Going into the second quarter of 2007, we have more video chipsets to choose from to satisfy the need in every one of us. What is constant is the fact that VGA heatsinks (stock and after-market) are getting bigger and bigger. For those not having the size, rely heavily on fans with high RPM to dissipate the heat. But then again, having the size doesn’t always translate into good performance and in most cases, bigger always means more money in terms of cost. That’s why Thermalright designed a VGA cooler to pinpoint the fine balance between size and cost for the average Joe in rest of us. We call it, V2.
V2 will only take up one slot and you get to select the 80mm fan of your choice, depending on your preference for noise. The Thermalright design allows for greater flexibility. In a lot of other VGA heatsinks, the fans are often incorporated into the cooling system to save space but making it impossible to fix or replace should the fan stop working. The solution is to send the entire heatsink unit back for repair. With V2, you’ll have none of that to worry about. Just replace the fan and go!
To have the proper after-market VGA heatsink for your HTPC system is near impossible when looking to replace your stock cooling. In a narrow, space limited surrounding, most heatsink will not be able to perform to the desired level and some will not even fit into the case. V2 will solve all of the above problems.
SLI and Crossfire have become a norm among enthusiasts. V2 with its smaller body works perfectly to the occasion. The main features of V2 are that it’s made of full copper with four 6mm heatpipes custom tailored to every fin and with its multi-compatible mounting mechanism; it’s the best value for your bucks!
Looks quite nice, although it does require a fan- full product listing here.
Pros-
Single slot cooling,
All copper,
4x6mm pipes,
Supports x1950Pro
Cons-
Tight fin spacing,
Requires fan (92mm, possibly mounted parallel to the motherboard, given the cooler is 'sli compatible'),
290g before the weight of the fan,
Doesn't support 8800 series
Thoughts?
Bring on the review!