The Thermaltake’s BigTyp 14Pro, as its name suggests is a bigger version of the Big Typhoon, sporting longer heatpipes and a 14cm fan. The Big Typhoon at the time of its release was one of the larger heatsinks one could buy, but by modern standards it is rather quaint. Can this updated titan compete with the big boys of today?
Jan 24, 2009 by Lawrence Lee
Product | Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro LGA775/K8 CPU Cooler |
Manufacturer | Thermaltake |
Street Price | US$70 |
Thermaltake’s BigTyp 14Pro is, as its name suggests, an even bigger version
of their Big Typhoon. At
the time of its release, the Big Typhoon was one of the largest heatsinks one
could buy. By 2009 standards it is “Big” no longer — enthusiasts
have seen much larger CPU coolers come and go. So, naturally, Thermaltake had
to make it bigger.
While many of Thermaltake’s products have unique design elements that show
off their creative, outside-the-box thinking, the BigTyp is a result of a more
traditional brute force strategy. It is basically a wider Big
Typhoon VX with a larger 14cm fan, longer heatpipes, and a more secure mounting
system to deal with all the extra weight.
Big Typhoon VX on the left, BigTyp 14Pro on the right. |
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Feature & Brief | Our Comment |
Strong Cooling Structure – with mirror coating copper base, 6 copper heatpipes, supports up to TDP 130W | With 6 copper heatpipes it better be able to handle a 130W CPU. |
14cm Giant Fan with Blue LED – the downward flow big fan covers more area to help system cooling not only for CPU | Generally the bigger the fan, the more efficient it is. |
VR™ Fan Function – allows you to adjust the fan speed for your need | Most of Thermaltake’s coolers have a manual fan speed controller included. |
Completely Silent – 14cm fan could make good cooling effect at only low fan speed and generate minimum noise at the same moment | If all their heatsinks are silent we wonder what they consider to be loud… |
Universal Clip – for the mainstream PC platforms such as LGA775 and AM2 sockets | That’s strange … if it’s universal, why include separate mounting systems for LGA775 and AM2? |
Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro: Specifications (from the product web page) | |
Compatibility | Intel® Core 2 Extreme (Socket LGA775) Intel® Core 2 Quad (Socket LGA775) Intel® Core 2 Duo (Socket LGA775) Intel® Pentium D (Socket LGA775) Intel® Pentium 4 (Socket LGA 775) Intel® Celeron D (Socket LGA775) Intel® Celeron (Socket LGA775) AMD® Phenom (Socket AM2+) AMD® Athlon 64 FX (Socket AM2/939) AMD® Athlon 64 X2 (Socket AM2/939) AMD® Athlon 64 (Socket AM2/939/754) AMD® Sempron (Socket AM2/754) |
Heatsink Dimension | 156(L) x 155(W) x 128(H) mm |
Heatsink Material | Aluminum Fins w/ Copper Heatpipes & Base |
Heatpipe | Ø 6 mm x 12 |
Fan Dimension | Ø 140 mm x 30 mm |
Fan Speed | 1000 ~ 1600 RPM |
Bearing Type | — |
Noise Level | 16 ~ 24 dBA |
Max. Air Flow | 85.76 CFM |
Max. Air Pressure | 1.60 mmH2O |
LED Fan | Blue LED |
Power Connector | 3 Pin |
Rated Voltage | 12 V |
Started Voltage | 7 V |
Rated Current | 0.32 A |
Power Input | 3.84 W |
MTBF | 50,000 Hours |
Weight | 800 g |
PHYSICAL DETAILS
The BigTyp is similar in appearance to the Scythe
Zipang, another large top-down cooler with a 140mm fan. In design, it is
much closer to its predecessors, the Big Typhoon and Big Typhoon VX.
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The fan assembly is held on by two tabs pressed into ridges on |
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The fins are friction-fit to the heatpipes, with no solder joining |
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BASE & INSTALLATION
The base was very flat and had a beautiful mirror finish. It’s |
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TESTING
Before thermal testing, we took some basic physical measurements.
Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro: Approximate Physical Measurements | |
Weight | 790 g (heatsink alone) 820 g (including LGA775 mounting clips) |
Fin thickness | 0.30 mm |
Fin spacing | 1.42 mm |
Vertical Clearance | Ample |
Horizontal Overhang | 20 mm (measured from the edge of the heatsink to the top edge of our test motherboard’s PCB) |
Comparison: Approximate Fin Thickness & Spacing | ||
Heatsink | Fin Thickness | Fin Spacing |
Zalman CNPS9300 AT | 0.17 mm | Varies |
Zalman CNPS9900 LED | 0.24 mm | Varies |
Scythe Ninja | 0.31 mm | 3.95 mm |
Scythe Ninja 2 | 0.39 mm | 3.68 mm |
Thermalright HR-01 Plus | 0.45 mm | 3.15 mm |
Noctua NH-U12P | 0.44 mm | 2.63 mm |
Noctua NH-C12P | 0.47 mm | 2.54 mm |
Xigmatek HDT-S1283 | 0.33 mm | 1.96 mm |
Zerotherm Zen FZ120 | 0.37 mm | 1.80 mm |
Thermaltake SpinQ | 0.31 mm | 1.67 mm |
Thermalright Ultra-120 | 0.45 mm | 1.42 mm |
Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro | 0.30 mm | 1.42 mm |
Testing was done according to our
unique heatsink testing methodology, and the included fan was profiled
using our standard fan testing
methodology. A quick summary of the components, tools, and procedures
follows below.
Test Platform change: |
Key Components in Heatsink Test Platform
- Intel
Pentium D 950 Presler core. TDP of 130W; under our test load, it measures
78W including efficiency losses in the VRMs. - Asus P5Q-EM motherboard. A microATX board with integrated graphics
and short solid-state capacitors around the CPU socket, and a diminutive northbridge heatsink for maximum compatibility. - Intel X25-M
80GB 2.5″ solid-state drive. - 1GB of Corsair XMS2 DDR2 memory. 2 x 512MB PC2-8500.
- FSP Zen 300W
fanless power supply. - Arctic Silver
Lumière: Special fast-curing thermal interface material, designed
specifically for test labs. - Nexus 120 fan (part of our standard testing methodology; used when
possible with heatsinks that fit 120x25mm fans)
Nexus 120 fan measurements | ||
Voltage | Noise | RPM |
12V | 16 dBA@1m | 1100 RPM |
9V | 13 dBA@1m | 890 RPM |
7V | 12 dBA@1m | 720 RPM |
5V | 11 dBA@1m | 530 RPM |
Measurement and Analysis Tools
- Seasonic
Power Angel for measuring AC power at the wall to ensure that the
heat output remains consistent. - Custom-built, four-channel variable DC power supply, used to regulate
the fan speed during the test. - PC-based spectrum analyzer:
SpectraPlus with ACO Pacific mic and M-Audio digital
audio interfaces. - Anechoic chamber
with ambient level of 11 dBA or lower - Various other tools for testing fans, as documented in our
standard fan testing methodology. - SpeedFan, used to monitor the on-chip thermal sensor. This sensor is not
calibrated, so results are not universally applicable. - CPUBurn
P6, used to stress the CPU heavily, generating more heat than most
real applications. Two instances are used to ensure that both cores are stressed. - Throttlewatch
2.01, used to monitor the throttling feature of the CPU to determine
when overheating occurs.
Load testing was accomplished using CPUBurn to stress the processor, and the
graph function in SpeedFan was used to make sure that the load temperature was
stable for at least ten minutes. The stock fan was tested at various voltages
to represent a good cross-section of its airflow and noise performance.
TEST RESULTS
Stock Fan Testing
Testing was performed using an external voltage controller, with the BigTyp’s
controller was set to maximum speed. At minimum, the controller drove the fan
at approximately 820 RPM, roughly equivalent to a 7V input. Ambient conditions
at the time of testing were 20ºC and 11 dBA.
Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro stock fan measurements | ||
Voltage | Noise | RPM |
12V | 37 dBA@1m | 1490 RPM |
9V | 29 dBA@1m | 1150 RPM |
7V | 21 dBA@1m | 870 RPM |
6V | 18 dBA@1m | 740 RPM |
5V | 14 dBA@1m | 620 RPM |
Fan @ 12V: At full speed, the BigTyp’s fan was loud, turbulent and very
buzzy. The measured noise level was 37 dBA@1m.
Fan @ 9V: The fan was noticeably quieter than at 12V, but is still
unacceptable. Subjectively, it sounded very breezy and turbulent.
Fan @ 7V: This level was much more reasonable and surprisingly smooth,
with chuffing detectable at close proximity (0.5m or less). The SPL was 21 dBA@1m
which is quiet enough for the average end-user.
Fan @ 6V: With much of the turbulence gone, the noise came from the
fan’s bearings. Some bad undertones became noticeable as the fan speed was reduced.
The overall SPL level was only 18 dBA@1m — enough to be audible in a silent
PC, but still very quiet.
Fan @ 5V: At 5V, the SPL reached 14 dBA@1m, which should be
inaudible in most system configurations. Heard close up, the fan produced a
low pitched hum, and the chuffing noted at 7V was more pronounced.
Cooling Results
Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro | ||||
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Fan Voltage | SPL@1m | Temp | °C Rise | °C/W |
12V | 37 dBA | 33°C | 13 | 0.17 |
9V | 29 dBA | 36°C | 16 | 0.21 |
7V | 21 dBA | 38°C | 18 | 0.23 |
6V | 18 dBA | 42°C | 22 | 0.28 |
5V | 14 dBA | 48°C | 28 | 0.36 |
Load Temp: CPUBurn for ~10 mins. °C Rise: Temperature rise above ambient (20°C) at load. °C/W: based on the amount of heat dissipated by the CPU (measured 78W); lower is better. |
At full speed, thermal performance was excellent: only 13°C above ambient.
At 9V, the CPU temperature increased by only 3°C, while 7V produced a further
2°C degradation. At 6V the BigTyp’s cooling proficiency started to take
a big hit — 4°C higher than at 7V. The sweet spot
is somewhere between 6V and 7V. At 5V the BigTyp really began to struggle —
the CPU temperature increased another 6°C. The BigTyp seems to be in its
element when airflow and noise are high.
Comparables | |||||
Zalman CNPS9900 (w/o shroud) | Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro | Zalman CNPS9300 AT | |||
SPL @1m | °C Rise | SPL @1m | °C Rise | SPL @1m | °C Rise |
29 dBA | 10 | 29 dBA | 16 | 30 dBA | 17 |
23 dBA | 12 | 21 dBA | 18 | 21 dBA | 23 |
17 dBA | 16 | 18 dBA | 22 |
Compared to the Zalman CNPS9300
AT, the BigTyp 14Pro is a significant improvement, posting better numbers
at more or less equivalent noise levels. The CNPS9300 is a fairly light, modest
cooler however. When pitted against the CNPS9900,
a heatsink closer to the BigTyp’s weight, size, and cost, it fared poorly. As
a top-down cooler, it had a tough time competing with east-west blowing CPU
heatsinks — maybe a comparison against other top-downers would be more
appropriate.
Quiet Top-Downers vs. BigTyp 14Pro | ||
Heatsink | SPL@1m | °C Rise |
Xigmatek HDT-D1284 | 13 dBA | 22 |
Big Typhoon VX | 13 dBA | 24 |
Thermalright SI-128 | 13 dBA | 26 |
BigTyp 14Pro | 14 dBA | 28 |
BigTyp 14Pro with stock fan @ 5V; Comparables with Nexus 120mm fan @ 9V (noise equivalent). |
Unfortunately, the BigTyp 14Pro’s poor low airflow performance is clear even
when compared to other top-down coolers we have tested (our reference Nexus
120mm fan was used). At 5V, the BigTyp’s fan measured 14 dBA@1m and had a thermal
rise of 28°C. Yet, every other top-down heatsink in our comparison manages
to outperform it at the marginally quieter 13 dBA@1m that a Nexus 120mm produces
at 9V. It may be somewhat unfair to pit the BigTyp 14Pro to compare it with
heatsinks using one of the best 120mm fans on the market, but it does give us
a consistant point of reference.
Unfortunately, the most obvious competitor for the BigTyp, the
Scythe Zipang, was not included in the comparison because we no longer have
the product sample. However, it turns out a direct comparison was unnecessary
— the Zipang is the most efficient top-down cooler we’ve ever tested, and
the BigTyp couldn’t even fend off smaller heatsinks like the Xigmatek
HDT-D1284 or Thermalright
SI-128. Even the BigTyp’s predecessor, the Big
Typhoon VX, pulled off better numbers at least when equipped with a quality
120mm fan.
When we originally tested the Big Typhoon VX (pre-anechoic chamber), the stock
fan at 5V was approximately the same noise level as the Nexus fan at 9V, but
performed 6°C worse (30°C thermal rise). If we use this indirect comparison,
the BigTyp 14Pro outperformed its predecessor by an insignificant and disappointing
2°C. Considering the size and price of the BigTyp, we were expecting a more
substantial difference.
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 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.
- Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro at one meter
— 5V (14 dBA@1m)
— 6V (18 dBA@1m)
— 7V (21 dBA@1m)
— 9V (29 dBA@1m)
— 12V (37 dBA@1m)
Reference Comparatives
- Zalman
CNPS9900 LED at one meter
— 5V (16 dBA@1m)
— 7V (24 dBA@1m)
— 9V (32 dBA@1m)
— 12V (39 dBA@1m)
- Zalman
CNPS9300 AT at one meter
— 5V on foam (18 dBA@1m)
— 5V (21 dBA@1m)
— 7V (25 dBA@1m)
— 9V (30 dBA@1m)
— 12V (37 dBA@1m)
- Nexus
120mm Real Silent Case fan at one meter
— 5V (11 dBA@1m)
— 7V (12 dBA@1m)
— 9V (13 dBA@1m)
— 12V (16 dBA@1m)
FINAL THOUGHTS
Despite its girth, longer heatpipes and 140mm fan, the Thermaltake BigTyp
14Pro is a relatively poor performer once the fan speed is dialed down to tolerable
levels. While we did not expect it would be able to compete with the massive
tower heatsinks which have the inherent advantage of exhausting air toward the
back of the case, the BigTyp also posted below average numbers against some
of the more modest top-down coolers we’ve tested in the past.
The combination of high fin density and a frameless fan are not conducive to
quiet, low airflow cooling. Without a frame, the fan produces very little static
pressure, making it difficult to force air down through the narrow gaps between
the fins, especially when the fan speed is reduced. Also, the heatpipes don’t
have a lot of breathing room between them, so the heat coursing through them
is not easily dissipated.
While bigger sometimes really is better, this is not the case with the BigTyp,
which barely outperforms its smaller predecessor, the Big Typhoon VX. Increasing
the heatpipe length along with the fan size did not appear to make it a better
performer, but it did succeed in making the BigTyp one of the more expensive
CPU coolers you can buy today. Being bigger causes other problems as well, such
as potentially interfering with power supplies or rear exhaust fans and obscuring
at least two mounting holes on the motherboard. Its lackluster performance isn’t
worth the cost to procure it or the possible problems associated with its installation.
Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro | |
PROS * Secure LGA775 mounting design | CONS * Size may cause compatibility issues |
Our thanks to Thermaltake for the BigTyp 14Pro heatsink sample.
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Articles of Related Interest
Zalman CNPS9900 LED: The End of the
Nines
ThermalTake SpinQ: Unique Blower-fan
Heatsink
Thermolab Baram Blows In
Scythe Ninja 2: Tweaking a Classic
Zalman 9300AT: Not me too, but
me again
Two Big Top-downers: Big Typhoon
VX & Xigmatek HDT-D1264
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