Another way overdue overhaul, this time of the Recom. HS article. And that's really what it was -- took many days, will be happy not to even think about a HS for... uh... 24hrs?

Working on tables is enough to make me dyslexic; if there are typos, please email me.

If you see errors of meaning and content, please post here... er... hmmm... as if I have to say that to you lot!

Well done! Good to see my heatsink is top of the pack

But what about the CoolerMaster Hyper 6 Heatsink for P4/K8?

I don't think he's going to list any of the HS&Fs I've reviewed from Cooler Master because none of them have adequately quiet stock fans and replacing the fan with an 80L1A isn't as simple as plug n' play on any of them so far.

Ed's got it right. It's not ONLY about cooling. The clip or mounting system is part and parcel of the HS, and mass is integral to that. In the case of the Hyper 6 , there's no way to ignore the weight, cantillevered as it is with its high center of gravity. It has damaged motherboards of a couple of reviewers (not SPCR) who have used it. It's a seriously flawed design. I cannot recommend it, tho I think there are many experienced modders who could find ways to use it safely and effectively.

Oh No!!! No Speeze FalconRock, my favorite Socket A HS/Fan!!!



Oh well...So many heatsinks, so little time.

I meant to put this one in but it got lost in the dyslexsia-causing tables... so I added it, along with a bit more info about mass as part of the mounting system. I think FalconRock is disconitnued, btw, could not find it on the Speeze site, tho it's being sold by a bunch of places including Newegg.

From the Zalman Resorator summary



Actually riding naked on a bicycle is probably better for that.

The 800A has been discontinued? NO!!!!!!!

Thank you MikeC for the update.

Looks like I'd better stock up!!!

I have an Aerocool deep impact DP 102. It works really well, especially with 2 fans in push pull mode. I replaced my Scythe Kamakaze with this, and it does a better job with less noise. (about 6 deg C difference). (I have both fans undervolted to 5V). It is heavy though so it's not appropriate for towers.

The stock fans are also pretty quiet, though there is a high pitched whine, I can't hear it from my couch.

I think it would be worthwhile for you to add this HS to your list to review.

Updated Sept 22/04.

WooHoo!!!

Hey Mike. The description of the XP-90 is a bit off. You mention using 120mm fans. Seems like a copy/paste error.

I notice the Scythe Ninja is missing from the recommended HS list. Is there something wrong with it after all?

Thank you.

<ahem> <cough> <cough> We'll have to fix that...

thanks mike, finally Ninja is on the list.

Will there be any reviews of other heatsinks, for GPUs and such?

I think a lot of people would like to find out what actually is the best solution. I.e. the neverending struggle between VF700 and AC Silencer.

Why are the AC Freezer coolers not on the list?
In the review you went through a lot of effort to prove they were better than a Zalman 7000 (which is still on the list).

OK, upon reconsideration, the AC Freezer and Freezer Pro models were put on the recommended list. They're positioned lower than the raw performance might have you think. With the Pro model, it's the overloud fan (at normal voltage) and tight fin spacing that causes issues; with the earlier model, it's the exposed, easily damaged fan + still noisy fan. The fact that these fans are difficult to swap and these models don't come with any fan speed controller doesn't help either.

Typo patrol: the HR-01 summary says "very wasy to use".

I think that the Big typhoon should be up on this list...

Thermaltake really ought to get a sample to Mike.... I'm sure that this cooler would fare well.

Greetings,

I'm wondering if it would be possible to add another test specifically for all the "passive" heatsinks: run them inside a case? This would reduce the guesswork say, choosing between the Thermalright HR-01 and the Scythe Ninja, since if they were run in the same system/case, we could directly compare the results!

Please?

This would also take into account any mounting issues and/or weight/cantilever issues. It would also use them as they are designed to be used, whereas testing them on a bench with a fan is sorta' "artificial".

Sorry to keep buggering you about my favorite A64 heatsinks Mike, but you write the following about the Freezer Pro:That is not true.
See also the pictures at the Madshrimps review of the AC Freezer 64 Pro.

Somehow I don't think you meant to imply you were sodomising Mike.

Sorry, this won't happen, generally. (Although we have done it in the past...)

This is just too tedious & time consuming. It would tell you more about how well we're optimizing the case/system for the HS. W/o mounting it on at least several different systems, you would not learn any more about compatibility than what we report in our tests now.

For example, if we chose to use a Seasonic S12-600 w/ a 120W max power draw system, with its high efficiency, high tolerance for heat and bottom mounted 120mm fan, any "passive" HS would probably work fine even w/o a case exhaust fan in one of our airflow-optimized cases. But what if it was a NeoHE430?.... too many variables to consider.

Besides, choices between HS are not about performance only -- there's all kinds of factors like...
1) availability
2) price
3) fit
4) config (directionality)

-- in the choice you mention, the #1 issue for me would be whether the HR01 can be configured the right way for my setup -- I personally would not try to run it passive except in a P180 (or similar where there is a hole directly above the CPU area). So I'd want the HS to be oriented so a fan could blow throught it towards the back case exhaust fan. If it can't do that, then it would not be my choice. W/ the Ninja, the fan can go on any side...

In fact, I've come to the point of view that it's mostly a disservice for SPCR to encourage fanless anything. If you are going fanless successfully w/o reliability issues, then it's because you really know what you're doing or because you haven't run it fanless long enough. (give it another year...) Fanless as a goal for most people (even in these forums) is not wise, it's not practical, it's not really "safe". A small amount of airflow from a very quiet, essentially inaudible fan can drop temperatures by 20 degrees C compared to fanless.

Was the Scythe Katana intentionally omitted?

Error corrected, you buggerer.

Mike,

I think there's another Cut and Paste error for the XP-120:



This sounds like it belongs under the Ninja Scythe.

Also, I wonder why you guys haven't tested a Thermalright V1 or V1-Ultra. At least a mention of it would be nice, or do you have information that rules it out as a silent VGA cooler?