Official Anandtech Forums Heatsink Reviews Thread

[Operandi]

CPU HS/F Roundups
AMD AM2 Air Cooler Roundup (07/06) | H Enthusiast
SuperCoolers Return: Zalman CNPS9700 LED and Scythe Infinity (12/06) | X-bit Labs
AMD and Intel Heatsink Roundup 2006 (12/06) | Madshrimps

GPU HS/F Roundups
VGA Cooler Roundup (06/06) | Silent PC Review
VGA Cooler Shootout! (03/06) | Legion Hardware
VGA Cooler Roundup April 2006 (04/06) | Madshrimps


Arctic Cooling Freezer 7
-- Intel Socket 775
-- Integrated fan: 300-2500RPM, 4-pin PWM connector
-- Six heatpipe Tower design
-- Weight: 520g
Silent PC Review
Legion Hardware
Pro Clockers (12/05)

Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro
-- AMD Socket 754/939/940
-- Integrated fan: 2200RPM, 3-pin
-- Six heatpipe Tower design
-- Weight: 528g
FrostyTech.com (11/05)
X-bit labs (02/06)
techPowerUp! (12/05)

Asetek Vapochill Micro
-- Intel socket 478/775 AMD 754/939/940
-- Heatpipe tower design
-- Weight: 278g w/ fan
Silent PC Review (11/05)
Hot Hardware (09/05
Bjorn3d.com (09/05)

Noctua NH-U12
-- AMD: 754/939/949/AM2
-- Intel: 478/775
-- Type: Cu heatpipe, AL fine, tower design
-- Weight: 700g w/o fan
FrostyTech.com (02/06)
X-bit labs (04/06)
Virtual-Hideout.Net (04/06)

Scythe SCNJ-1000 Ninja
-- Intel socket 478/775 AMD 754/939/940/AM2
-- 12 heatpipe tower design
-- Weight: 665g w/o fan
Silent PC Review
X-bit labs (10/05)
Hi-Techreviews (08/05)
VR-Zone (09/05)

Scythe Katana SCKTN-1000
-- Intel socket 370/478/775 AMD A/754/939/940
-- 6 Heatpipe tower design
-- Fan speed: 2000RPM @ 25.0 dBA
-- Weight: 300g w/ fan
Silent PC Review (10/05)
Techgage (09/05)
[Tweaknews (09/05)

Scythe Samurai Z SCSMZ-1000
-- Intel socket 478/775 AMD 754/939/940/
-- Fan speed: 2000RPM @ 23.5 dBA
-- Weight: 360g
Silent PC Review (03/06)
TechPowerUp! (2/06)
Pro-Clockers (12/05)

Swiftech MCX6400-V
-- AMD: 754/939/940
-- Solid Cu base, 405 AL Helicoid Pins
-- Weight: 760g
Bjorn3d.com (07/04)
Legion Hardware (01/04)
H Enthusiast (04/04)

Thermalright HR-01
-- 8 heatpipe passive design
-- AMD: 754/939/940
-- Intel: 478/775
-- Weight: 520g
Silent PC Review (12/05)
Legion Hardware (01/06)

Thermalright XP-90
-- AMD: 754/939/940/AM2
-- Intel: 478/775
-- 4 heatpipe design
-- 360g w/o fan
Silent PC Review (11/04)
SystemCooling.com (11/04)
Legion Hardware (09/04)


Thermalright XP-90C
-- AMD: 754/939/940/AM2
-- Intel: 478/775
-- 4 heatpipe design
-- 690g w/o fan
Legion Hardware (04/05)
Virtual-Hideout.Net (04/05)
nV News (05/05)

Thermalright SI-120
-- AMD: 754/939/940/AM2
-- Intel: 478/775
-- 5 heatpipe design
-- 400g w/o fan
SystemCooling.com (09/05)
Hi-Techreviews (09/05)
Overclockers.com (08/05)

Thermalright XP-120
-- AMD: 754/939/940/AM2
-- Intel: 478/775
-- 5 heatpipe design
-- 370g w/o fan
Silent PC Review (09/04)
SystemCooling.com (05/04)
Legion Hardware (11/04)

Thermalright Ultra-90
-- AMD: 754/939/940/AM2
-- Intel: 478/775
-- 6 heatpipe tower design
-- Weight: 435g w/o fan
SystemCooling.com (04/06)

Thermaltake Big Typhoon
-- AMD: 754/939/940
-- Intel: 478/775
-- Type: Cu heatpipe, AL fin design, 120mm fan
-- Weight: 813g w/ fan
Legion Hardware (10/05)
X-bit labs (10/05)
Overclocker Cafe (03/05)

ThermalTake Sonic Tower
-- AMD: A/754/939/940
-- Intel: 478/775
-- Type: Tower, Cu heatpipe, AL fin design, 120mm fan
-- Weight: 692 w/o fan
SystemCooling.com (03/05)

Tuniq Tower 120
-- AMD: A/754/939/940
-- Intel: 478/775
-- Type: Tower, Cu heatpipe, AL fin design, 120mm fan
-- Weight: 789g w/o fan
X-bit labs (02/06)
Virtual-Hideout.Net (11/05)
Bjorm3d.com (07/05)

Zalman CNPS7700-AlCu
-- AMD: 754/939/940
-- Intel: 478/775
-- Type: AL/Cu low profile radial fin design
-- Fan: integrated 120mm fan, 1000-2000RPM, 20 dBA min; 32 dBA max, ±10%
-- Weight: 600g w/ fan
Silent PC Review (01/05)

 

[Operandi]

Since lifeguard1999 won't be continuing the original "Heatsink Reviews" thread (SEEN HERE) I've been nominated to start a new version that will be stickied.

Everything will basically be the same. I'll start where lifeguard left off and add on as time new heatsinks surface.

The only changes I'll be making are limiting the number of reviews of any particular heatsink (5 or 6??) along with a short description of the HS/F, as well as a date of publication for CPU, GPU, and fan roundups.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

 

[Howard]

You gotta make it ***OFFICIAL*** and ***CONFIRMED***, just like the old-school OT topics.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Only new ones? One of the greatest things about his is that it was great for research, because it had almost everything on there.

Can we have a link to the original thread, so that comparisons can be made?

 

[Operandi]

Originally posted by: Fullmetal Chocobo
Only new ones? One of the greatest things about his is that it was great for research, because it had almost everything on there.

Can we have a link to the original thread, so that comparisons can be made?

No, I'll be going through the original thread and adding every heatsink that was there in here. I will limit the number of reviews however; 5 very good reviews is far more valuable then 20+ mediocre ones in my opinion.

So "no" you can't have a link, when I get done you won't need it (hopefully) .

 

[VinDSL]

I think you should leave Tuniq Tower 120 HSFs out of your comparisons, to make it fair.

That what all the reviewers are doing now...

 

[JEDIYoda]

Whats interesting is that the Zalman 9700 and thre Tuniq Tower 120 are within 35 grams of each other...
Zalman 9700 -- 764g
Tuniq 120 -- 798g

both weigh out at over 1.5 lbs

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: VinDSL
I think you should leave Tuniq Tower 120 HSFs out of your comparisons, to make it fair.

That what all the reviewers are doing now...

why??
Its a very nice heatsink!!
What I have read is that many reviewers are saying its too good to be true and are waiting for real world applicationd from users!
Yes-- I just ordered one to add to my collection..lol

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/tuniq-tower120.html

then you have other reviews that well aren`t very complimentary...
http://www.ocia.net/reviews/tuniq/page6.shtml
The results really speak for themselves. Across the board in every configuration, with the Tuniq's fan at minimal (1,000rpm) or at full speed (2,000rpm), the results were all within 1° Celsius of the XP-90C

Thus at this moment the reviews appear to be even morescattered than when the zalman 9500 came out....

Only time will tell!!

 

[Operandi]

If you have a review you would like to see added post it otherwise if you want to debate do it elsewhere please.

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
why??
Its a very nice heatsink!!

I dunno...

It's kinda like hitting a woman, you know?

What's the point?

Basically, when it comes to air-coolers, there's the Tuniq Tower 120... then there's everything else!

 

[Operandi]

Scythe and Thermalright done..... (mostly).

Now just Zalman and Thermaltake....

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Nice.... Very nice.

 

[aigomorla]

Isnt there already a HSF review on this forum? i dont see the need for another one when you can just ammend the first one.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: aigomorla
Isnt there already a HSF review on this forum? i dont see the need for another one when you can just ammend the first one.

lifeguard1999 is no longer here to amend his stickied thread....OK! Just be supportive of
Operandi because this thread WILL be stickied and the old WILL be unstuck...Get it!

All decent sinks are to be considered. Fanboys of the Tuniq or Zalman units need to put a cap on it
You guys like to ruin any and every thread you can with blind fanboism.

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
...then you have other reviews that well aren`t very complimentary...
http://www.ocia.net/reviews/tuniq/page6.shtml
The results really speak for themselves...

LoL! Results speak for themselves?!?!? The pics tell a different story!

I just looked at that review, and those boneheads have the HSF intake butted up against a BFG 7800GT OC flame thrower. Those things top out at 60º C under heavy load. No wonder it didn't work right -- and fan speed increase didn't make any difference, et cetera. Tuniq Tower 120s need to breathe -- cool air in, hot air out -- not the other way around!

Bwahahaha! Then, there's this...

Here we run into a problem. As you can see in the circle, this bracket is resting on a capacitor. There was no way this would work -- heating up the metal with a lighter and using some pliers, I was able to bend the corner up enough to fit, without tweaking the rest of the bracket.

The instructions say to place a spring around both thumb screws before inserting them into the mounting bracket. I tried this, but for the life of me I could not get the thumb screws threaded into the backplate with the springs on. I couldn't even depress the springs with my fingers. I ended up leaving the springs off, and it mounted perfectly.

Maybe the springs wouldn't fit 'cause they heated the mount with a BIC lighter and bent it with pliers?!?!?!

Sorry, but I'm calling BS on that review!

 

[JEDIYoda]

Operandi will do a fine job keeping things updated!!

You
guys who have no clue need to be civil and let things be...
Come to think of it I see the pot calling the kettle black!!

Let Operandi keep the thread updated and manageable!! All of us support his efforts in doing so!!! Some of us have even sent him a private message letting him know we support his efforts!!

You will always have Scythe and Zalman and ThermmalRight as well as Thermaltake fanbois thats the nature of things......

Unlike people who keep trying to cause issues where there are no issues!!


Good luck Operandi!!!

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
Operandi will do a fine job keeping things updated!! Let Operandi keep the thread updated and manageable!! All of us support his efforts in doing so!!! Some of us have even sent him a private message letting him know we support his efforts!! Good luck Operandi!!!

Hear! Hear!

Nicely put!

 

[Kromis]

Originally posted by: VinDSL

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
Operandi will do a fine job keeping things updated!! Let Operandi keep the thread updated and manageable!! All of us support his efforts in doing so!!! Some of us have even sent him a private message letting him know we support his efforts!! Good luck Operandi!!!

Hear! Hear!

Nicely put!

I hope its a daily update!

 

[Effect]

There are some reviews for the Noctua NH-U coolers over at the ninDEALS forums.

If you'd prefer, here's the links to the reviews...

X-bit Labs;
FrostyTech;
Gruntville;
OCIA;
NeoSeeker;
BigBruin;
Virtual Hideout;
Driver Heaven;
PCApex;
CPU3D;
3DGameMan;
ReviewDesk;
Pro-Clockers.

Some of them are better than others, but if you want to include some Noctua Coolers feel free to sift through the reviews (see which of them are up to your standards).

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: aigomorla
Isnt there already a HSF review on this forum? i dont see the need for another one when you can just ammend the first one.

lifeguard1999 is no longer here to amend his stickied thread....OK! Just be supportive of
Operandi because this thread WILL be stickied and the old WILL be unstuck...Get it!

All decent sinks are to be considered. Fanboys of the Tuniq or Zalman units need to put a cap on it
You guys like to ruin any and every thread you can with blind fanboism.

BOOOO so i need to play nice??

Anyhow, you should throw in a few watercooling blocks since theres been an increase in people migrating to water. Can u stamp the top with the words:

ALL THERMALTAKE BIGWATER PRODUCTS BLOW!

Anyhow i vote that u drop in a few waterblocks for CPU's since the increase of people going water will only go higher because were at the physical limit for cooling on air at the moment.

 

[Operandi]

Originally posted by: aigomorla
Anyhow i vote that u drop in a few waterblocks for CPU's since the increase of people going water will only go higher because were at the physical limit for cooling on air at the moment.

I think I will add water cooling after I get a good handle on the air.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: aigomorla
Anyhow i vote that u drop in a few waterblocks for CPU's since the increase of people going water will only go higher because were at the physical limit for cooling on air at the moment.

Inorder to get water cooling into this soon to be stickied thread, please post some decent to very good reviews of said cooling hardware here.
Link the better reviews you know of or find here...Simple. I will do the same thing. We help Operandi by doing, not demanding.

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: Operandi
I think I will add water cooling after I get a good handle on the air.

Same format?

Koolance Exos-2
-- External system (AC not req'd)
-- Dual 120mm radiator fans
-- 3/8" (10mm) tubing
-- Top coolant fill plug
Gruntville (08/05)
Legit Reviews (06/05)
(H)Enthusiast (04/05)

 

[Operandi]

Bump for new entries.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: aigomorla
Anyhow i vote that u drop in a few waterblocks for CPU's since the increase of people going water will only go higher because were at the physical limit for cooling on air at the moment.

Inorder to get water cooling into this soon to be stickied thread, please post some decent to very good reviews of said cooling hardware here.
Link the better reviews you know of or find here...Simple. I will do the same thing. We help Operandi by doing, not demanding.

ROFLROFL still no sticky?? O M G...

Operandi, when your ready for water let me know. I'll start collecting expecially since the awesome guys over at XS and swiftech had that standoff challanage.