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TEST RESULTS
With Arctic Cooling Alpine 7 Pro CPU heatsink
Our initial attempts to create a stable, yet quiet system with this test configuration
met with significant problems. We found that the biggest challenge was keeping
the Northbridge cool, as the GeForce 9300 IGP generates a considerable amount
of heat on load. Our hope was to keep the system stable while generating a SPL
of 20-24 dBA@1m, but it simply wasn't possible. Several times the GPU exceeded
95°C resulting in a system shutdown. The machine wouldn't turn back on until
the temperature dropped. For this reason we consider a GPU temperature of 90°C
or higher as a failure. Early on we found that we got better thermal results
(2-4°C) if we raised the case off the ground by an extra inch or so. As
the bottom of the case is its only source of ventilation, the extra breathing
room made an impact. The temperatures recorded were with the extra elevation.
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System Measurements (CPU + GPU Load): Alpine
7 Pro
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CPU Fan Speed
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Case Fan Voltage
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SPL @1m
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SPL @0.6m
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CPU Temp
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GPU Temp
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1600 RPM
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Off
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20~21 dBA
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N/A
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66/71°C
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90°C+
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9V
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24 dBA
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N/A
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66/71°C
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90°C+
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12V
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29 dBA
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34 dBA
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63/67°C
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85°C
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2000 RPM
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Off
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26 dBA
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N/A
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65/70°C
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90°C+
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9V
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28 dBA
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31~32 dBA
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65/70°C
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87°C
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12V
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30 dBA
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35 dBA
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61/67°C
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83°C
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Ambient temperature: 24°C
Ambient noise level: 11 dBA
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Using the modest Alpine
7 Pro CPU cooler at 80% speed (1600 RPM), we experienced high temperatures
when the system was placed on full load. CPU temperatures were in the high 60's
to low 70's which was acceptable, but the GPU temperature exceeded 90°C.
The case fans had be cranked all the way up to deliver what we would consider
a stable GPU temperature (though 10°C cooler than the shutdown temperature
is still unsettling). With the CPU cooler running at full speed (2000 RPM),
the case fans had to be set to 9V at the very least.
Unfortunately, the fan speeds that resulted in (barely) stable operation produced
too much noise, easily exceeding 30 dBA@0.6m, far from quiet on a desktop. The
resulting acoustic character was not bad though, mostly broadband with a loud
hollow-sounding 'whoosh.' The combination of components and the thick enclosure
mellowed the noise of the one wobbly case fan and the whine from the CPU cooler
at high speeds. The fan speeds could be reduced to quieter levels if the system
were to be used only in 2D operation or if the board inside had a less power
hungry IGP.
The power supply also added some noise to system but at the stable levels,
it was easily drowned out by the rest of the fans. We momentarily stopped all
fans at various times during testing and found the SPL it produced started out
at 17 dBA@1m and gradually increased as the unit heated up to about 21~22 dBA@1m
maximum. The power draw of our system topped out at about 74W AC measured from
the wall.
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Comparison: LM100 vs. SG05 vs. SG06 (Alpine
7 Pro)
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Case
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CPU Fan Speed
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SPL @0.6m
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CPU Temp
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GPU Temp
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SG05
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1200 RPM
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24 dBA
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62/66°C
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68°C
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SG06
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1200 RPM
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27 dBA
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60/64°C
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64°C
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LM100
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1600 RPM
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34 dBA
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63/67°C
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85°C
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LM100
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2000 RPM
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35 dBA
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61/67°C
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83°C
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Ambient temperature: 24°C
Ambient noise level: 11 dBA
Case fans running at 12V.
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The Sugo SG05/06
with its large intake fan and vast ventilation area is superior to the LM100
both thermally and acoustically. Operating with a much lower CPU fan speed,
the SG05 and SG06 posted slightly better CPU temperatures and vastly superior
GPU temperatures while generating a lot less noise than the LM100 under stress
conditions.
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