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1 2 3 4 5 NextMarch 3, 2006 by Devon Cooke
Pentium M based systems have found a niche among quiet PC enthusiasts over the past year, with desktop-friendly motherboards from
DFI and AOpen. The cool running yet powerful processor is a great start for a quiet PC, but there's one problem: Both of these boards feature noisy heatsinks that can't be easily replaced because of the unique form factor and mounting systems employed.
With most CPUs, finding a better heatsink is quite simple. The intense competition among aftermarket HS makers has created a buyer's paradise. Not so in this case. Not many people buy Pentium M desktop gear, due to the relatively high cost of both the motherboards and the processors. Only some of those
people are going to spend even more money on an aftermarket heatsink. As a result, there's not much business opportunity in a specialized HSF for these Pentium M boards.
Against these odds, an Italian company called Microcool has released a heatsink called the
NorthPole XE Whisper, specifically for the 915 chip based socket 479 boards from AOpen.
How are they doing it? Quite simple really. The NorthPole XE is designed
as a Northbridge heatsink, but Microcool includes mounting hardware
that adapts the product to work as a CPU cooler on AOpen's 915-chipset Pentium M boards.
So the
NorthPole XE Whisper is sold as a universal NB HSF, with special compatibility as a HSF for the AOpen 915-chipset socket 479 motherboards. With the accompanying hardware, it looks like it would also work as a CPU HS for the DFI socket 479 board,
For this review, Microcool's North American distributor, Sidewinder
Computers,
sent us a complete motherboard with two NorthPoles installed: One
for the CPU and one for the northbridge.
Twin NorthPoles... an unforeseen geological event?
|
|
| Feature & Brief |
Our Comment |
|
Modular and compact design |
Modular = compatible with multiple mounting
systems. |
|
Active cooling for CPU and Northbridge |
Not normally a good thing ... but see
the next point |
|
Noise well below 18dB |
That's quite a claim. We'll have to see. |
|
Matchless noise/computing ratio |
AOpen's stock heatsink isn't exactly
tough competition |
|
Superior construction materials |
Copper and aluminum. |
|
|
|
Overall dimensions |
42 (L) × 42 (W) × 40 (H) mm |
|
Cooler dimensions |
40 (L) × 40 (W) × 19.5 (H) mm |
|
Heatsink material |
Copper |
|
Manufacturing technology |
Skiving |
|
Number of fins |
28 |
|
Sheath material |
Anodized aluminum |
|
Connecting system |
Modular with screw brackets |
|
Fan dimensions |
40 (L) × 40 (W) × 15 (H) mm |
|
Fan voltage |
5~12VDC |
|
Voltage control |
Based on temperature |
|
Fan speed |
1500~5000 RPM |
|
Air capacity |
2.5~6.5 CFM |
|
Fan noise |
12~18 dB |
|
Fan mechanics |
Double ball bearing |
|
Fan Connector |
Three-pole |
|
Weight |
180g |
|
Warranty |
3 years |
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