Thermalright SI-128 SE

Gilbert · Post by **Gilbert** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 1:21 pm

Here's the product page and a review that I found.

Max Slowik · Post by **Max Slowik** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 1:49 pm

Gah, "robust" in the conclusion.

Do people even understand what robust means anymore? It doesn't just mean strong, it simultaneously means healthy, and exuberant.

"Even when unpowered, the heatsink mount continued to operate. I woke up in the middle of the night and saw the mount operating on the chipset heatsink. It had clearly mounted the video card heatsink, and three-wayed with the heatsinks in the power supply. The next morning, the mounting was apparently exhausted, and still sticky from its escapades."

jessekopelman · Post by **jessekopelman** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:17 pm

To me, this is a bit of a weird duck. Volume-wise it is huge. Sure it is shorter than a lot of tower style heatsinks, but at 110+mm with fan it is far from being low profile. At that height, are there a lot of cases that could accomodate it, but not something taller? Meanwhile, while the test results from PC Perspective were very impressive, it looks like they test in an open setup with no exhaust fan and this style of heatsink has traditionally faired better against tower heatsinks in that scenario than in a case with an exhaust fan. In an actual case, I'd expect a good tower heatsink to be significantly better. I guess this is very good contender for Antec Fusion/NSK2400 users, but that might be it . . .

gogos7 · Post by **gogos7** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:19 pm

They wanted to upgrade the mounting system with a backplate, but they make it worst!!

From review: "Mounting system allows heatsink to rotate on CPU"

The previous mounting partrs, I think that were good.

Others heatsinks need fixing, like: Ultra 120 Extreme and chipset cooler HR-05 (which they upgrade to IFX).

continuum · Post by **continuum** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 9:14 am

I think the rotation problem is overblown. Now that I've got an Ultra-120 Extreme, I can say from personal experience that you have to deliberately force it to rotate-- I doubt it's going anywhere by itself, and the rotation is pretty limited, less than 20 degrees.

I think the key is that it's securely mounted, and I don't think it's rotating anywhere on its own.

I'll check again in a month, tho.

Galactic · Post by **Galactic** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 11:53 pm

Madshrimps tested this heatsink in an Antec Sonata with one exhaust fan and it still did relatively well, the temp was three degrees higher than a Ninja.

VanWaGuy · Post by **VanWaGuy** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 4:48 am

Hey Max,

Gah, "robust" in the conclusion.

I am just curious, what is it that annoys you about that usage? [There are plenty of words that grate on me when they are mis-used. Then they get so often mis-used that they get added to the dictionary. Gah!

]

I have heard the term robust used in regards to electrical, mechanical, and even software designs for decades now. I do not think that I would ever classify a circuit or mechanical device as exhuberant.

I was curious, so I also looked at several dictionaries. Most have the primary definition using words such as healthy and vigorous, but almost all have another definition including words like powerfully built or strong or sturdy.

Post by **NeilBlanchard** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:49 am

Hello,

It's too bad that they did not "stagger" the edges of the fins under the fan, similar to some of the Scythe heatsinks, and/or have slightly wider spaces between the fins, similar to the HR-01. Or, they could have "scalloped" the edges, similar to (but to a lesser extent than) the IFX-14.

Max Slowik · Post by **Max Slowik** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:28 am

You're right that robust's common usage has come to mean a very different thing. A lot of times, the robustness of the word gets used by marketers to convey unbreakability, when really, it just lacks features, even basic options to configure. But mostly, it's just over-used, to the point where it no longer has much meaning at all:

While the SI-128 SE mounting system is very robust and easy to install, I would prefer to see the mounting hardware hold the heatsink captive so it canâ€™t rotate on top of the CPU

If it's so f&$king robust, why doesn't it hold it "captive"?*

Furthermore, I have never seen a heatsink mounting bracket that wasn't robust. It's just that they don't work right. Just 'cause it's strong doesn't mean that it can hold something steady. Can you imagine breaking a (non-Thermaltake) heatsink mount? That is to say, the mount's robusticulosity has no bearing on its ability to do its job. Another example: Scythe's fan clips, being far from robust, hold fans on fast and transfer very little fan vibration through to the heatsink.

By the way, the next time my motherboard takes a cooling accessory captive, I'm not going to negotiate. I'm through with that ransoming fucker. I'm just going to shoot it.

*Because robust doesn't mean workable, as I pointed out. But I don't think the reviewer intended to say what he did, even if it was right after all.

jessekopelman · Post by **jessekopelman** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 3:38 pm

Max Slowik wrote:By the way, the next time my motherboard takes a cooling accessory captive, I'm not going to negotiate.

There is a method of attaching a connector to a coaxial cable known as captivation. I find this funny because what they are talking about is:

dictionary.com wrote:2. Obsolete. to capture; subjugate.

While most people who read about a captivated cable think of this:

dictionary.com wrote:1. to attract and hold the attention or interest of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant.

MC FLMJIG · Post by **MC FLMJIG** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:23 am

http://www.svc.com/si-128se.html

I <3 the new mounting system!!!

Post by **MikeC** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:44 am

So it looks like other than the mounting system the only difference from the SI-128 we tested is that the SE has small perforations in its fins?

Felger Carbon · Post by **Felger Carbon** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:39 am

MikeC wrote:So it looks like other than the mounting system the only difference from the SI-128 we tested is that the SE has small perforations in its fins?

Mike, the SE has 8mm heatpipes. I don't know why, but it seems to out-benchmark the old 128 by a fairly large margin. Instead of being 5C behind the Andy Sam, for instance, the SE outperforms Andy.

kaange · Post by **kaange** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:51 pm

MikeC wrote: the SE has small perforations in its fins?

I wonder if I can drill out the fins on my SI-128....

AZBrandon · Post by **AZBrandon** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 11:02 pm

Felger Carbon wrote:
MikeC wrote:So it looks like other than the mounting system the only difference from the SI-128 we tested is that the SE has small perforations in its fins?
Mike, the SE has 8mm heatpipes.

The one Mike reviewed had 8mm heatpipes as well.

Felger Carbon · Post by **Felger Carbon** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:15 pm

AZBrandon wrote:The one Mike reviewed had 8mm heatpipes as well.

That leaves the mounting system. I don't think them little holes make any diff. And the only difference between the good original Ninja and the bad RevB is... the mounting system. And the way to fix the RevB is to change... the mounting system to something that applies lots more pressure. I think Mike C's got it right.

elpibe10 · Post by **elpibe10** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:07 am

This could be another reason for the improved performance :

"The cutting pattern Thermalright used (for the SI-128SE) is no longer circular in nature, rather the baseplate cuts are unidirectional and as such, the base appears more flat than SI-128."

dhanson865 · Post by **dhanson865** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 6:27 pm

You gotta love this quote:

Note: the dBA level of 70+dBA is really a nice estimate of how insane noisy this fan is, not recommended for daily usage.

Note the mounting system only affects high TDP situations, idle temps weren't changed by the increased mounting pressure.

Pentium 4 524 @ 3628Mhz - 1.36v vcore

A Watt Meter recorded peak power consumption under heavy CPU load at 138W, which is less than our previous Athlon 64 setup which consumed up to 165W.

This latest roundup proved interesting, we included one of our previously tested units, the Thermalright Ultra-120, with good results, where as on the K8 platform the Ultra-120 did okay at best, on the S775 it really distinguishes itself from the masses, delivering killer performance with high speed fans as well as under very low airflow situations. Mounting pressure is vital for good performance and the 4 point mounting of S775 proves superior to AMD K8â€™s two.

The older design based of the classic Thermalright Ultra-120 still remains excellent for high performance cooling, but once you remove direct access to fresh air the Tower coolers have an easier time removing the CPU heat, the SI-128 is not a bad heatsink, but itâ€™s simply not ideal for silent computing.

Those bolded statements sadden me. Though I'm not sure how accurate they are from an SPCR perspective...

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 2:17 am

Well... I just placed Sl-128SE in order. I will mount it wtth Scythe S-flex E model. Let's see if it can beat my Ninja.

Edit: I do hope it will fit on my motherboard. I would hate to change my motherboard just for the sake of the CPU cooler.

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 11:30 am

I installed SI-128 SE on my system recently. My CPU idles around 36 to 38 degree's. With my Ninja is value was 37 to 40 degree's. I need to make full stress load in order to make complete estimation but in my regular load I see around 2 to 3 degree's C lower temperatures. Only negative I have to give to SI-128 SE is that even screws are tighted as much as they go, Cooler is still able to rotate with hand. Its not solid like many other's even its tight. There should be no pressure issues with this cooler.

I am actually bit awe'd how well this cooler has performed so far.

Edit:
I took piece of bike innetrube, washed it ( about 3 cm by 1,5 cm piece ) and placed it between cooler's nod and attachment bars bump. I secured the screws and now cooler is very hard to twist. So it became bit more solid. Simple ghetto mod to improve the attachment. I don't know yet if it affects temperatures at all.

dhanson865 · Post by **dhanson865** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 2:29 pm

thejamppa wrote:I installed SI-128 SE on my system recently. My CPU idles around 36 to 38 degree's. With my Ninja is value was 37 to 40 degree's. I need to make full stress load in order to make complete estimation but in my regular load I see around 2 to 3 degree's C lower temperatures.

Is that with no fan on either heat sink? With the same fan on both? If so at what voltage?

To me the Ninja attitude / reason for being is that running it fanless or with a low speed 120mm fan at 5 or 7 volts it holds up well. If you are running a Ninja vs SI-128 SE comparison at anything more than 1000 RPM it just doesn't make for a useful comparison for most of us...

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:15 am

I used same fan, scythe S-flex E model around ~600-720 RPM's on both ( I don't know exact voltage but I rather monitor RPM's in Asus Probe and adjust fans with Akasa Fan Control Jr so that my cooler fan is around 600-700 rpm's), SI-128 SE and on Scythe Ninja. Now who sane person in SPCR would tolerate 1000 RPM fans easily?

Felger Carbon · Post by **Felger Carbon** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 5:05 am

thejamppa wrote:Now who sane person in SPCR would tolerate 1000 RPM fans easily?

The very sane person who seals the front panel with 1/8" rubber so no sound can escape the case in that direction?

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 5:57 am

Felger Carbon wrote:
thejamppa wrote:Now who sane person in SPCR would tolerate 1000 RPM fans easily?
The very sane person who seals the front panel with 1/8" rubber so no sound can escape the case in that direction?

you mean obsessed person? Well, I just might try that, when I get somewhere 1/8" rubber matt somewhere ^^

Felger Carbon · Post by **Felger Carbon** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:57 am

My Xclio 3060 case, obsessively covered with 1/8" rubber. The wide-but-short "navel" with the sheet metal wrinkle got covered later. I used adhesive-backed McMaster rubber sheets, the softest they carry. Blocks the sound of them 1000-RPM fans real good!

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:27 am

Felger Carbon wrote:

My Xclio 3060 case, obsessively covered with 1/8" rubber. The wide-but-short "navel" with the sheet metal wrinkle got covered later. I used adhesive-backed McMaster rubber sheets, the softest they carry. Blocks the sound of them 1000-RPM fans real good!

Wow, you're my new hero, Felger ^^

MC FLMJIG · Post by **MC FLMJIG** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:07 am

That is a great job. lol

Using an Qpack 2 and the drive is driving me crazy. I didn't have time to suspend but will have to do so soon. It's the only thing I can hear and maybe that might help.

Great idea thanks!

sweatypickle · Post by **sweatypickle** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 4:10 pm

thejamppa wrote: I need to make full stress load in order to make complete estimation but in my regular load I see around 2 to 3 degree's C lower temperatures.

Did you ever compare these with a full load? I'm trying to decide between this cooler and the Ultra-120 for low rpm cooling (7v Scythe S-Flex E) on a Q6600 in an Antec Solo.

Nick Geraedts · Post by **Nick Geraedts** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:18 pm

sweatypickle wrote:Did you ever compare these with a full load? I'm trying to decide between this cooler and the Ultra-120 for low rpm cooling (7v Scythe S-Flex E) on a Q6600 in an Antec Solo.

I've got the Q6600 with the Ultra120 Extreme. My S-Flex E is running at somewhere around mid-speed (using a FanMate2), and the highest load temp (as reported by CoreTemp) with 4x CPUBurn is about 48C. TAT won't run on my system for some reason... don't know if it's because of the 965 chipset.

roadie · Post by **roadie** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 6:00 am

This looks like a great cooler. Would definitely be interested in one if I decide to make my Brisbane naked, due to Thermalright's bolt down mounting mechanism.