TITLE: Best CPU Cooler Performance - Q3 2008 @ Benchmark Reviews

DESCRIPTION: When it comes down to it, consumers that shop for aftermarket cooling products only want one thing: the very best their money can buy.  It makes perfect sense, too.  Since so many products flood the market every day, it all comes down to price and performance.  Based on this principal, Benchmark Reviews searches out the latest CPU coolers and tests them under real-world overclocked conditions.  Want to know which cooling products stand-out?  This quarterly update to our Best CPU Cooler Performance series will separate the good from the bad.

ARTICLE URL: http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=203&Itemid=62

Direct Link:
http://www.modreactor.com/english/Reviews/Evercool-Buffalo-CPU-cooler-review.html

Brief: In the following review we’re going to take a look at the new
cooler from our old friends Evercool - Buffalo. It’s a cooler with 2
heatpipes and a 100mm fan on the side. Let’s find out what we’re
getting for the minimal sum that we have to part with to get this
“Bull”.

Article Name: Thermaltake PW 850I Pro Water CPU Liquid Cooling System Review @ Tweaknews.net
Article Url: http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/thermaltake_850i_prowater_liquid_cooling_system_review/

Article Snippet:

“The ProWater 850i has a lot going for it. Performance is good, setup is easy, and all required parts are included along with a generous helping of accessories. The kit succeeded in keeping an AMD 5000+ Black Edition CPU cool during stress testing without all the noise associated with air cooling. As an added bonus, the tubing is UV reactive so it will look cool in a windowed case with UV lighting.”

Title: Zalman CNPS 9300AT review at Overclockers Online
Link: http://www.overclockersonline.net/?page=articles&num=2031
Quote: While Zalman’s CNPS9300 AT certainly isn’t going to dethrone any
of the top performance heatsinks, it is a very capable heatsink in a
smaller frame than its older siblings. Installation is simple as long as
you are used to removing the motherboard for Intel boards. Operation of
the heatsink even at high speeds was quiet for me, though the amount of
noise for something being silent can vary from application to
application, however I wouldn’t see the 9300 AT being a problem in a
HTPC.

Sunnyvale, CA—September 25, 2008—OCZ Technology Group, Inc. a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory and computer components, today unveiled the “HydroFlow” HF-MK1 Waterblock for superior CPU watercooling. Designed with the highest possible exchange rate between the block and coolant, the HydroFlow can be easily integrated into any enthusiast system and help efficiently lower the processor temperature.

“The HydroFlow HF-MK1 targets the highest possible thermal exchange rate between a solid body and the surrounding fluid, while maintaining enough cross sectional area for superior thermal conductance within the fin structure,” commented Dr. Michael Schuette, V.P. of Technology Development at OCZ Technology. “Additionally, the relieved contact area concentrates the pressure on the actual die area of any processor, thereby minimizing the thermal interface material-induced loss in heat dissipation. In short, the HydroFlow epitomizes the recent advances in fluid cooling at an affordable price.”

The triangular fins in the HF-MK1 provide the highest volume to surface ratio of any geometric shape for best dissipation possible, and this special design also creates sufficient turbulence to eliminate the “skin” effect caused by laminar flow. The base block of the HydroFlow increases center contact with the processor core for the greatest possible cooling potential, ensuring maximum exchange and functionality between the waterblock and CPU.

Whether you’re a first-time builder or a seasoned case-modder, OCZ makes the HydroFlow easy to integrate into your rig by supplying both high-flow 3/8” and 1/2” barbs in the packaging without the hassle of searching for compatible hardware. The HydroFlow HF-MK1 is affordable with an MSRP of $39.99, yet a technologically advanced solution to keep your processor functioning at optimal levels.

PR LINK

PRODUCT PAGE

Vienna, September 25th 2008 - Noctua today released four new CPU coolers for Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron processors. Optimized for use in dual socket systems, the new DX (Dual Xeon) and DO (Dual Opteron) versions of Noctua’s highly successful NH-U12 and NH-U9 series introduce the premium quality quiet cooling performance that has become synonymous with Noctua to the world of professional workstations and servers.

“Maximum cooling performance at minimum noise levels and excellent reliability can be particularly important when it comes to high-end workstations and special server applications”, explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. “Due to the ever-growing demand for our Xeon and Socket F mounting kits, we decided to design new, customized versions of our coolers that are completely tailor-made for use on Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron systems, especially dual socket configurations. Enter the DX/DO series!”

Read the rest of this entry »

NEW CONTENT (Casing & Cooling) - Thermaltake V14 Pro CPU Cooler

QUOTE: “The V14 Pro is a redesign of the Thermaltake V1 we reviewed back in December 2007. At the time the V1 proved to dominate the retail coolers from both AMD and Intel and even outperformed the Thermaltake MAX by a small margin in load testing. Since then, Heatpipe Direct Touch (HDT) coolers have emerged as the next great cooling technology and Thermaltake needed to increase performance to stay competitive in the highly contested CPU cooler market.

The Thermaltake V14 Pro was born out of this need and on paper looks to be a contender for dominance in CPU cooler performance. With a massive 140mm fan that is capable of running up to 1600 RPMs, six heatpipes, up from the four used on the V1 and standing an impressive 161mm tall, Thermaltake may just have a contender for the crown of best CPU cooler tested here at TweakTown.”

For more information, please visit - http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1603/thermaltake_v14_pro_cpu_cooler/index.html

Best Regards,

The TweakTown Team
http://www.tweaktown.com

When you think cool, you think of Zalman. Or you think of Prince. Either way you have one Killer Chiller. Today my subject is none other than the Zalman CNPS9500. When you take the classic Zalman flower design and combine it with an ultra-quiet fan, a unique heat pipe array, and a little LED bling, you know that you’re going to have the coolest CPU temp in the room, with a little extra flavor.

Any time I get my hands on a Zalman I get that little urge to do an Irish jig. Wooden shoes and all. Oh, wait… that was the Dutch. But you get the idea. Zalman is the first and last name in processor cooling, and today I get the opportunity to test their latest monster, the 9500. While I am a fan of Zalman, I am also a born skeptic, and decided to shove this thing on top of an Intel 2.4Ghz processor and run the crap out of Call of Duty 4 for a little while. Hey, what better way to test a cooler than to punish the processor it’s meant to protect? I love PC masochism.

Review URL ::
http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=1361

Sunbeamtech Core-Contact Freezer CPU Cooler Review

“A new high end heatsink comes to the market, this direct touch heatpipe from Sunbeamtech is equipped with a 120mm fan and aims to deliver excellent price/performance balance. Let´s put it through our load test”

http://www.madshrimps.be/gotoartik.php?articID=874

Auras TwinW SMF660 Intel CPU Cooler Review

“This compact Intel S775 heatsink 3 heat pipes and a 92mm fan squeezed between two aluminum columns. It promises good performance at acceptable noise levels. Let us find out if these claims are true and compare it to 46 CPU coolers we tested in the past.”

http://www.madshrimps.be/gotoartik.php?articID=859

NEW CONTENT (Casing & Cooling) - Zaward Gyre ZCJ010 CPU Cooler

QUOTE: “Being new is much different than doing new. Zaward’s Gyre CPU cooler is new in action. The cooler features HDT, but that is hardly anything fresh at this point. But what is innovative is the design of the cooler, how it operates and the extent of engineering that went into the fan.

By the time we finish this article the extent of engineering that went into the Gyre will be revealed, but it is important to remember that going against the mainstream doesn’t always net better results in performance. We will have to dig deeper to see if that is the case here.”

For more information, please visit - http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1599/zaward_gyre_zcj010_cpu_cooler/index.html

Best Regards,

The TweakTown Team
http://www.tweaktown.com

Title: Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme Review at High Tech Reviews

Snip: There is one heatsink maker that almost everyone turns to when
they want the best cooling possible and that is THERMALRIGHT. Today
we have the opportunity to review one of their top performing
heatsinks - the Ultra 120 eXtreme. So come on along with us as we see
how well this unit performs.

Link:
http://www.hi-techreviews.com/reviews/current-reviews/thermalright-ultra-120-extreme-heatsink-review.html

NEW CONTENT (Casing & Cooling) - Xigmatek Red Scorpion S1283 H.D.T. CPU Cooler

QUOTE: “Now that we have gotten to the source and started working with the masterminds behind Heat-Pipe Direct Touch coolers, it is time to get serious. Our first review from Xigmatek was a low cost 92mm cooler that performed better than all of our low to mid-cost coolers, but left us a little underwhelmed when compared to 120mm coolers.

As you can imagine, we have been looking forward to taking a crack at Xigmatek’s 120mm coolers to see how they compare against 120mm offerings from Noctua, Thermalright and the other CPU coolers tested this past year. Today is the day and I have a pair of coolers from Xigmatek that feature a 120mm fan.”

For more information, please visit - http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1596/xigmatek_red_scorpion_s1283_h_d_t_cpu_cooler/index.html

Best Regards,

The TweakTown Team
http://www.tweaktown.com

OCZ Technology Unveils the Gladiator and Gladiator Max CPU Coolers, Designed for the Latest High Performance Processors

Sunnyvale, CA—September 11, 2008—OCZ Technology Group, Inc. a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory and computer components, today unveiled the OCZ Gladiator and Gladiator Max, the latest CPU cooler line designed for supreme thermal management and efficiency. Combining a distinctive stacked fin array, heat-pipe direct touch (HDT) design, and a large low-noise fan, the Gladiator series is built to take on the cooling challenges of today’s most powerful processors and ensure your system functions at its peak.

“The new Gladiator coolers take the HDT design from the popular Vendetta series to the next level, with the addition of the latest pillar design to transfer heat even more efficiently up and away from your processor,” said Ryan Edwards, Director of Product Management of the OCZ Technology Group. “With the Gladiator series we are able to offer customers sophisticated coolers for the complete spectrum of applications ranging from mainstream gaming to enthusiast overclocking.”

Utilizing the proven performance of the latest HDT design, the Gladiator series has direct contact with the processor using four copper heat pipes to ensure the most rapid heat transfer. The unique “folded” fin configuration also helps maximize surface area while maintaining a compact form factor. Whether you are tight on space and need the small 92mm fan size of the Gladiator, or need the ultimate performance of the larger 120mm Gladiator Max, these coolers accommodate all levels of enthusiasts with a variety of case sizes.

PR LINK

PRODUCT PAGES

Title: Zalman CNPS9300 AT CPU Heatsink Review @ High Tech Reviews

Quote: Zalman has been is the business of making heatsinks that do
are made to do amazing jobs of reducing heat and maintaining a quiet
surrounding. They have come up with a 113mm high heatsink that is
specifically designed for use in HTPCs. It may be small, but it does
and excellant job of cooling without making to much noise while doing
it.

Link:
http://www.hi-techreviews.com/reviews/current-reviews/zalman-cnps9300-cpu-heatsink-review.html

We have just taken a look at the Thermaltake MaxOrb HSF for your favorite CPU and try to find out if it earns a “Max” award in our books.  It’s a decent cooler, and by far the best Orb cooler we’ve seen from Thermaltake, but it isn’t the best cooler we’ve seen.  Still if you’re a fan of the Orb, this cooler should do nicely.  Take a look at our review for all the details.

Title: Thermaltake MaxOrb CPU Cooler - Is It Really?
URL: http://www.bcchardware.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=6113&Itemid=40

Digit-Life Review: Thermaltake BigTyp VP and MaxOrb EX CPU Coolers

Excerpt:
“Today we are going to examine two High-End coolers from Thermaltake — BigTyp VP and MaxOrb EX. Both are actually overhauled versions of their famous predecessors (Big Typhoon and MaxOrb), which formed a positive image in our reviews. So it will be very interesting to see how far these new products have gone in the highly competitive layout of forces of High-End coolers, including other Thermaltake products.”

Article: http://www.digit-life.com/articles3/cpu/tt-bigtyp-maxorb-shootout-july2k8-p1.html

Article Name: Thermalright Ultima-90 Intel/AMD Processor Cooler Review @ Tweaknews.net
Article Url: http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/thermalright_ultima-90_cooler_review/

Article Snippet:

“Thermalright set out to pack the performance of a 120mm cooler into a 90mm package. With the Optima-90I, it looks like they’ve done just that. The cooling is very good with the 90mm fan and the package is relatively compact. As always, the workmanship is outstanding the mounting is not too difficult, though a bit bothersome for AMD users.”

TechwareLabs has published a review on the Thermaltake DuOrb CPU Cooler. Here’s a clip from the review:

Quote: Bigger is better right? Then it follows that two fans are better than one in which case the DuOrb not only has two but adds heatpipes and enough bling to satisfy even the most aggressive case modder. We stuck the DuOrb into our test rig for some overclocking and testing. Does the DuOrb cool as good as it looks?

LINK: http://www.techwarelabs.com/reviews/cooling/Thermaltake-DuOrb/

Title: Thermaltake DuOrb CPU Cooler @ TechwareLabs

CPU3D Review: Xigmatek Achillies S1284 CPU Cooler Following the success of their CPU coolers, Xigmatek introduces their latest model. The Xigmatek Achillies S1284 CPU Cooler. It has 4 heatpipes featuring their HDT technology, and a new super slient 120mm fan which spins at 800rpm. It pumps out a massive 61.375 cfm of air-flow and produces noise level of around 20.64 dBA. Our CPU3D review team puts this CPU cooler through the test.

” … the Xigmatek Achillies S1284 is an amazing cooler for a brilliant price. It’s a worthly contender for this year’s most silent CPU cooler. ”

Read the rest of the review … http://www.cpu3d.com/content/view/5580/52/

If there’s one common hobby among gaming enthusiasts today, it’s case modding. Because hardcore gamers love to LAN together and just like the racing scene, appearance is as important as performance. So what can you slap inside to give your computer that racy edge and make the most of the brand new window view in your case?

Welcome to the next generation of cooling and just damned cool. Introducing the Transformer 6 from Evercool. Featuring a copper base, heat-pipe technology, aluminum fins and a design that looks ready to destroy, the Transformer is more than meets the eye. Or is it? I’ll find that one out for myself. Just sit back and watch the master work.

Review URL ::
http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=1308

BurnOutPC.com has just posted their review on the Noctua NH-C12P Cooler.

Quote
“Sporting 6 heat pipes and the award-winning, psycho-acoustically optimized NF-P12 120mm fan, the NH-C12P achieves excellent performance and outstanding quietness. The down-facing c-type design doesn’t only allow for optimal motherboard and case compatibility, but also provides additional cooling for motherboard components through two Airflow-Gaps. Outfitted with the professional SecuFirm™ mounting system and Noctua’s much acclaimed NT-H1 thermal compound, the NH-C12P is a premium-class silent cooler through and through.”

Direct Link - http://www.burnoutpc.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=303

There I was. Standing there in nothing but my underwear. She comes in with a roll of bubble wrap and a box set of the new season of Scrubs. This has nothing to do with this review, I am just really cool like that and my fantasies are awesome.

Speaking of cool. It’s time for yet another review on the long…. long line of heatsink/fan combos that are gracing the store shelves these days. Today’s victim, er, subject is the Rosewill RCX-Z4. Now, I know what you’re all thinking. Who the hell is Rosewill and why should we care? The answer to both of those questions is this; I don’t know. Before I received my latest shipment of reviewee’s I had never heard of Rosewill. All I know is that they make one strange looking heatsink that in my opinion doesn’t look like it would do much at all. But my opinion only matters at the end of reviews and in horseshoes.

Review URL ::
http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=1296

Keep those CPUs cool, that’s the main thing most people worry about with their computers, and for the most part the stock coolers do a decent job, but there are those of use that desire to keep our CPUs running cooler than the stock solution can provide. We all know that the cooler the CPU is the longer it will last, at least theoretically, and of course if the CPU is cooler there is always room for a bit of overclocking as well to eek out a bit more performance.

Up on the review block today I’ve got one from Xigmatek, it’s the SD964 HDT CPU cooler, not a real fancy name, but then again what’s in a name right? It really doesn’t matter what it’s called as long as it performs! The SD964 is a small heatpipe style CPU cooler, at least in comparison to others on the market today, but it is by no means small in terms of performance. The SD964 dominates over most others out there in our tests on both C2D and C2Q CPUs…
Read Full Review HERE