Though smaller and lacking the high tech fan of its big brothers, the SilverStone Argon AR02 still delivers a powerful punch for its size and weight. A good choice for smaller (though not tiny) cases.
August 8, 2013 by Lawrence Lee
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Product
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SilverStone Argon AR02 CPU Cooler |
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Manufacturer
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SilverStone |
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Street Price
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US$28 |
In June, I reviewed the SilverStone
Argon AR01 and AR03, a pair of high performance CPU coolers featuring
direct-touch heatpipes. The exemplary mounting system helped them surpass similar
products reviewed by SPCR. The runt of the Argon family is up now; we’ll see
if SilverStone’s execution translates to the smaller realm of 92 mm fan heatsinks.
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If you read my AR01/AR03 review, you should be getting a sense of deja vu.
The box is similar to the rest of the Argon line and the package contents are
identical. Included with the accessories is a brief installation manual, heatsink
mounting hardware, and two sets of soft fan mounts.
This more compact Argon stands 134 mm tall to the AR01/AR03’s 160 mm. It doesn’t
sound like much of a difference but this one inch is enough to improve compatibility
substantially. The size of the rear exhaust fan is a general indicator of how
big of a tower heatsink can fit into a case with a "traditional" layout.
Most aftermarket towers have a 120 mm fan placement at the back, but plenty
of budget and OEM cases only have space for a 92 mm model, and that’s where
coolers like the AR02 come in. This genre of heatsink is also suitable for users
who don’t feel comfortable with tall, heavy coolers that exerting considerable
cantilever strain on the motherboard. The AR02 and its fan weigh just 360 grams,
less than some stock heatsink/fans.
The pricing is reflective of the smaller size; it sells for $7 less than its
bigger brothers. At $28, it looks like good vlaue, if performance is on the
mark.
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SilverStone Argon AR02: Specifications
(from the product web page) |
|
| Model No. | SST-AR02 |
| Material | Copper heat pipes with aluminum fins |
| Application | Intel Socket LGA775/115X/1366/2011 AMD Socket AM2/AM3/FM1/FM2 |
| Heat Pipe Type | Ø6mm heat-pipe x 3 |
| Cooling System | 92mm x 92mm x 25mm fan |
| Noise | 16-24dBA |
| Bearing | Hypro Bearing |
| Net Weight | 330g (without fan) |
| Voltage Rating (V) |
12V
|
| Start Voltage (V) | <= 7V |
| Air Flow (CFM) | 56CFM |
| Speed (R.P.M.) | 1200~2800RPM with PWM |
| Life Expectancy (hrs) | 40,000 hours |
| Dimension | 92mm(W) x 50mm (D) x 134mm (H) (without Fan) |
PHYSICAL DETAILS & INSTALLATION
The Argon AR02 is composed of a three 6 mm thick direct-touch
copper heatpipes fiction-fit to 42 aluminum fins. According to my measurements,
its physical dimensions are as specified, 134 x 92 x 50 mm or 5.3 x 3.6 x 2.0
inches (H x W x D). Our lab’s scale didn’t agree with SilverStone’s listed weight
of 330 grams though, pegging the AR02 at 290 grams.
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TESTING
Before thermal testing, we took some basic physical measurements.
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Approximate Physical Measurements
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Weight
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290 g 360 g with stock fan |
| Height | 134 mm |
| Fin count | 42 |
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Fin thickness
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0.30 mm |
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Fin spacing
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1.85 mm |
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Vertical Clearance*
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39 mm |
| * measured from the motherboard PCB to the bottom fin of the heatsink. |
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Small Heatsink Comparison:
Average Fin Thickness & Spacing |
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Heatsink
|
Fin Thickness
|
Fin Spacing
|
|
Scythe Big Shuriken 2 Rev.B
|
0.29 mm
|
1.13 mm
|
|
Noctua NH-L9i
|
0.44 mm
|
1.16 mm
|
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Scythe Big Shuriken
|
0.33 mm
|
1.19 mm
|
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Reeven Vanxie
|
0.28 mm
|
1.39 mm
|
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Reeven Arcziel
|
0.28 mm
|
1.41 mm
|
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Cooler Master GeminII M4
|
0.29 mm
|
1.46 mm
|
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Noctua NH-L12
|
0.49 mm
|
1.51 mm
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Scythe Kozuti
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0.12 mm
|
1.69 mm
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Noctua NH-U12S
|
0.45 mm
|
1.72 mm
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Scythe Samurai ZZ
|
0.33 mm
|
1.74 mm
|
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Thermalright TRUE Spirit 120M
|
0.43 mm
|
1.78 mm
|
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Prolimatech Panther
|
0.53 mm
|
1.80 mm
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SilverStone Argon AR02
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0.30 mm
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1.85 mm
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Phanteks PH-TC90LS
|
0.47 mm
|
1.90 mm
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Larger heatsinks are tested on our
LGA1366 heatsink testing platform, while smaller coolers tackle our
LGA1155
heatsink testing platform. The Argon AR02 was tested on the cooler LGA1155
test platform. A summary of the test system and procedure follows.
Key Components in LGA1366 Heatsink Test Platform:
Key Components in LGA1155 Heatsink Test Platform:
The systems are silent under the test conditions, except for the CPU cooling
fan(s).
Normally, our reference fans are used whenever possible, the measured details
of which are shown below.
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Reference Noctua 140mm fan
Anechoic chamber measurements |
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Voltage
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SPL@1m
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Speed
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12V
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28~29 dBA
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1250 RPM
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9V
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21 dBA
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990 RPM
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8V
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18 dBA
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880 RPM
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7V
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15~16 dBA
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770 RPM
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6V
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13 dBA
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660 RPM
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Reference Nexus 120 mm fan
Anechoic chamber measurements |
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Voltage
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SPL@1m
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Speed
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12V
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16 dBA
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1080 RPM
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9V
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13 dBA
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880 RPM
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7V
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12 dBA
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720 RPM
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Reference Nexus 92 mm fan
Anechoic chamber measurements |
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Voltage
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SPL@1m
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Speed
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12V
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17 dBA
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1470 RPM
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9V
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14 dBA
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1280 RPM
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7V
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12 dBA
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1010 RPM
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Measurement and Analysis Tools
used to monitor the CPU speed to determine when/if overheating occurs.
Noise measurements are made with the fans powered from the lab’s variable DC
power supply while the rest of the system was off to ensure that system noise
did not skew the measurements.
Load testing was accomplished using Prime95 to stress the processor and the
graph function in SpeedFan was used to ensure that the load temperature is stable
for at least ten minutes. The temperature recorded is the highest single core
reading. The stock fans were tested at various voltages to represent a good
cross-section of airflow and noise performance.
The ambient conditions during testing were 10~11 dBA and 21~23°C.
Stock Fan Measurements
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Specifications: SilverStone Argon AR02 Stock Fan
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| Manufacturer | SilverStone | Power Rating | 2.64 W |
| Model Number | AS9225SH12 | Airflow Rating | 56 CFM |
| Bearing Type | Hypro (sleeve) | Speed Rating | 2800 RPM |
| Frame Size | 92 x 92 x 25 mm | Noise Rating | 24 dBA |
| Hub Size | 33 mm | Header Type | 4-pin |
| Blade Diameter | 86 mm | Corner Type | Open |
| Cable Length | 30 cm | Weight | 70 g |
| Starting Voltage | 4.0 ~ 4.5 V | Retail Availability | No |
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Additional notes: |
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The unremarkable 92 mm 4-pin PWM fan has a high nominal speed of 2800 RPM.
The struts straight and the fins are broad with sharp corners. It’s a stark
contrast to the structure of the unusual AR01/A03 fan.
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Stock Fan Measurements
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Voltage
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Speed
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SPL@1m
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12V
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2770 RPM
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36 dBA
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9V
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2190 RPM
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29 dBA
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7V
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1590 RPM
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20~21 dBA
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6V
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1290 RPM
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16 dBA
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5V
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880 RPM
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12 dBA
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Measuring mic positioned 1m at diagonal angle from
the center of the heatsink. Ambient noise level: 10~11 dBA. |
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The stock fan generates an extremely loud 36 dBA@1m at full speed but on voltage control, comes down to a virtually silent 12 dBA@1m at 5V. It becomes what we consider quiet at about 1500 RPM. According to the specifications, PWM control can take the speed down to about 1200 RPM, a level which should be very quiet for most users.
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Like many sleeve bearing models, the AR02 has a turbulent and whiny nature
at higher speeds. At about 7V (1590 RPM) and below it starts to buzz, and at
6V (1290 RPM) and under some bearing chatter is also audible up close. Its acoustic
character is generally similar to that of the AR01/AR03 fan except it has a
rougher, more muddy sound. Looking at the frequency spectrum, there are additional
minor tonal peaks not present in the AR01/AR03 fan profile.
Test Results
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SilverStone Argon AR02
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Fan Voltage
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Fan Speed
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SPL@1m
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°C Rise above Ambient
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CPU
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VRM
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Stock Fan
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12V
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2770 RPM
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36 dBA
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33
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28
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9V
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2190 RPM
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29 dBA
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34
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29
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7V
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1590 RPM
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20~21 dBA
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36
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31
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6V
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1290 RPM
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16 dBA
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38
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33
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5V
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880 RPM
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12 dBA
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43
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35
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Reference Nexus 92 mm Fan
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12V
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1470 RPM
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20 dBA
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36
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29
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9V
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1290 RPM
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16~17 dBA
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42
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37
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7V
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1010 RPM
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12 dBA
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49
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40
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Tested on our mildly overclocked/overvolted Core i5-2400, the CPU temperature stabilized at 33°C and 43°C above ambient at 12V and 5V respectively, a fairly wide spread. The sweet spot is somewhere in the 1300 to 1600 RPM range. Very low fan speeds results in a considerable drop in performance and is not recommended.
Our reference Nexus 92 mm fan stayed on par with the stock fan at the 20 dBA@1m level but at lower speeds, it lost by a substantial margin. Though the stock fan doesn’t sound nearly as nice, it’s more ideally suited to cooling this particular heatsink.
Heatsink Comparison Tables
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°C rise Comparison (CPU Temperature)
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SPL (dBA@1m)
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20
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19
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18
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17
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16
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15
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14
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13
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12
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Noctua NH-L12
(120 & 92 mm fans) |
33
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–
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–
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34
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–
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35
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–
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36
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Thermalright TRUE Spirit 120M
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–
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32
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–
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–
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–
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34
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36
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38
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Noctua NH-U12S
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–
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33
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–
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34
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–
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–
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35
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38
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Noctua NH-L12
(120 mm fan) |
–
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–
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37
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–
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–
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38
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–
|
39
|
42
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Prolimatech Panther
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–
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–
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–
|
–
|
–
|
35
|
–
|
42
|
–
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SilverStone Argon AR02
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–
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–
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–
|
–
|
38
|
–
|
–
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–
|
43
|
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Scythe Big Shuriken 2 Rev.B
|
–
|
39
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
43
|
–
|
48
|
|
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Reeven Arcziel
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–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
42
|
–
|
–
|
47
|
–
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SilverStone Argon AR02 (ref. 92 mm fan)
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36
|
–
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–
|
42
|
–
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–
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–
|
49
|
|
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Scythe Samurai ZZ
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–
|
–
|
45
|
–
|
–
|
46
|
–
|
52
|
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Noctua NH-L12
(92 mm fan) |
42
|
–
|
44
|
–
|
47
|
–
|
51
|
57
|
|
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Scythe Big Shuriken
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43
|
–
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–
|
–
|
–
|
46
|
–
|
61
|
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Cooler Master GeminII M4
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–
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–
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–
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53
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56
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–
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64
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Noctua NH-L9i
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–
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–
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56
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–
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–
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61
|
–
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–
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–
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Scythe Kozuti
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–
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–
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57
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–
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–
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62
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–
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65
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Phanteks PH-TC90LS
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–
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–
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67
|
–
|
–
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–
|
69
|
–
|
–
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Reeven Vanxie
|
–
|
66
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
77
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–
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F
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The AR02 places sixth on our compact/slim heatsink chart which is about as
expected. It’s a formidable force against coolers with similar size fans but
the slim 120 mm fan models like the Prolimatech
Panther and Noctua
NH-U12S are clearly superior. That being said, the AR02 isn’t far off.
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°C rise Comparison (VRM Temperature)
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SPL (dBA@1m)
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20
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19
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18
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17
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16
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15
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14
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13
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12
|
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Noctua NH-L12
(120 & 92 mm fans) |
17
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–
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–
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19
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–
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21
|
–
|
23
|
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Thermalright TRUE Spirit 120M
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–
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21
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
24
|
26
|
27
|
|
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Prolimatech Panther
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–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
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24
|
–
|
30
|
–
|
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Noctua NH-L12
(120 mm fan) |
–
|
–
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24
|
–
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–
|
26
|
–
|
27
|
32
|
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Noctua NH-U12S
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–
|
29
|
–
|
30
|
–
|
–
|
31
|
33
|
|
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Noctua NH-U12S
(ref. 120 mm fan) |
–
|
–
|
–
|
32
|
–
|
–
|
34
|
– |
34
|
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SilverStone Argon AR02
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
33
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
35
|
|
Scythe Big Shuriken 2 Rev.B
|
–
|
29
|
–
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–
|
–
|
34
|
–
|
39
|
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Noctua NH-L12
(92 mm fan) |
28
|
–
|
31
|
–
|
33
|
–
|
38
|
43
|
|
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SilverStone Argon AR02 (ref. 92 mm fan)
|
29
|
–
|
–
|
37
|
–
|
–
|
– |
40
|
|
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Reeven Arcziel
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
38
|
–
|
–
|
41
|
–
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|
Scythe Big Shuriken
|
28
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
30
|
–
|
47
|
|
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Cooler Master GeminII M4
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
34
|
38
|
–
|
49
|
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Scythe Kozuti
|
–
|
–
|
36
|
–
|
–
|
40
|
–
|
45
|
|
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Scythe Samurai ZZ
|
–
|
–
|
38
|
–
|
–
|
39
|
–
|
47
|
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Noctua NH-L9i
|
–
|
–
|
40
|
–
|
–
|
46
|
–
|
–
|
–
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Phanteks PH-TC90LS
|
–
|
–
|
46
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
48
|
–
|
–
|
|
Reeven Vanxie
|
–
|
45
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
56
|
–
|
F
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For VRM cooling, the AR02 is just as capable. It falls in the same spot on the chart, trailing the larger 120 mm fan tower coolers by a narrow margin.
MP3 SOUND RECORDINGS
These recordings were made with a high
resolution, lab quality, digital recording system inside SPCR’s
own 11 dBA ambient anechoic chamber, then converted to LAME 128kbps
encoded MP3s. We’ve listened long and hard to ensure there is no audible degradation
from the original WAV files to these MP3s. They represent a quick snapshot of
what we heard during the review.
These recordings are intended to give you an idea of how the product sounds
in actual use — one meter is a reasonable typical distance between a computer
or computer component and your ear. The recording contains stretches of ambient
noise that you can use to judge the relative loudness of the subject. Be aware
that very quiet subjects may not be audible — if we couldn’t hear it from
one meter, chances are we couldn’t record it either!
The recording starts with 5~10 second segments of room ambiance, then the fan
at various levels. For the most realistic results, set the volume so that
the starting ambient level is just barely audible, then don’t change the volume
setting again.
FINAL THOUGHTS
For the most part, everything we like about the SilverStone
Argon AR01 and AR03 applies to the smaller AR02. For its height, its
cooling capabilities are impressive, top notch for a 92 mm fan heatsink. Once
again, the Argon mounting system is incredibly secure, applying a great deal
of pressure on the CPU heatspreader, something most direct-touch models lack,
to their detriment. The only fault is its fan, which has a harsher sound than
its 120 mm contemporary, and the heatpipes, which would probably work better
if positioned more tightly together in the base.
However, if size isn’t a concern, the AR02 is outclassed by a number of larger
120 mm fan models. One of its big brothers, the AR01, is a substantially better
performer, but it is bigger and sells for $7 (25%) more. At the other end of
the spectrum, the AR02 is at a disadvantage to the Noctua
NH-L12, the Scythe
Shuriken 2, and the like, as they offer better compatibility with smaller
cases.
The AR02 is not a monster high-end heatsink nor is it a tiny low profile stock
cooler replacement — it falls somewhere in the middle. It’s a compromise
cooling solution, an in-betweener built to work within a certain set of limitations
that apply to smaller cases on the market. It is well-suited for its purpose
and well priced.
Our thanks to SilverStone for the Argon AR02 CPU cooler sample.
SilverStone Argon AR02 is Recommended by SPCR
* * *
SPCR Articles of Related Interest:
NoFan CR-95C Copper Fanless CPU Cooler
SilverStone Argon AR01 & AR03 CPU Coolers
Noctua NH-U12S Slim Tower Heatsink
Cooler Master Seidon 240M: Dual Fan Liquid CPU Cooler
Phanteks PH-TC12DX CPU Cooler
Phanteks PH-TC90LS Mini Cooler
* * *
