The GX-7 and Tranquillo Rev.2 are GELID’s high-end and mid-range CPU coolers, respectively. The Tranquillo has a modest design and fan while the GX-7 is packed with heatpipes and sports a fancy high speed blue LED model.
August 23, 2012 by Lawrence Lee
Product | GELID GX-7 Rev.2 CPU Cooler | GELID Tranquillo Rev.2 CPU Cooler |
Manufacturer | GELID Solutions | GELID Solutions |
Street Price | US$65 | US$40 |
GELID Solutions is an interesting PC accessory manufacturer dealing in fans, coolers, and cases. Started by former employees of Arctic Cooling, the Hong Kong based company has kept their product catalog surprisingly sparse since their inception in 2008. The positive implication is that prefer to refine their focus on a small set of well-designed merchandise rather than spamming the market with volume regardless of quality like some companies. Their most impressive offering thus far, in our opinion at least, is the Icy Vision a well-designed dual fan GPU cooler that delivers excellent performance at a low noise level. Today we look at a pair of their latest CPU coolers, the GX-7 Rev.2 and Tranquillo Rev.2.
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It’s not clear exactly what the differences are between these Rev.2 models and their originals. There is no mention of the Rev.2 GX-7 on GELID’s website and the specifications of the original Tranquillo are the same as its successor. In any event, the Tranquillo Rev.2 represents GELID’s current mid-range heatsink offering while the GX-7 Rev.2 is their high-end flagship cooler, if you couldn’t tell by the far more decorative artwork on the GX-7 box . As the two packages are the same size one could infer that the heatsinks themselves have similar physical dimensions. The main differentiators seems to be the GX-7’s three extra heatpipes (7 vs. 4) and its branded Wing 12 PL fan.
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The package contents of the two coolers are, as you probably guessed, identical. The heatsink and included 120 mm fan is secured in a thin plastic clamshell container with a small white accessory box (not pictured) holding the installation instructions and mounting hardware. The installation gear is exactly the same as well except the GX-7’s kit has an extra set of fan clips for dual fan operation.
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Similarities are also found in the build of the two heatsinks. They both have copper bases fused to tightly packed heatpipes with generous amounts of solder and friction-fit aluminum fins that are bent at the sides for stability and presumably to focus the airflow in the desired direction. The GX-7 is slightly larger with few extra fins and seven nickel-plated copper heatpipes to the Tranquillo’s bare set of four.
Model | GX-7 Rev.2 | Tranquillo Rev.2 |
Air Flow (CFM) | 75.6 | 58 |
Bearing: | Nanoflux Bearing | Hydro Dynamic Bearing |
Cable Length (mm): | 500 | 500 |
Current (A): | 0.45 | 0.18 |
DC Voltage (V): | 12 | 12 |
Fan Dimensions (mm): | 120 x 120 x 25 (L x W x H) | 120 x 120 x 25 (L x W x H) |
Fan Speed (RPM): | 600 – 1800 | 750 – 1500 |
Heatsink Dimensions (mm): | 130 x 65 x 159 (L x W x H) | 74 x 125 x 153 (L x W x H) |
LED Color: | Blue | N/A |
Number of LED: | 4 | N/A |
Life time MTTF at 40C (h): | 100,000 | 50,000 |
Noise Level (dBA): | 10 – 26.8 | 12 – 25.5 |
Static Pressure (mmAq): | 2.66 | 1.6 |
Warranty (years): | 3 | 5 |
Total Weight (g): | 720 | 645 |
According to the spec sheet, the GX-7 Rev.2 is 6 mm taller and 75 grams heavier. Its fan also has a higher rotational speed and four bright blue LEDs.
PHYSICAL DETAILS
The GELID GX-7 Rev.2 and Tranquillo Rev.2 are good sized coolers by today’s standards weighing 720 grams and 630 grams respectively according to our digital scale. By our measurements, the GX-7 Rev.2 is 158 mm tall, a common height for tower heatsinks with 12 cm fans, while the Tranquillo Rev.2 is on the short side at 152 mm.
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INSTALLATION
The most critical aspect of installation is that the heatsink be securely
mounted. A firm mating results in good contact between the heatsink’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.
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TESTING
Before thermal testing, we took some basic physical measurements.
Approximate Physical Measurements | ||
Model | GELID GX-7 Rev.2 | GELID Tranquillo Rev.2 |
Weight | 610 g 720 g with stock fan and clips | 520 g 630 g with stock fan and clips |
Height | 158 mm | 152 mm |
Fin count | 45 | 40 |
Fin thickness | 0.31 mm | 0.40 mm |
Fin spacing | 2.25 mm | 2.30 mm |
Vertical Clearance* | 45 mm | 41 mm |
* measured from the motherboard PCB to the bottom fin of the heatsink |
Large Heatsink Comparison: Average Fin Thickness & Spacing | ||
Heatsink | Fin Thickness | Fin Spacing |
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 |
GELID GX-7 Rev.2 | 0.31 mm | 2.25 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 |
Swiftech Polaris 120 | 0.43 mm | 1.85 mm |
Thermalright Venomous X | 0.53 mm | 1.84 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 |
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. - HIS Radeon HD 5570 Silence 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)
Key Components in LGA1155 Heatsink Test Platform:
- Intel Core i5-2400 Sandy Bridge core, LGA1155, 3.1 GHz, 45nm, 95W TDP, overclocked/volted to 3.6 GHz and 1.300V.
- Intel DP67BG ATX motherboard.
P67 chipset. - AMD Radeon HD 5450 graphics card.
- Kingston
SSDNow V 30GB 2.5″ solid-state drive. Chosen for silence. - OCZ Platinum Extreme Low Voltage DDR3 memory. 2 x 2 GB, DDR3-1333 in dual channel.
- Seasonic X-400 SS-400FL
400W ATX power supply. Passively cooled - 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 | SPL@1m | Speed |
12V | 1250 RPM | 28~29 dBA |
9V | 990 RPM | 21 dBA |
7V | 770 RPM | 15~16 dBA |
6V | 660 RPM | 13 dBA |
Reference Nexus 120mm fan Anechoic chamber measurements | ||
Voltage | SPL@1m | Speed |
12V | 1100 RPM | 16 dBA |
9V | 890 RPM | 13 dBA |
7V | 720 RPM | 12 dBA |
Reference Nexus 92 mm fan Anechoic chamber measurements | ||
Voltage | SPL@1m | Speed |
12V | 1470 RPM | 16 dBA |
9V | 1150 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 LGA1366 CPU heavily, generating more heat than most real applications.
8 instances are used to ensure that all 4 cores (with Hyper-threading) are
stressed. - 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: GELID GX-7 Rev.2 Stock Fan | |||
Manufacturer | Power Rating | 5.4 W | |
Model Number | FN-FW12BPL-18 | Airflow Rating | 75.6 CFM |
Bearing Type | Nanoflux Bearing | Speed Rating | 600 ~ 1,800 RPM |
Corners | Open | Noise Rating | 10 ~ 26.8 dBA |
Frame Size | 120 x 120 x 25 mm | Header Type | 4-pin |
Fan Blade Diameter | 110 mm | Starting Voltage | 3.7 V |
Hub Size | 39 mm | Weight | 110 g |
Data in green cells provided by the manufacturer or observed; data in the blue cells were measured. |
The GX-7 Rev.2’s stock fan is a member of GELID’s Wing series, the Wing 12 PL, a 120 mm PWM model with blue LEDs residing at the end each curved strut. The fan looks a little naked as the combined diameter of the impeller and blades is about 4 mm less than typical 120 mm fans. The fan’s nine translucent blue blades are equipped with “winglets,” tips on the end of each blade that stick out like a shark’s fin on the intake side. We’re not sure what purpose they serve especially as they’re located on the back side of the fan nor does GELID state specifically why they’re advantageous. The Wing series uses a “Nanoflux” bearing that features a magnetic design that allows the impeller to be easily detached for cleaning.
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Stock Fan Measurements | ||
Voltage | Speed | SPL@1m |
12V | 1950 RPM | 35~36 dBA |
9V | 1480 RPM | 27 dBA |
8V | 1250 RPM | 22 dBA |
7V | 1020 RPM | 17 dBA |
6V | 780 RPM | 13 dBA |
5V | 560 RPM | 11 dBA |
Measuring mic positioned 1m at diagonal angle from the center of the heatsink. Ambient noise level: 10~11 dBA. |
As the fan has PWM capability and a low starting voltage, it can be run at inaudible levels (e.g. 5V, 560 RPM) or cranked up to a head-splitting 35~36 dBA@1m at full speed. The Wing 12 PL’s acoustics were consistently good throughout its wide range. Overall the sound it produced was quite smooth at one meter’s distance. Closer up, we could detect a low-pitched hum that became more prominent as the speed was lowered but masked inside a case, it shouldn’t be noticeable.
Specifications: GELID Tranquillo Rev.2 Stock Fan | |||
Manufacturer | Power Rating | 2.16 W | |
Model Number | FN-PX12-15? | Airflow Rating | 58 CFM |
Bearing Type | Hydro Dynamic Bearing | Speed Rating | 750 ~ 1,500 RPM |
Corners | Open | Noise Rating | 12 ~ 25.5 dBA |
Frame Size | 120 x 120 x 25 mm | Header Type | 4-pin |
Fan Blade Diameter | 114 mm | Starting Voltage | 6.4 V |
Hub Size | 41 mm | Weight | 110g |
Data in green cells provided by the manufacturer or observed; data in the blue cells were measured. |
The Tranquillo Rev.2’s stock fan has a more conventional design with a large hub, seven fan blades, and straight struts. It’s a PWM 120 mm model with fluid bearings.
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Stock Fan Measurements | ||
Voltage | Speed | SPL@1m |
12V | 1390 RPM | 25 dBA |
9V | 1100 RPM | 19 dBA |
8V | 990 RPM | 17 dBA |
7V | 830 RPM | 14 dBA |
6V | 260 RPM | <11 dBA |
Measuring mic positioned 1m at diagonal angle from the center of the heatsink. Ambient noise level: 10~11 dBA. |
The Tranquillo’s fan has a lower rotational speed so at 12V it was substantially quieter than the Wing 12 PL, measuring only 25 dBA@1m. It had issues with voltage control, exhibiting a huge drop-off in speed when set under 7V. The acoustics were also very muddy, producing tonality at various frequencies throughout its range. To the human hear it sounded like two or three tones of varying pitch competing with one another. At close proximity it actually sounded better at higher speeds as the increased air turbulence helped drown it out.
TEST RESULTS
GELID GX-7 Rev.2 | |||
Fan Voltage | Fan Speed | SPL@1m | °C Rise |
Stock Fan | |||
12V | 1950 RPM | 35~36 dBA | 44 |
9V | 1480 RPM | 27 dBA | 45 |
8V | 1250 RPM | 22 dBA | 49 |
7V | 1020 RPM | 17 dBA | 51 |
6V | 780 RPM | 13 dBA | 56 |
Reference Nexus 120mm Fan | |||
12V | 1100 RPM | 17 dBA | 47 |
9V | 890 RPM | 13 dBA | 50 |
7V | 720 RPM | 11~12 dBA | 52 |
°C Rise: Temperature rise above ambient (20°C) at load. |
The GELID GX-7 Rev.2 exhibited very disappointing performance. The average thermal rise above ambient was ~50°C, fairly poor for our test platform. Though the Wing 12 PL fan has a great sound, it doesn’t work that well with the heatsink, at least compared to our reference Nexus fan. At comparable noise levels the Nexus produced CPU temperatures about 5°C lower, a sizable improvement.
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As we previously noted, our GX-7 Rev.2 sample had a concave base. This was quite apparent when we inspected the thermal compound footprint left behind after installation. Thick veins of TIM remained at the center indicating tenuous contact in the middle where it’s essential to have good pressure.
GELID Tranquillo Rev.2 | |||
Fan Voltage | Fan Speed | SPL@1m | °C Rise |
Stock Fan | |||
12V | 1390 RPM | 25 dBA | 46 |
9V | 1100 RPM | 19 dBA | 48 |
8V | 990 RPM | 17 dBA | 49 |
7V | 830 RPM | 14 dBA | 50 |
Reference Nexus 120mm Fan | |||
12V | 1100 RPM | 17 dBA | 48 |
9V | 890 RPM | 13 dBA | 50 |
7V | 720 RPM | 11~12 dBA | 53 |
°C Rise: Temperature rise above ambient (20°C) at load. |
The Tranquillo Rev.2 produced slightly better results but when you look at the reference fan data, it’s clear that the Tranquillo isn’t a better heatsink. Its stock fan was simply more proficient than the GX-7’s, matching our reference Nexus fan at equivalent noise levels.
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Though the overall results were similar, the footprint left behind on the Tranquillo was less substantial, suggesting a firmer mating. The rest of the heatsink being smaller may have offset some of the advantage the Tranquillo had in this regard.
Heatsink Comparison Tables
CPU Coolers (ref. 120mm fan): °C Rise Comparison | |||
Heatsink | Fan voltage / SPL @1m* | ||
12V | 9V | 7V | |
15~17 dBA | 12~13 dBA | 11~12 dBA | |
Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme Rev.C | 38 | 40 | 43 |
Thermalright Venomous X | 38 | 41 | 43 |
Prolimatech Megahalems | 38 | 41 | 44 |
Noctua NH-U12P | 39 | 42 | 44 |
Scythe Mugen-2 | 39 | 42 | 45 |
Cogage TRUE Spirit 1366 | 40 | 42 | 45 |
Prolimatech Armageddon | 40 | 42 | 46 |
Zalman CNPS10X Quiet | 40 | 43 | 46 |
Noctua NH-C14 | 39 | 42 | 48 |
Scythe Yasya | 41 | 43 | 47 |
Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme | 40 | 43 | 48 |
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus | 41 | 44 | 48 |
Thermalright Archon SB-E | 42 | 43 | 49 |
Thermalright Ultra-120 | 42 | 45 | 49 |
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 |
Reeven Kelveros | 47 | 51 | 55 |
Scythe Grand Kama Cross | 45 | 52 | 57 |
Antec Kühler H20 620 (pump at 7V, almost inaudible) | 52 | 52 | 53 |
Arctic Cooling Freezer Xtreme Rev.2 | 49 | 52 | 58 |
Scythe Kabuto | 51 | 53 | 60 |
*Note: there are minor differences in measured SPL due to the variety of fan orientations and mounting methods offered by the compared coolers. |
The GX-7 Rev.2 and Tranquillo Rev.2 lands in the bottom half our performance chart with cooling proficiency close to that of the recently reviewed be quiet! Dark Rock 2, another disappointing heatsink with poor base/processor contact.
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.
- GELID GX-7 Rev.2 with stock fan at 1m
— 7V (17 dBA@1m)
— 8V (22 dBA@1m)
— 9V (27 dBA@1m)
— 12V (35~36 dBA@1m)
- GELID Tranquillo Rev.2 stock fan at 1m
— 7V (14 dBA@1m)
— 8V (17 dBA@1m)
— 9V (19 dBA@1m)
— 12V (25 dBA@1m)
FINAL THOUGHTS
Of the two heatsinks we tested today, the GELID GX-7 Rev.2 is particularly disappointing due to its larger size and supposed flagship status. It really should’ve been at most, a five heatpipe cooler, as the extra two pipes don’t make direct contact with the copper base. Heatpipes without good thermal conduction are inefficient, taking up space that could probably be better utilized. The mounting system also doesn’t apply enough pressure and this issue was exacerbated by our sample’s concave base. The GX-7 Rev.2’s cooling proficiency takes another blow from its Wing 12 PL stock fan which has good acoustic qualities but subpar performance.
The GELID Tranquillo Rev.2 didn’t impress us either but being a smaller heatsink with a less ambitious design we weren’t expecting as much. It actually beat the GX-7 Rev.2 by a couple of degrees when both coolers were equipped with their respective stock fans. The Tranquillo’s fan is pretty much the complete opposite of the Wing 12 PL, sounding bad but performing very well. The two coolers share the same mounting kit but as our Tranquillo sample’s base was flatter, the resulting contact was a big improvement but it wasn’t enough to produce results competitive with most of the coolers we’ve tested in the past.
Considering the US$40 Tranquillo Rev.2 edged out the GX-7 Rev.2 performance-wise, it’s clear that the GX-7’s US$65 price-tag is completely unjustified. In a smaller field, the Tranquillo might be more competitive but in a market filled with products that offer both strong performance and value, it too is outclassed. With so many quality alternatives there isn’t much room for error and both heatsinks are flawed to varying degrees. We cannot know whether the non-flat bases are unique to our samples or typical of the line; naturally we can hope for the former, but this can only be verified by large sampling group reporting honestly in a public forum. It’s hard to see who would make the risky purchase, though.
Our thanks to GELID Solutions for the GX-7 Rev.2 & Tranquillo Rev.2 CPU cooler samples.
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SPCR Articles of Related Interest:
be quiet! Dark Rock 2 Tower Heatsink
Thermalright HR-02 Macho Quiet/Fanless Cooler
Cooler Master GeminII M4 Low Profile Heatsink
Reeven Kelveros & Arcziel CPU Coolers
Thermalright Archon SB-E 15cm Fan CPU Cooler
Scythe Big Shuriken 2 & Reeven Vanxie CPU Coolers
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