Thermalright T-Rad2 GPU cooler review

Cyco-Dude · Post by **Cyco-Dude** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:18 pm

brand new from thermalright, the t-rad2 is reviewed at expreview. their gpu cooler roundup outta be pretty good too when it's done.

nici · Post by **nici** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:10 pm

Im waiting for this damn thing to be available.. Also yes, their GPU cooler roundup should be an interesting read.

FartingBob · Post by **FartingBob** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 5:49 am

As expected this cannot cool even low to mid ranged cards passively, so you need a fan. And that makes it as fat as a passive accelero. With 2 92mm fans at 1500rpm (superred fans? never heard of them, any word on their noise?) it cools well compared to the HR03, but then the HR03 only uses 1 fan.
IMO Rad2 = fail. Too expensive (you need to buy the fans seperately) since its unable to run passively and with fans it loses its size advantage over the S1 and HR03 which both can run most cards passively.

Cyco-Dude · Post by **Cyco-Dude** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:01 am

i don't think it was ment to be used passive, as the fins are rather small compared to those coolers you mentioned. it was ment to take up less space using fans (which it does, compared to those two coolers).

FartingBob · Post by **FartingBob** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:25 am

Cyco-Dude wrote:i don't think it was ment to be used passive, as the fins are rather small compared to those coolers you mentioned. it was ment to take up less space using fans (which it does, compared to those two coolers).

Its surface area is only slightly smaller than the HR03, but i agree it was never designed to run passive, but with 1 or 2 fans on it loses its size advantage (all being 2 slots) while performing similarly to what the S1 does passive. This might be useful for those with crappy system airflow or no intake fan to blow air directly onto the heat sink, but most who buy aftermarket coolers for graphics cards are going to have good system airflow.
It looks nice sure, but there are better alternatives out there.

angelkiller · Post by **angelkiller** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 8:03 am

FartingBob wrote:IMO Rad2 = fail.

Agreed. What's the selling point? Its size is too big for SLI/CF, it can't be run passively, and it performs within a few degrees of what's already out there. Not impressed here.

nici · Post by **nici** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:14 am

It's perfect for my system. I have an S1 in it now, i had to bend it pretty severely to fit in my HTPC case and it still fits just barely. Hardly one millimeter of clearance to the top of the case. Also i have to use a 120mm fan on it anyway, so it takes up two extra slots. The HR03 wont work in my system because with a fan it either does not fit(above the card) or takes up way too many slots(under the card).

Cyco-Dude · Post by **Cyco-Dude** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:38 pm

FartingBob wrote:...but with 1 or 2 fans on it loses its size advantage (all being 2 slots) while performing similarly to what the S1 does passive.

that would depend on case air flow, but i seriously doubt the s1 passive would even come close to this given the same environment and testing conditions. i guess we'll see when their roundup is done since the s1 will be present.