| Best CPU Cooler Performance Intel/AMD Q1-2010 |  |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Cooling | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Written by Olin Coles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Friday, 12 March 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Intel 980X: Stock Cooling FanBenchmark Reviews tries to cover every angle, but sometimes it's just not possible given our time constraints. Past articles from our 'Best CPU Cooler Performance' series have largely focused on the Intel Core 2 Duo/Quad LGA775 socket, and while the results are relevant to users owning that series of processor, the new Core i7 platform is completely different. To the inexperienced enthusiast, a top-performing LGA775 cooler might be (mistakenly) considered worthy for cooling a new LGA1366 Core i7 project. This would be a grave error, because not only are the two processors different in overall size, they also place the processor cores in different locations. Simply stated: what worked well on a Core 2 platform may not work very good at all with Core i7. Since our Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition six-core Gulftown test processor has been overclocked to 4.0GHz for both LGA1366-based heatsink tests, the only real difference will be the fans used. For the "Stock Cooling Fan" results, Benchmark Reviews tests our collection of LGA1366 heatsinks for this article with the manufacturer-included fan, so that performance will be relevant to consumers using the cooling product in stock form. Manufacturer-supplied stock cooling fans usually offer either extremely high airflow or incredibly low noise, so there's a lot riding on what's packaged with the kit. Sure, there's added importance on the cooler's design and construction, but at the stock level these factors really don't carry tremendous weight. Benchmark Reviews has tested several new products (along with a few top-performers from previous tests) in stock form for the Intel LGA1366 socket, with the average temperature difference (core temp minus ambient temp) noted beside each heatsink:
Using the included stock fan, the $69.95 Cogage Arrow yields an impressive performance of only 28.8°C over the ambient room temperature. For only $34.99 though, the Scythe Mugen-2 nearly ties performance by earning 29.0°C over ambient. Zalman's CNPS10X-Permorma also joins the top heatsinks after posting 29.71°C, while the Titan FENRIR and Thermolab BARAM chase it similar results. Not far behind the leaders is giant-sized Noctua NH-D14 that produced 30.09°C with two NF-P14 140mm fans. At an affordable $39.95 price point, the Cogage TRUE Spirit brings top-end performance to mainstream enthusiasts on a budget. The Coolink Corator-DS heatsink offers excellent cooling performance with very little noise, and produced only 31.48°C over ambient with the stock SWiF2-120P fan. Tuniq's Tower-120 Extreme, the inexpensive CyberPowerPC XtremeGear HP-1216B, Xigmatek Balder SD1283, and 3R-System IceAge Prima Boss-II all battle within the 32°C range. A noisy ZEROtherm Nirvana NV120-Premium delivered 33.44°C over ambient, while a much more quiet Cooler Master Hyper-N620 produced 34.27°C. The Thermaltake Contac-29, twin-fan Noctua NH-U12P SE1366, and Intel DBX-B Advanced Thermal Solution each offered a silent 36°C over ambient temperature. All in all, every single heatsink performed very well with an already-overclocked Intel 980X processor running at 4.0GHz with 1.375 volts. If you want to see how all of these coolers performed with a high-volume cooling fan attached to the overclocked 980X processor, please continue into the next section...
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Comments
HTPC/Desktop cases which rest horizontally and position the heatsink upright will have slightly better results.
I'm trying to decide between the Prolimatech, Scythe, and Zalmans. I like the Prolimatech for the best performance and the Scythe for almost equal performance but much cheaper. The Zalman's are nice because they're in the middle for cost, although they perform worse yet cost more than the Scythe (unless the Flex performs better than the Performa). My main concern with the Scythe is you mentioned a "giant hassle for installation." Can you elaborate on that or point me to a link where it's discussed?
For an i7-920/930 build with intent to OC to the 3.8-4.0 range, which of these four would you suggest, or do you think they would all be up to the task?
I would order and i did, should be here tomorrow, Prolimatech megahelms. I am waiting to see what they give me for a fan (it comes with one now) before i order Noctua NF-P12-1300 120MM fans. From what i can tell they have the best static pressure available, exactly what you need to blow through that rad.
promlimatech / noctua fans. my 2 cents
As for the Mugen install, I've looked through the article over and over and I can't find what you're referencing. There's not even an entry in the article index for the Scythe. I guess I'll just have to check out other reviews on it elsewhere to see if anyone else mentions anything.
I have a P658D Premium motherboard. Could/should I just connect the second fan to one of the extra case fan connectors? As I noted, the case fans could possibly all connect to the PSU directly since they have adapters for that.
I will check out the site. Contacting ASUS is in my list, but I want to build the box this weekend, not wait until Monday. :)
One of the fans makes a horrid noise, so I am only running with the push now, so the problem is gone for a while.
On the AMD X4-965 Stock Cooling Fan page the writer listed the NH-D14 with two 140mm fans. The NH-D14 comes with a 120mm and 140mm fan (NF-P12 and NF-P14), not two 140mm fans.
On the Intel 980x Stock Cooling Fan page it's also listed with "2x 140".
On the AMD X4-965 High-Output Fan page the NH-D14 is again for some strange reason listed with "stock 140mm fans" as opposed to having the Yate Loon 88 CFM fans mounted on it like every other cooler on the page.
On the Intel 980x High-Output Fan page the writer mentioned that the NH-D14 had two Xigmatek 140x140x25mm XLF-F1453 fans (63.5 CFM) mounted instead of the Yate Loon (88 CFM) fans mounted on every other cooler except the Prolimatech Armageddon, which also had the Xigmatek fans mounted.
I thought it was supposed to have the Yate Loon fans installed as per the test methodology?
I only ask because in the Q1 review you did not test the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE or Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition with the 'showdown' between the Yate Loon fan on these CPU's vs... another fan.
#search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=603-1164-ND
that's better.
RL
##hardware-specs.net/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=details&tableid=2&fabrik=2&rowid=2203
I'll have to use the stock cooler until I find another option.
where are the #ing charts?
but, but.. it seems like this test purpurce it overclockers, because, nothing about noise lvl. at least i could not find it!!!
when i am looking for coolers, i always look for, what temperature, can it hold the cpu, at lowest rpm, and the cpu working. ( with supported fan )
a lot of ppl hates noice more than been able to overclock. there for the lowest rpm combined with the cpu working, is a good indication, on what coolers can do the work and wich one, only are for high rpm cooling.
so the noice lvl, is at least as important as temperature. and it should be about 50celcius or lower, by normal use.
( still at lowest rpm. )
my zalmon copper cooler, can still do the job, at lowest rpm with my old cpu ( i almost cant hear it )
so remember: measure noice lvl every time, so we dont have to guess !!! ( with stock cooler )
Thanks in advance.
Thank you very much for your reply and help. I REALLY appreciate it.
is it normal without overclocking.
My CPU fan in rpm is 1510rpm chasis 1 :700rpm,chasis 2 is : 637rpm.
please please please please advice me my e-mail id is : pallab_deadboy@yahoo .co.in.
thanks 4 reading it
However, I think your cooler should be getting lower temps. Your chassis fans look as to be set for 'quiet' performance but your CPU fan is 'cranking' on the fast side. I would think you would be getting below 30.degrees easily without any OC'n as you mentioned.
I'd try a new TIM, or completely clean and re-apply your Thermal(TIM) paste. I use Artic Silver or Tuniq. My Spire Thermax Eclipse II keeps my Thuban at 21.degrees when I had it at stock config.