SilverStone Tundra TD03 Liquid CPU Cooler

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The SilverStone Tundra TD03 self-contained CPU water cooler uses a different radiator and water block design than its competitors in an attempt to improve its efficiency.

September 3, 2013 by Lawrence Lee

Product
 SilverStone Tundra TD03
Liquid CPU Cooler
Manufacturer
 SilverStone
Street Price
 US$100

Silverstone, known mainly for their cases, recently impressed us with the Argon
AR01 and AR03 heatsinks, which utilized direct-touch heatpipe technology.
The AR03 was particularly noteworthy given its performance relative to price
and size. The Argon line can be most succinctly described as “efficient”.
SilverStone’s latest push into CPU cooling takes an entirely different approach.
The Tundra series is comprised of a pair of premium all-in-one liquid coolers,
the dual radiator TD02, and the more modest single radiator TD03 which we’re
looking at today.

The products of this genre offer an easy introduction to water cooling for
those unwilling to put the time, energy, and money, into setting up a “proper”
cooling loop, typically a mix of compatible components similar to how a custom
PC is assembled. A structure containing a water block and a pump is mounted
to the CPU. Heat is transferred to the coolant inside and pumped through one
tube to a radiator installed on a 120 mm fan placement. The heat is then spread
through the radiator via a series of pipes and coils/fins, and the heated transferred
into the air, which is then exhausted out of the case by a fan. The now cooled
liquid flows through the second hose back to the water block, completing the
cycle. It’s similar to the way a heatsink with heatpipes works, but spread out
over a larger area with a pump actively creating flow rather than relying on
conduction.

While it sounds great in theory, the self-contained water CPU cooler units
we’ve tested have been disappointing. Compared to a typical air-cooled heatsink,
they are louder because the pump is as an additional noise source, and the included
fans are usually high speed models. Performance is usually average at best,
installation is often more difficult or tedious, and the cost ranges from high
to extravagant. Most models are based on designs by or manufactured directly
by the same company, Asetek. These Asetek coolers/clones have an almost uniform
style/appearance. The Tundra breaks the mold, having several distinct design
aspects that might give it an edge over the masses.


The box.


The Tundra TD03.

Rather than using thin, tightly spaced coils, the bulk of the radiator’s cooling
surface is composed of heatsink-like fins. While this makes the heat dissipation
area smaller, the impedance to airflow appears reduced, making it easier for
a fan to blow through. The base is thicker and better built with a full metal
body encapsulating the pump. Mounting arms are incorporated into the structure,
sitting above the water block so a tighter, more secure mounting system can
be employed.


Package contents.


Package contents.

Opening the box reveals a tray similar to a paper egg carton, with compartments for the various components. Included in the package is the cooler itself, a pair of 120 mm fans, a dual fan cable, the necessary mounting hardware, and a brief installation guide.

SilverStone Tundra TD03: Specifications
(from the product
web page)
Model No. SST-TD03
Water block Dimension 60mm (L) x 55mm (W) x 33.5mm (H)
Material Copper base with nickel-plated aluminum unibody
Pump Motor speed 2500±200RPM
Rated Voltage 12V
Rated Current 0.28A
Fan Dimension 120mm (L) x 120mm (W) x 25mm (D)
Speed 1500~2500RPM
Noise level 16~33.5dBA
Rated Voltage 12V
Rated Current 0.3A
Max airflow 92.5CFM
Pressure 3.5mm/H2O
Connector 4 Pin PWM
Radiator Dimension 159mm (L) x 124mm (W) x 45mm (H)
Material Aluminum
Tube Length 310mm
Material FEP
Application Intel Socket LGA775/115X/1366/2011
AMD Socket AM2/AM3/FM1/FM2
Net Weight 1063g

PHYSICAL DETAILS

The SilverStone Tundra TD03 is composed of a 15.2 x 12.4 x 4.4
cm radiator with a plastic outer shell and nickel-plated aluminum fins, a pair
of 8 mm thick, 30 cm long, stiff plastic hoses connected to a 33 mm tall rectangular
structure containing the pump and a copper water block. Without the fans, the
entire structure weighs a total of 780 g, though only a small portion of this
mass sites atop the CPU.


The base of the water block is lustrous 55 mm square of copper with rounded corners, measuring only 1 mm thick. It has been finely machined so that the surface is very flat and uniform.


Most liquid CPU coolers have the pump encapsulated in a round structure with a plastic exterior but SilverStone went with a more confidence-inspiring square metal design. The pump is powered via a 30 cm long 3-pin fan cable.


The radiator measures 44 mm thick, but we’re skeptical as to whether it’s truly dense enough to warrant a second fan.


Rather than having razor thin rows of coils winding from top to bottom, the radiator has thick, straight fins, cutting across the liquid pipes.


The 52 radiator fins are surprisingly thick, measuring 0.43 mm, and are spaced approximately 1.86 mm apart, on average.


The TD03 ships with an interesting stock fan, similar to that of the Argon AR01/AR03 heatsinks reviewed a few months ago.

BASE & INSTALLATION

The most critical aspect of installation is that the cooler be securely
mounted. A firm mating results in good contact between the unit’s base and
the CPU heatspreader and more efficient heat conduction. Ideally it should
also be a simple procedure with the user having to handle as few pieces of
hardware as possible. For the Tundra series, SilverStone uses a simple bolt-thru system that most enthusiasts have probably seen in some shape or form previously.


Bolts are pushed through a backplate on the trace side of the motherboard, plastic spacers are inserted, and spring-loaded screws are capped to the bolts.


Bolts and spacers in place.


Water block fully mounted.


As we test heatsinks on an open test platform, the TD03 was placed as close as possible to where it would be mounted inside a case, near the exhaust fan placement.


Padding is applied to the corners on each side of the radiator for dampening and the fans are hard mounted.


The water block left a very thin layer of thermal compound on the CPU heatspreader. The globules were fairly small but the imprint was not as faint as some of the higher end heatsinks we’ve tested in the past. Contact was good but not great.

TESTING

Before thermal testing, we took some basic physical measurements.

Approximate Physical Measurements
Weight
 780 g (+140 g for each stock fan)
Height 33mm (water block)
Fin count 52
Fin thickness
 0.43 mm
Fin spacing
 1.86 mm
Vertical Clearance*
 N/A
* measured from motherboard PCB to bottom
fin of heatsink

 

Large Heatsink Comparison:
Average Fin Thickness & Spacing
Heatsink
Fin Thickness
Fin Spacing
SilverStone Heligon HE02
0.52 mm
3.30 mm
Thermalright HR-01 Plus
0.45 mm
3.15 mm
Thermalright HR-02 Macho
0.34 mm
3.12 mm
Scythe Ninja 3
0.39 mm
2.64 mm
Noctua NH-U12P
0.44 mm
2.63 mm
Noctua NH-C12P
0.47 mm
2.54 mm
Noctua NH-D14
0.43 mm
2.33 mm
Thermalright Archon SB-E
0.49 mm
2.33 mm
GELID Tranquillo Rev.2
0.40 mm
2.30 mm
Phanteks PH-TC12DX
0.39 mm
2.30 mm
GELID GX-7 Rev.2
0.31 mm
2.25 mm
Phanteks PH-TC14PE
0.40 mm
2.21 mm
be quiet! Dark Rock 2
0.38 mm
2.22 mm
Prolimatech Armageddon
0.51 mm
2.08 mm
Prolimatech Megahalems
0.50 mm
2.00 mm
Zalman CNPS10X Quiet
0.40 mm
2.00 mm
Scythe Kabuto & Zipang 2
0.34 mm
1.94 mm
NZXT Havik 140
0.41 mm
1.91 mm
Scythe Mugen-2
0.31 mm
1.89 mm
SilverStone Tundra TD03
0.43 mm
1.86 mm
Swiftech Polaris 120
0.43 mm
1.85 mm
SilverStone Argon AR01
0.30 mm
1.85 mm
Thermalright Venomous X
0.53 mm
1.84 mm
Scythe Mugen 4
0.30 mm
1.82 mm
Noctua NH-C14
0.38 mm
1.79 mm
Enermax ETS-T40
0.40 mm
1.79 mm
Scythe Yasya
0.32 mm
1.78 mm
SilverStone Argon AR03
0.42 mm
1.72 mm
Cogage TRUE Spirit 1366
0.40 mm
1.70 mm
Arctic Cooling Freezer Xtreme Rev.2
0.30 mm
1.70 mm
Scythe Grand Kama Cross
0.38 mm
1.66 mm
Reeven Kelveros
0.47 mm
1.61 mm
Zalman CNPS9900 MAX
0.16 mm
1.59 mm
Thermalright Silver Arrow
0.32 mm
1.57 mm
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
0.43 mm
1.54 mm
Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme Rev.C
0.56 mm
1.52 mm
Zalman CNPS10X Extreme
0.42 mm
1.50 mm

Testing on larger heatsinks are done on our
LGA1366 heatsink testing platform, while smaller coolers tackle our LGA1155 heatsink testing platform. A summary of the test system
and procedure follows.

Key Components in LGA1366 Heatsink Test Platform:

  • Intel Core i7-965 Extreme
    Nehalem core, LGA1366, 3.2GHz, 45nm, 130W TDP.
  • Asus
    P6X58D Premium     ATX motherboard. X58 chipset.
  • Asus
    EAH3450 Silent     graphics card.
  • Intel
    X25-M     80GB 2.5″ solid-state drive. Chosen for silence.
  • 3GB QiMonda
    DDR3 memory. 3 x 1GB DDR3-1066 in triple channel.
  • Seasonic X-650 SS-650KM
    650W ATX power supply. This PSU is semi-passively cooled. At the power levels
    of our test platform, its fan does not spin.
  • Arctic Silver
    Lumière    : Special fast-curing thermal interface material, designed
    specifically for test labs.
  • Noctua 140 mm fan (used when possible with heatsinks that fit 140x25mm
    fans)
  • Nexus 120 mm fan (used when possible with heatsinks that fit 120x25mm
    fans)
  • Nexus 92 mm fan (used when possible with heatsinks that fit 92x25mm
    fans)

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.

Reference Noctua 140mm fan
Anechoic chamber measurements
Voltage
Speed
SPL@1m
12V
1250 RPM
28~29 dBA
9V
990 RPM
21 dBA
8V
880 RPM
18 dBA
7V
770 RPM
15~16 dBA
6V
660 RPM
13 dBA

 

Reference Nexus 120 mm fan
Anechoic chamber measurements
Voltage
Speed
SPL@1m
12V
1080 RPM
16 dBA
9V
880 RPM
13 dBA
7V
720 RPM
12 dBA

 

Reference Nexus 92 mm fan
Anechoic chamber measurements
Voltage
Speed
SPL@1m
12V
1470 RPM
17 dBA
9V
1280 RPM
14 dBA
7V
1010 RPM
12 dBA

Measurement and Analysis Tools

  • Extech 380803 AC power analyzer / data logger for measuring AC system
    power.
  • 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 sensors. The sensors are not calibrated,
    so results are not universally applicable. The hottest core reading is used.
  • Prime95,
    used to stress the CPU heavily, generating more heat than most real applications.
    All instances are used to ensure full stress.
  • CPU-Z,used to monitor the CPU speed to determine when overheating occurs.
  • Thermometers to measure the air temperature around the test platform
    and near the intake of the heatsink fan.

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
Specifications: SilverStone Tundra TD03 Stock Fan
Manufacturer SilverStone Power Rating 3.6 W
Model Number AS1225H12 Airflow Rating 92.5 CFM
Bearing Type Sleeve Speed Rating 1500 ~ 2500 RPM
Frame Size 120 x 120 x 25 mm Noise Rating 16 ~ 33.5 dBA
Hub Size 42 mm Header Type 4-pin PWM
Blade Diameter 111 mm Starting Voltage 4.0 ~ 4.5 V
Cable Length 29 cm Weight 140 g
Corner Type Open Retail Availability No

Additional notes:

The TD03’s stock fan has the same model number as the Argon AR01/AR03’s 2200
RPM blower, but with a nominal rotational speed of 2500 RPM, it’s a slightly
more powerful variant. The structure is the same, with wavelike teeth and ridges
cut into the blades on the exhaust side.


This is the screen capture of Fan Xpert 2’s auto-analysis of the Tundra TD03 stock fan using PWM control.

This is the screen capture of Fan Xpert 2’s auto-analysis of the Tundra TD03 stock fan using voltage control.

ASUS Fan Xpert 2 utility, or more specifically, its fan auto-tuning feature,
gives us an idea of what to expect in terms of usable speeds when using onboard
fan control. On PWM, the lower limit is about 1300 RPM, while on voltage control,
it can run as low as 800 RPM before it stops spinning altogether.

Stock Fan Measurements
Voltage
Speed
SPL@1m
12V
2340 RPM
36 dBA
9V
1920 RPM
30~31 dBA
7V
1570 RPM
25 dBA
6V
1360 RPM
21~22 dBA
5V
1080 RPM
16~17 dBA
Pump Measurements
12V
2600 RPM
17 dBA
9V
2160 RPM
13~14 dBA
7V
1820 RPM
12 dBA
Measuring mic positioned 1m at diagonal angle from
the center of the cooler base.
Ambient noise level: 10~11 dBA.

The stock fan is very noisy, generating an earsplitting 36 dBA@1m at full speed
and only becomes quiet when brought down to the very low end of its range. It
enters the quiet zone at about 1200 RPM. Being a water cooling system, the TD03
has a second source of noise: The pump. Since our first all-in-one liquid cooler
review three years ago, pumps have become noticeably quieter and the TD03’s
is no exception. At full speed it produces only 17 dBA@1m and with a bit of
undervolting, becomes muted very quickly.

While the pump is fairly quiet by water cooler standards, the quality
of the noise is bad, especially at full tilt. At 7V and 9V, it emits a harsh
buzzing like a fly hovering next to your head. At full speed the pitch increases
considerably making it more annoying. The fan, for the most part, has a similar
acoustic character to the Argon AR01/AR03 stock fan. It is relatively buzzy
at higher speeds but the noise is more broadband and less tonal, while at lower
speeds it tends to drone and hum slightly.

Combined Noise Measurements
Pump Voltage
Fan Voltage
SPL@1m
12V
12V
36 dBA
9V
30~31 dBA
7V
25 dBA
6V
22 dBA
5V
18~19 dBA
9V
6V
21~22 dBA
5V
18 dBA
7V
6V
21 dBA
5V
17 dBA
Measuring mic positioned 1m at diagonal angle from
the center of the cooler base.
Ambient noise level: 10~11 dBA.

The combined noise output is very similar to the fan on its own. The pump’s contribution is only audible when the fan is running at 6V and below, and even then, the difference is minuscule. If the fan is spinning at a decent speed it doesn’t make any sense to slow down the pump at all.

TEST RESULTS

Test Results: SilverStone Tundra TD03 (Pump at 12V)
Fan Voltage
Single Fan
Dual Fan
SPL@1m
Thermal Rise
SPL@1m
12V
36 dBA
36°C
34°C
43 dBA
9V
30~31 dBA
38°C
35°C
35 dBA
7V
25 dBA
39°C
37°C
30 dBA
6V
22 dBA
41°C
38°C
24 dBA
5V
18~19 dBA
44°C
40°C
20 dBA
Pump at 9V
6V
21~22 dBA
42°C
–
5V
18 dBA
44°C
Pump at 7V
6V
21 dBA
42°C
–
5V
17 dBA
46°C
Reference 120 mm Fan (Pump at 12V)
12V
19~20 dBA
41°C
39°C
23 dBA
9V
18 dBA
44°C
40°C
19 dBA
7V
17 dBA
47°C
43°C
18 dBA
Reference 120 mm Fan (Pump at 9V)
12V
18 dBA
41°C
39°C
22~23 dBA
9V
15~16 dBA
44°C
41°C
17 dBA
7V
14~15 dBA
48°C
44°C
16 dBA
Reference 120 mm Fan (Pump at 7V)
12V
17~18 dBA
42°C
40°C
22 dBA
9V
14 dBA
45°C
41°C
15 dBA
7V
13 dBA
50°C
44°C
14 dBA
Measuring mic positioned 1m at diagonal angle from
the center of the heatsink.
Ambient noise level: 10~11 dBA.

With the stock fan, the Tundra TD03 is an excellent CPU cooler, but only at
high fan speeds. At lower fan speeds, its cooling proficiency dropped to middling
range. Equipping the second fan netted about a 3°C drop across the board
but the increase in noise meant that no overall gains were obtained; ie, a given
noise level provided the same cooling as with one fan. We also found that slowing
down the pump had hardly any effect.

Our reference Nexus 120 mm fan delivered better results despite not being designed
specifically for this type of cooler. However, it is not entirely surprising
given the nonstandard structure of the radiator that is somewhat similar to
an air-cooled heatsink. Once again, we found that adjusting the pump voltage
accounted for only a minute performance difference, but the Nexus’ lower noise
levels were obviously preferable.

The Nexus fan’s superior acoustics also gave it an edge in dual fan performance.
The addition of a second fan was a net positive, especially when both the pump
and fans were set to 7V. In this configuration, we observed a 6°C improvement
compared to the single reference fan setup.

HEATSINK COMPARISON TABLES

°C Rise Comparison: CPU Coolers with Single Stock Fan
SPL (dBA@1m)
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
Thermalright HR-02 Macho
39
40
41
43
Scythe Mugen 4
40
42
45
Scythe Yasya
40
43
SilverStone Tundra TD03
(dual ref. 120 mm fans,
pump at 7V)
41
44
Cogage TRUE Spirit 1366
41
43
46
Zalman CNPS10X Quiet
40
42
47
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
41
44
54
Silverstone Argon AR03
43
48
SilverStone Tundra TD03
(ref. 120 mm fan, pump at 7V)
42
45
50
Phanteks PH-TC12DX
(dual stock fans)
44
    
Scythe Ninja 3
44
46
SilverStone Argon AR01
44
50
Phanteks PH-TC12DX
44
47
Titan Fenrir
45
47
Cooler Master Seidon 240M (dual stock fans, pump at 7V)
40
43
53
Antec Kühler H20 920
(dual stock fans, pump at 7V)
41
SilverStone Tundra TD03
(dual stock fans, pump at 12V)
40
SilverStone Tundra TD03
(pump at 9V, 7V)
44
46
Antec Kühler H20 620
(pump at 7V)
44
47
Zalman CNPS9900 MAX
45
47
49
GELID Tranquillo Rev.2
48
49
50
bequiet! Dark Rock 2
48
52
55
61
Zalman CNPS9900DF
48
50
53
Reeven Kelveros
51
58
GELID GX-7 Rev.2
51
56
Swiftech Polaris 120
54
59
Intel Core i7-980X Stock Cooler
53
62
Enermax ETS-T40
49
55
64
AC Freezer Xtreme Rev.2
55
62

The TD03’s best results aren’t terribly impressive. With a single stock fan, it’s in line with the Antec Kühler H20 620, and with dual stock fans it is similar to the larger H20 920. Compared to the multitude of air coolers we’ve reviewed, it’s positioned near the middle along with the other water cooling units. Using our reference fan bumps up its station up considerably but for US$100, plus the cost of the replacement fans, it’s not a very cost-effective choice.

°C Rise Comparison: CPU Coolers with 120 mm Reference Fan
Heatsink
Fan voltage / SPL @1m*
12V
(~17 dBA)
9V
(~14 dBA)
7V
(~12 dBA)
Scythe Mugen 4
37
39
41
Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme Rev.C
38
40
43
Thermalright Venomous X
38
41
43
Prolimatech Megahalems
38
41
44
SilverStone Argon AR03
38
41
45
Noctua NH-U12P
39
42
44
Scythe Mugen-2
39
42
45
Phanteks PH-TC12DX
40
42
45
Cogage TRUE Spirit 1366
40
42
45
Zalman CNPS10X Quiet
40
43
46
SilverStone Argon AR01
41
43
46
Scythe Yasya
41
43
47
Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme
40
43
48
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
41
44
48
Thermalright Ultra-120
42
45
49
SilverStone Tundra TD03 (pump at 7V)
42
45
50
Titan Fenrir
43
46
50
Scythe Ninja 3
44
47
49
Enermax ETS-T40
44
46
50
Noctua NH-C12P
43
47
51
Zalman CNPS10X Extreme
43
47
53
Swiftech Polaris 120
46
49
54
GELID GX-7 Rev.2
47
50
52
Zalman CNPS10X Flex
45
50
54
be quiet! Dark Rock 2
48
50
52
Cooler Master V8
46
50
54
GELID Tranquillo Rev.2
48
50
53
Antec Kühler H20 620
(pump at 9V, 7V, 7V)
46
52
53
Reeven Kelveros
47
51
55
Antec Kühler H20 920
(dual fans, pump at 7V)
48
(fans at 7V)
–
–
Arctic Cooling Freezer Xtreme Rev.2
49
52
58
*Note: there are minor differences in measured SPL due to the variety of fan orientations and mounting methods offered by the compared coolers.

Against competing air coolers armed with the same 120 mm reference fan, the TD03 takes a back seat to a whole host of heatsinks. It’s not a bad cooler per se, but keep in mind every single product on this list that placed above it is cheaper, some by half or more.

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 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

The all-in-one water cooler SilverStone Tundra TD03 uses a different design
than its multitude of competitors. Its radiator utilizes thick, heatsink-like
fins rather than the traditional long and thin coils, and the pump exterior
is a sturdy metal box instead of a round encircled with plastic. The mounting
system is also more secure and less fidgety to install than those preceding
it. Unfortunately, despite all these differences, the result is nothing revolutionary
or even evolutionary. Out of the box, the TD03’s overall performance:noise ratio
is very close to previously tested liquid coolers, that is to say, middling
at best compared to most large air-cooled heatsinks.

Furthermore, like most such devices, the TD03 doesn’t boast great acoustics.
The included fans are too high in speed, requiring a tremendous amount of undervolting
to bring them down to quiet levels, and on PWM control, it might not possible
at all depending on your personal standards. The pump also generates an unpleasant
buzzing, though it is relatively quiet as pumps go and gets drowned out by the
stock fan(s) at all but the lowest of speeds.

Typically, water coolers are paired with special fans designed specifically
for high static pressure to match the dense structure of old school radiator
designs. The TD03’s stock fan is essentially the same as the larger versions
of SilverStone’s Argon heatsink series but this choice makes sense in theory
given the radiator’s unusual construction. In practice, it was surprisingly
inferior to our reference Nexus 120 mm fans which previously had failed to impress
when paired with similar coolers.

With our reference fan, the TD03 became a fairly decent cooling solution, but purchasing aftermarket fans adds even more cost to the TD03’s already high US$100 street price. Even if the stock fans performed equally, you could still buy two or three comparable air-cooled heatsinks for the same money, such as SilverStone’s own AR01 and AR03. On top of that, the TD03 occupies a 120 mm case fan mount which could otherwise be used to further complement CPU and overall case cooling. The Tundra TD03 is the best constructed water cooler we’ve seen, but like its contemporaries, it has little to offer aside from the novelty of having liquid coursing through your PC.

Our thanks to SilverStone
for the Tundra TD03 CPU cooler sample.

* * *

SPCR Articles of Related Interest:

Scythe Mugen 4 CPU Cooler: Scythe Strikes Back
SilverStone Argon AR02 CPU Cooler
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

* * *

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this article in the SPCR forums.

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