fan
  • Both cheaper and more efficient coolers are available


Kanie Hybrid Hedgehog

The Kanie "Hybrid Hedgehog" hasn't made it to the shelves of the retailers yet, but thanks to bacata.net we got a sample very early. The "Hybrid" is almost identical to the Hedgehog 294M, with the exception of one interesting detail: Every second row of pins isn't made of copper, but of aluminum. This makes the cooler lighter and possibly also a little cheaper.

Hybrid  
 

In the picture above, you can't see what the "Hybrid" is all about, so here's a picture of the naked heatsink:

Hybrid fins

What a surface!

Kanie's previous models were sometimes criticized for their poor surface finish.
With the Hybrid Hedgehog, those days are over: The surface finish is simply perfect.

Installation and clip

Just like the Hedgehog 294M, the "Hybrid" comes with a great clip that takes advantage of all six cleats on the socket. Installation is easy.

Performance and noise, conclusion

When tested with the same fan, the "Hybrid Hedgehog" performed almost identical to the all-copper Hedgehog 294. We would have expected a little less cooling performance (since aluminum is used instead of copper for half of the fins), but apparently the better surface finish of the Hybrid Hedgehog makes up for that.

Note that we received the Hybrid sample a few weeks later than the Hedgehog 294M sample, so the interesting question is: Do only the Hybrid and the Wing feature the new & better surface finish, or has Kanie generally improved their production process, which would mean that more recently produced Hedgehog 294M also have a smoother surface? We were unable to find out - but this is a good question to ask your retailer before buying a Hedgehog. The difference is so obvious (compare the reflection of the coin on the Hybrid/Hedgehog 294M photos!) that it should be visible at first glance.

Anyways, just like the Hedgehog 294M, the Hybrid is just an average performer - it cools well, but better heatsinks are available now.


Kanie Hybrid Hedgehog
Fan: available with a variety of fans. Tested with Delta 60x25 7000rpm
Price: unknown
Advantages
  • Relatively good performance
  • Perfect surface finish
Disadvantages
  • Very loud when used with Delta fan
  • Both cheaper and more efficient coolers are available


Taisol CGK760xx2

The Taisol CGK760xx2 heatsink looks very similar to the CGK742092 we reviewed before - the only difference is the copper inlay on the newer model. The "xx" in the model number stands for either "09" (version with thermal pad) or "00" (no interface material). We got the "09" version, but converted it to a "00" version by removing the thermal pad (and using thermal compound instead).

cooler photo

View from below

Installation and clip

Just like previous models, this cooler uses Taisol's excellent clip, which takes advantage of all six cleats on the CPU socket. Installation is straightforward; a screwdriver is required, though. A thermal pad is preinstalled on the heatsink.

Performance and noise, conclusion

Taisol offers a choice of two fans: A 60x10mm Delta fan, or a high-rpm 60x25mm Delta fan. The high-rpm fan looks like the 7000rpm Delta units that come with many other heatsinks, but it is not identical: Taisol ships model AFB0612VH (made in Thailand), the more common 7000rpm fans are model AFB0612EH (made in China). The Taisol-supplied model is slightly less efficient, and also a little less noisy.

We tested the cooler with three fans: The two fans supplied by Taisol, and the common 7000rpm Delta fan.

With the 60x10mm fan, the Taisol cooler is a solid OEM product, combining bearable noise level cooling performance that is for all of today's non-overclocked CPUs. With the Taisol-supplied Delta fan, or the  7000 rpm Delta fan, this cooler is also suitable for overclocking - although it's not the top choice for hardcore overclockers.

 
Taisol CGK760xx2
Fan: Delta 60x10mm or Delta 60x25mm
Price: unknown
Advantages
  • Good performance
  • Good noise/performance ratio with 60x10mm fan
  • Good clip
Disadvantages
  • More efficient coolers are available (e.G. Thermalright SK6)


Akasa "Silver Mountain"

The Akasa Silver Mountain is an all-copper heatsink, produced with a similar method as the Kanie Hedgehog: Cut fins are inserted into a copper base. The Silver Mountain (hence the name) additionally features a silver plating. The purpose of this plating remains unknown to us; silver conducts heat only slightly better than copper, the plating is too thin to affect cooling, and silver will also oxidize over time, just like copper.


cooler photo

The Silver Mountain mirror (eeh... heatsink)

Now that's a perfect surface finish!

Installation and clip

The Silver Mountain's clip uses just two of the six cleats on the Socket. Installation requires a screwdriver, but is easy. Thermal compound is included.

Performance and noise, conclusion 

The Silver Mountain performed ok, but couldn't particularly stand out from the crowd. As all coolers equiped with 7000rpm fans, it is very loud. At around $39, it isn't cheap either, so we'd rather recommend the cheaper and more efficient Thermalright SK6.


Akasa "Silver Mountain"
Fan: Delta 7000rpm
Price: around $39
Advantages
  • Looks cool
  • Relatively good performance
Disadvantages
  • Very loud
  • Both cheaper and more efficient coolers are available


Vantec CCK-6035D

Vantec's CCK-6035D is a bonded fin copper cooler. The outer shell that holds the heatsink is made of aluminum.

Cooler photo  
 


What a surface!


We received three packages with samples of this cooler from Vantec. The first shipment contained a handmade prototype.
The second shipment contained the final production version. The third shipment arrived without any comment.

What is the difference between the coolers found in the second and third shipment? Well, have a look at the surface finish:

See the difference

On the left, the cooler from the second shipment, on the right from the third shipment.
Obviously, Vantec has substantially improved surface finish. Note that both coolers shown here are "production" units and not prototypes;
so if you plan to buy this cooler, make sure you get a recently produced one with the good surface finish.

Installation and clip

Vantec's cooler comes with a clip that uses only two of the six pegs on the socket. Since this cooler isn't very heavy for a copper cooler, this shouldn't cause problems - although we still prefer six-cleat mounting clips. Thermal compound is included.

Performance and noise, conclusion

The cooling performance of the Vantec CCK-6035 is good, but not particularly impressive. In past roundups, Vantec coolers have never been the top performers, but they could always convinve with a good price/performance ratio. So, if you can get this cooler for around $25, go for it. At $30 or more it might be wiser to chose the Thermalright SK6.

As with all coolers equiped with Delta 7000rpm fan, this cooler is very loud. However, a lower noise version is also available by now - unfortunately it was announced too late to be included in this roundup.


Vantec CCK-6035
Fan: Delta 60x25 7000rpm
Price: around $30
Advantages
  • Relatively good performance
  • Inexpensive
  • Lower noise version also available
Disadvantages
  • Very loud
  • Surface finish on older CCK-6035's isn't as good
  • More efficient coolers are available


Thermosonic/Thermal Integration Thermoengine

We already reviewed the "Thermoengine" in our last roundup, where it showed remarkable performance - in part due to the heat pipe inside the core. However, a while after the roundup was published, we were informed that the final production version would simply have a solid aluminum core, without the heat pipe. So the version supplied to reviewers was different than the one that would actually hit the shelves. This is a practice we don't like, and we procured ourselves another "Thermoengine" - this time not from the manufacturer itself, but from a normal retailer.

Cooler photo  
 

The photo showes the Thermoengine with a 60x10mm fan, for testing we used a Delta 7000rpm fan


What a surface!

The comparison

This photo shows you how to distinguish the newer "solid core" Thermoengine (left) from the older "heat pipe" version (right).
You will have to uninstall the fan in order to see the difference.

Installation and clip

The Thermoengine comes with a clip that uses just two of the six cleats on the socket. However, since the cooler is rather light, this isn't a problem. A thermal pad is preinstalled on the cooler, which we removed for testing.

Performance and noise, conclusion

In our particular test setup, the new Thermoengine without heat pipe proved to be slightly less efficient than the preproduction version. We would like to emphasize that this applies only to our particular test setup. The trouble with "heat pipes" is that they can only transport a certain amount of heat, and once the heat pipe is "maxed out", it will conduct heat only very poorly. Also, the heat pipe's performance might depend on the mounting (horizontal or vertical). So, under other circumstances (e.g. when using a high-powered CPU, like an Athlon overclocked to 1.6GHz), the new Thermoengine might perform better than the old version with heat pipe. So, all in all it seems like a good decision to drop the "heat pipe" design.

The new Thermoengine's performance is still quite amazing for an all-aluminum heatsink; however by now more efficient coolers are available.


Thermosonic Thermoengine (solid core)
Fan: 60x10mm; tested with Delta 60x25 7000rpm
Price: around $33
Advantages
  • Relatively good performance, considering this is an all-aluminum design
  • Light
Disadvantages
  • Very loud when used with Delta fan
  • More efficient coolers are available


Thermaltake Dragon Orb 3 

Thermaltake's previous coolers often had an interesting outlook, and their Dragon Orb follows this tradition:

cooler photo
 

Previous Thermaltake 'Orb' models had the fan integrated into the heatsink. This, however, limited fan size. With the Dragon Orb, Thermaltake solves this problem by mounting the fan on top of the cooler. The lower part of the cooler looks similar (but not identical) to older Orb models; the fan is mounted in an aluminum case with a copper-color andoization. The heatsink features a copper inlay, which makes it quite heavy.

The copper core


The copper core features it's own little copper heatsink. However, it is located directly below the fan motor, so it can't take advantage of much air flow.

View from below

Installation and clip

The Dragon Orb is quite heavy, but thanks to its good clip, which uses all six cleats on the socket, can be fixed safely.

Performance and noise, conclusion

We tested two version of the Dragon Orb: One with 3000rpm fan, and one with 7000rpm fan. Noise-wise, the 7000rpm version was even a little worse than the Delta 7000rpm fan, but performance-wise, the Dragon Orb is quite a bit behind other recent coolers equiped with that 7000rpm fan - so we can't recommend the high RPM version for overclockers. We don't recommend the 3000rpm version for a quiet PC either - it is too loud for the cooling performance it provides (even though it is still efficient enough to cool all current non-overclocked Socket A/370 CPUs).

 
Thermaltake Dragon Orb
Fan: Evercool 60x25mm style without case  (7000rpm or 3000rpm)
Price: Around $32
Advantages
  • Looks cool
  • Good clip
Disadvantages
  • Neither the 7000rpm model nor the 3000rpm model provides a good performance/noise ration


Swiftech MCX370

The Swiftech MCX370 is the successor of the MC370. The major difference to the older model are the fins - they now look like screws (although they don't have a real thread):

Cooler photo  
 


What a surface!  

Installation and clip

The MCX370 uses Swiftech's proprietary clip concept; it requires a screwdriver to install it. Installation is easy and well-documented. The clip uses just two of the six cleats on the socket - but since the cooler isn't too heavy, this doesn't cause problems.

Performance and noise, conclusion

The MCX370 uses a high quality Papst fan, which, despite moving a lot of air, isn't excessively loud. That doesn't mean it is quiet, either - but it is a lot more bearable than the Delta 7000rpm fans. Additionally, Swiftech mounts the fan on rubber washers, to prevent vibrations. Performance-wise, the MCX370 is also a bit behind the coolers with 7000rpm fans - not only due to the slower-spinnging fan, but also due to the fact that we're dealing with an all-aluminum design.

Conclusion: A reasonable balance between performance and noise, but at a very high price. We like the fan, but we've seen better heatsinks.


Swiftech MCX370
Fan: Papst 60x25
Price: Around $50
Advantages
  • Reasonable performance/noise ration
  • High quality fan
Disadvantages
  • Expensive
  • no RPM monitoring
  • More efficient coolers are available


A Conto Noisecontrol "Silverado"

 

With the Silverado, A Conto Noisecontrol shows that it is possible to make one of the most highly regarded heatsinks from standardized parts: An extruded aluminum heatsink (EKL), a round silver plate of the kind that is normally used for embossing medals or memorial coins, and two Nidec "squirrel cage" blowers.

The silver plate is screwed on the heatsink on the side that is in contact with the CPU; the two blowers are fixed to the heatsink with metal bars and glued to each other with hot glue.


The Silverado is rather hard to get, especially for those outside Europe. Even our request for a sample was ignored, and emails to the manufacturer remained unanswererd. But thanks to Chillblast , we got our hands on a sample.

The Silverado
 

The Silverado - an interesting construction

View from below

View from below - thanks to the silver coin screwed onto the heatsink, the contact area to the CPU is very smooth.

The NMB blower

A Conto uses two Nidec blowers - these have been popular among overclockers for years.

Installation and clip  

The weak point of the Silverado is the mounting. The Silverado's clip uses only two of the six cleats on the socket. The cooler is rather high, and therefore the center of gravity is far away from the socket. So, when moving the PC around, the heatsink could break off and damage the CPU socket. The manufacturer is apparently aware of this problem,  and includes a note that the Silverado should be uninstalled before moving the PC. Definately not practical, especially for people who regularly visit LAN parties. Also, the Silverado is a little tricky to install. On the good side, the Silverado ships with thermal compound and material for preventing motherboard vibrations.

Performance and noise, conclusion

The Silverado ships with various adapters that provide different voltages for the fans (6V, 8V, 10V, or - without adapter - 12V), to  minimize noise by allowing users to select the cooling performance that is just sufficient for their needs. Even with these adapters, rpm monitoring is possible. In 12V mode, the Silverado cools well enough to allow moderate overclocking, while being quieter than the coolers equiped with a Delta 7000rpm fan. In 6V mode (the quietest), it will provide enough cooling for AMD CPUs with up to 1.2GHz. Still, even in this mode, the Silverado is louder than the Alpha PAL8045 with Papst 8412NGL fan - even though the Alpha/Papst combination cools better.

Being able to adjust the fan RPM with various adapters is better than nothing, but from a company specialized in low-noise products, we would have expected an automatic, temperature-controlled fan speed adjustment. Especially considering the price of the Silverado.

Conclusion: The Silverado is a good cooler - but its performance doesn't justify the high price. For the same price, you can also get the Alpha PAL8045 with a high-quality fan. And, with the right fan, the Alpha will always provide a better noise/cooling performance ratio than the Silverado. Users who want a lower noise cooler, but can't use the Alpha because of the lack of mounting holes in the motherboard, should consider the Silverado - but only if they don't move their PC around.

 
A Conto "Silvearado"
Fan: Two Nidec Gamma28 blowers
Price: around $70
Advantages
  • Reasonable compromise between noise and cooling performance
Disadvantages
  • Poor mounting mechanism
  • Too expensive


Glacial Tech Igloo 2300

The Glacial Tech Igloo 2300 uses a "plain vanilla" extruded heatsink, and comes with a T&T 60x15mm fan.

Additionally, we also tested the cooler with a 7000rpm Delta fan.

Cooler photo  
 


Check the compound...

Interesting detail: At first glance, it looks like the Igloo 2300 has a thermal pad, but as soon as you touch it, you'll notice that it's preapplied silver-based thermal compound. This combines the advantages of a thermal pad (easy installation) with the better thermal transfer characteristics of thermal compound. Also, it makes sure that the layer of thermal compound is always thin - too much compound doesn't do good. In order to avoid smearing the compound during transport, the Igloo 2300's backside is covered by a plastic hood.

  
Installation and clip


The Igloo 2300 comes with a very convenient clip with a large handle, which allows very easy installation without any tools. The clip uses only two of the six cleats on the socket, but that shouldn't cause problems, since the cooler is very light.

Performance and noise, conclusion

According to the manufacturer, the Igloo 2300 is suitable for Athlon CPUs with up to 1.5GHz - we consider this a bit too optimistic. The cooler could neither score with high cooling performance nor with particularly low noise. With the Delta 7000rpm fan, it cools better, but not to the point where we'd recommend it.


Glacialtech Igloo 2300
Fan: 60x15mm T&T, also tested w/ Delta 7000rpm
Price: unknown
Advantages
  • Preapplied silver thermal compound
Disadvantage
  • Neither particularly efficient nor particularly quiet


Fanner/Spire 5T061B1H3R

5T061B1H3R - that looks like a really hard to crack password for some high-security system, but it's actually the model name of one of Spire's Socket A coolers.

Cooler photo  
 


Check the compound...

What is the purpose of these air channels in the base? We don't know.
There's also a little hole which could be used for placing a thermal sensor for the fan - however the fan is not temperature controlled.

  
Installation and clip


The Spire cooler comes with a standard clip, which uses only two of the Socket's pegs. Installation is easy; a screwdriver is required.

This is the first cooler with a 70mm fan we've ever seen. Most fan manufacturers don't even make 70mm fans. However, we believe that this size is very suitable for CPU coolers; larger fans are always better, but 80mm fans on CPU coolers might cause problems with motherboard/case compability. So, a 70mm fan makes sense - we'd like to see more cooler manufacturers switch from 60 to 70mm.

Performance and noise, conclusion

The Spire cooler isn't the most efficient or the quietest cooler, but thanks to its pretty standard design - no copper involved, extruded heatsink - it will not be expensive. Although we don't know the exact retail price yet, we can say that this cooler will provide a reasonable compromise between cooling performance, noise and price. It is suitable for all current Athlon CPUs; we don't recommend it for overclocking, though.


Fanner/Spire 5T061B1H3R
Fan: 70x15mm proprietary (Fanner)
Price: unknown (inexpensive)
Advantages
  • Reasonable compromise between performance, noise and price.
  • Silver-based thermal compound included
Disadvantage
  • Not recommended for overclocking.


Tiger Electronics "Miprocool"

The Miprocool consists of a pretty standard extruded all-aluminum heatsink, who's outer fins are bent in order to accomodate an 80mm fan.

cooler photo
 

Miprocool - bottom


The most interesting detail about the Miprocool is the temperature-controlled fan. Its sensor can be placed inside the base plate of the heatsink; a hole for this purpose is present, and thermal compound for mounting it is also included. 

The sensor

Installation and clip

The Miprocool comes with a good clip that uses all six cleats on the socket. Although the cooler is pretty large, it is unlikely that it will interfere with components close to CPU socket, thanks to its narrow base. A thermal pad is preinstalled, which we removed for the test. We recommend to do the same - especially considering that thermal compound is included anyways.

Performance and noise, conclusion

The Miprocool definately isn't a good choice for overclockers - since the fan spins at max speed only when a relatively high temperature has already been reached. But for non-overclocked CPUs, the temperature control makes sense, and the way Tiger Electronics have implemented it is good. On the temperature-controlled coolers we previously tested, the thermal sensor measured only ambient air temperature, the Miprocool measures the temperature there where it counts - on the base plate.

Thanks to the temperature control, the Miprocool will be rather quiet in normal operation, especially when a CPU with low power consumption is being used. Not as quiet as the Alpha PAL8045 with Papst NGL fan, or the Silverado - but these units are much more expensive.

Performance-wise, the Miprocool wasn't too good - a pretty standard Aluminum heatsink, without any copper inlay, and a fan optimized for lower noise don't make a high performance cooler. Nevertheless, the Miprocool provides enough cooling Athlon CPUs up to about 1.2GHz (we wouldn't recommend it for higher clock speeds, though if you're lucky it might work). The simple design helps to keep costs down.

If you have no overclocking plans, a CPU with just 1.2GHz or less, and want an inexpensive, reasonably quiet cooler, then the Miprocool is a good choice. Tiger Electronics is a German company, though - so it remains to be seen whether this unit makes it to the US market.

 
Tiger Electronics "Miprocool"
Fan: Adda 80x25mm, temperature controlled
Price: unknown (DM 49.- in Germany, which is very inexpensive)
Advantages
  • Temperature-controlled fan, good sensor placement
  • Not very loud
  • Good clip
  • Inexpensive
Disadvantages
  • Cooling performance isn't too good
  • Not suitable for overclocking


Zalman CNPS3100 and CNPS3100 Gold

Do all CPU coolers look alike? No - Zalman proves this, with their "flower" coolers: the CNPS3001 and CNPS3001Gold. They are made of copper plates, that are tightly screwed together and then spread out. Only the heatsink itself is fixed to the CPU, the fan is mounted to the case, using the same screws that hold the first AGP/PCI cards.

The difference between the CNPS3001 and the CNPS3001 Gold is that the "Gold" version features a gold (yes, real gold) plating.  Why gold? Gold doesn't conduct heat particularly well, and the plating is way too thin to affect performance. But unlike copper or silver, it doesn't oxidize over time - so the "Gold" version will keep its cooling performance over many years.

Here's the CNPS3100:

cooler photo
 

And here's the CNPS3100 Gold:

View from below



Zalman CNPS3100 and CNPS3100 Gold (continued)

When looking at the pictures on the last page, you might be wondering: Where is the fan? The fan is a separate part. Let's have a look at how the cooler looks when it is installed:

Installed CNPS

One of the problems related to this design is that depending on where on the motherboard the CPU is located, the fan might or might not blow directly on the cooler. On the other hand, it some cases the fan also provides some airflow to the chipset's north bridge.

CNPS3100 - bottom


The Gold version - bottom

Installation

The CNPS3100 cooler come with a standard clip which uses just two of the six cleat s on the socket. Since the heavy fan assembly isn't fixed to the CPU socket, but directly to the case, the risk of breaking off the heatsink when moving around the PC is small.

Performance and noise, conclusion 

Both the CNPS3100 and the CNPS3100 Gold performed exactly on par with one another, as expected. The cooling performance is disappointing - but CNPS (which stands for Computer Noise Prevention System) is about low noise and not about high cooling performance.

With the included adapter - which simply consists of two plugs, three wires and a resistor - the fan voltage can be lowered; the CNPS will then run in "noiseless mode". The expression "noiseless" isn't a marketing hype - it is simply true. In noiseless mode, the CNPS3001 is the quietest cooler we've ever tested (interesting detail: when the fan is mounted vertically, it is even a little quieter than when it's mounted horizontally). When the fan alone runs in an otherwise silent room, you really have to listen carefully to hear it, and when the cooler is installed in the case, it is absolutely unhearable.

The cooling performance in "noiseless mode", however, is even more disappointing. If you plan to buy the fastest AMD CPU on the market, or if you even have overclocking plans, then the CNPS3001 isn't for you.  However, even in noiseless mode, the CNPS3001 will provide just enough cooling to keep a 1GHz Athlon (Thunderbird), or a 1.2GHz Athlon MP (Palomino). So if you have such a CPU - or a a slower one  - then the CNPS3001 can be a good choice. Again, this cooler isn't just quiet, it's silent. It is also a good choice for noise-conscious users of non-overclocked Celeron and P3 CPUs - the cooling requirements of current Intel CPUs are not as high as of their AMD counterparts. In any case, check case and motherboard compability before buying this cooler. If it doesn't fit your motherboard, it will perform even worse than it already does.

 
Zalman CNPS3100 (Gold)
Fan: Zalman 80mm
Price: Gold version: a little over $42, copper version cheaper
Advantages
  • In "noiseless mode" absolutely the lowest noise cooler we ever reviewed
Disadvantages
  • Poor cooling performance, in "noiseless mode" only suitable for Athlon CPUs up to about 1GHz.
  • Cooling performance even in "normal mode" isn't sufficient for overclocked CPUs
  • Does not fit all motherboard/case combinations


Fanner/Spire 5E34B3-H

The 5E34B3-H follows Spire's tradition of model names that are impossible to remember. It is smaller the Spire 5T061B1H3R, but features a copper inlay.

Cooler photo 


From below

Installation and clip

The Spire cooler comes with a standard clip, which uses only two of the Socket's pegs. Installation is easy; a screwdriver is required.

Performance and noise, conclusion

A small heatsink, a copper inlay that has a very poor finish and isn't well embedded into the heatsink, plus a fan that's small and rather noisy - this is not the receipe for making a good heatsink. We recommend to stay away from this model - especially considering that the same manufacturer makes a cooler that is both quieter and more efficient.


Fanner/Spire 5E34B3-H
Fan: 60x15mm proprietary (Fanner)
Price: unknown (inexpensive)
Advantages
  • Silver-based thermal compound included
Disadvantage
  • Poor cooling performance
  • Lound (considering the cooling performance)


Conclusion

The winner of this roundup is the Alpha PAL8045. Depending on which fan you use with it, it provides either the best performance (with the Delta 68CFM fan), the best performance/noise ratio (with the Orix fan supplied by Alpha), or the lowest noise with still sufficient cooling performance for all current non-overclocked Socket A CPUs (with Papst 8412NGL fan). Also the mounting method is convincing. However,  the PAL8045 does not fit most motherboards for Intel CPUs: They do not have the necessary mounting holes.

Kanie's new "Wing type" cooler could also convince performance-wise (and is compatible with motherboards for Intel CPUs); however it is excessively loud when equiped with the Delta fans, and therefore we don't recommend this combination.

Quite impressive was the cooling performance of the Thermalright SK6 - the best of all coolers with one 60mm fan - especially considering the relatively small size of the unit. This cooler is our recommendation for overclocking Intel CPUs. This cooler is also available with a variety of fans, so you might chose a quieter one if you don't need cutting-edge performance. At around $34, this is also a good choice for those who want good cooling performance, but find the Alpha PAL8045, Kanie Wing, or Swiftech MC462 too expensive.

Cool Jag, a new cooler manufacturer that offers heatsink with amazingly fine copper fins, could also convince with their JAC-212C; it performed quite close to the Thermalright SK6. Since the cooler has not appeared on the market yet (at least not under this name), we do not know the retail price yet - but if it is attractive, then this cooler is definately a good alternative. Right now these coolers are sold under the name "DYNATRON DC1206BM-0" for about $40, which we consider a little too expensive, compared to the Thermalright SK6.

Those who are not overclocking and want just sufficient cooling performance at the lowest possible noise level, should consider the
Alpha PAL8045 with Papst 8412NGL fan - where available. When even less cooling performance is required (for lower MHz CPUs or most Intel CPUs), but even lower noise is desired, the Zalman CNPS 3001 with their "noiseless" 5V adapter are an option to be considered, if they are compatible with your motherboard/case combination. They don't cool too well, but they are as quiet as it gets.



A look to the future

Following this roundup, here are a few thoughts about where the heatsink  market is moving, and where it should move in our opinion:

- "Through motherboard" mounting is the way to go. Heatsinks get heavier, CPUs are fragile, and reports of heatsink mounting pegs that broke off the socket are quite frequent. All Socket A motherboards have four little holes around the socket, which allow large heatsinks to be fixed the motherboard itself instead of just the socket. This way of mounting is definately more stable and safer, especially for heavy heatsinks. Swiftech were the first to recognize this, by now Zalman and Alpha have followed - let's hope other manufacturers will do the same. If a classic "socket" clip is still being used, it should at least be designed in a way that it uses all six pegs on the socket - and not just two, especially when the heatsink is heavy. The worst-case examples are the Millenium Glaciator and the Silverado: Despite being heavy, they use just two pegs - and therefore their manufacturers recommend to uninstall the heatsink whenever the PC is moved. Definately not practical.

- Larger fans are the way to go. In our "cooling technology overview", we pointed out that larger, slower-spinning fans provide a better ratio between airflow and performance than fast-spinning, smaller fans. In '97, the transition from 50mm fans to 60mm fans for CPU cooler started.  Right now, the transition from 60mm to 80mm starts - and this is good. We'd like to see more coolers using larger fans, instead of using even faster-spinning 60mm fans (like the new Delta 8000rpm fans, which we intentionally didn't use for our test - we don't recommend these even for hardcore overclockers, because the noise level is simply unbearable).

- Temperature controlled fans are the way to go. We've seen temperature controlled fans in AnandTech cooler roundups before. But these had a built-in sensor that just measures ambient temperature. For best results, the fan speed should depend on the actual heatsink temperature. This time, somebody finally does it right: Tiger Electronics. On their cooler, the sensor is embedded into the base plate, and measures the temperature there were it counts. The ideal solution would be a temperature control where the temperature at which the CPU should be kept can be adjusted by the user - this would make temperature controlled fans even suitable for overclocking. A fan temperature control with user-adjustable temperature range (as it is sold by Thetatech) can be made from just three parts (for those interested: a MOSFET transistor, an NTC, and a potentiometer), and could be mass-produced for about $2. We will publish the simple plan for this circuit, as well as recommendations for suitable transistors, on heatsink-guide.com in fall.

- Copper is the way to go. In this roundup, most coolers were made of copper or at least contained a copper inlay. Especially the outstanding performance of the Thermalright SK6 proves that this makes sense - copper coolers can be both compact and efficient.



Manufacturer links

Silverado sample supplied by Chillblast

Hedgehog-294M, Wing and Hybrid samples supplied by Bacata

  • Cool Jag - no website

Sample supplied by manufacturer

MCX370 Sample supplied by manufacturer

Miprocool sample supplied by manufacturer

SK6 sample supplied by manufacturer

CNPS5001 sample supplied by Frozen Silicon
CNPS5000+, CNPS3100 and CNPS3100 Gold samples supplied by manufacturer

  • Akasa

Silver Mountain sample supplied by Bacata .

Sample supplied by manufacturer

Thermoengine (solid core) supplied by Frozen Silicon

Samples supplied by manufacturer

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