They seem to have just made 2 heatsinks and pushed them together and stuck a fan on top, a new idea sure.

But hey, you cant say that TT are persistant. One bad or so-so review after another, but they keep on sending samples!

While it`s reasonable to test a heatsink with it`s stock fan, if it comes with one (since it`s part of the product`s cost) I would like to see how such heatsinks perform after a fan mod. I`m talking about the latest zalmans and thermaltakes. While I`m not a huge fan of those products they seem well engineered, but we don`t know how well engineered until they`re tested with a good reference fan.

A little off-topic, but I was wondering in what order the pictures of an article are taken? Are you first testing the heatsink as it comes out of the box, and later take it apart and take the pictures of its "internals". Or is it the other way around. Because, if you first take it apart you can damage the product, which might affect the measurements.

We take pictures straight out of the box. If you see us take something apart it is usually done after it has been tested, especially if there is a risk of damage.

Hi,

Stepping back a bit: what is the Thermalright Ultra 120 doing that this HS is not? They share the same fin spacing, and the Thermalright has thicker fins. (Is the fin spacing a center to center measurement; or the actual space between the fins?)

Hey Neil,

The physical measurements help us get a better handle on each heatsink, but they can't explain differences that arise from less visible things -- like the quality/consistency of heatpipes used, the mating between fins and heatpipes, and between heatpipes and base. All of these factor into heat transfer. Weaknesses in any do translate into drops in performance which can add up.

Finally, it also looks like the U120 heatpipes don't have to move the heat quite as far? That's just a throwaway guess.

I really think the heatpipe arrangement is a huge issue. The pipes offer huge impedence to airflow, and given the fan they used, it's intensifying the problem. Maybe if the fin spacing had been larger, the heatpipe placement through the fins would not have been such an issue.

yup, there's that, very possible.

Something odd hit me while reading the comparisons. First I thought you didn't feel like comparing it to Noctua NH-C12P 'cause it was in another class but then I read further and.. 'However, it turns out a direct comparison was unnecessary — the Zipang is the most efficient top-down cooler we've ever tested'.

Could you explain what 'the most efficient' means here? Because NH-C12P and Scythe Andy pretty much destroy Zipang in cooling performance/db according to your very own tests

What exactly do you mean by "chuffing"????

chuffing is used here to describe the sound of a slower fans blades as they pass the support struts. It makes a very slightly irregular sound by way of airflow changes/turbulence.

I don't get why the fins on this thing extend towards the deadzone of the fan.

I have a thought on the size of the heatsink itself. See that the two sides look "staggered" from each other? I'm thinking that the heatsink fins might have the same surface area as the original Big Typhoon, just pulled apart (like the San Andreas fault) to make it hold a slightly bigger fan.

Perhaps Lawrence can measure the length and height of the aluminum fins, plus count them on both the BigTyp14 and the original Big Typhoon. I'm guessing that it will be the same, hence the same surface area.

How about this? Lay a normal 140mm fan on top of the BigTyp14 fan to see if the blades are the same size. They probably are, but then again I had a Thermaltake 130mm round fan that had the blades from a 120mm fan.