silentpcreview.com - Cooling

SPCR's 2010 CPU Heatsink Test Platform [Updates: 10 April & 31 May]

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:20:15 +0000

Our CPU heatsink test platform has been updated with a hotter, more power hungry CPU. Eight of the top heatsinks we tested previously get put through the wringer once again. Some continue to excel while others drop to the wayside.

Updated VGA Card/Cooler Test Platform

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:46:51 +0000

The PC system used as our test platform for VGA cards and coolers was recently overhauled. The improved hardware and test procedures have made for a quieter, cooler system that should give us more consistent test results with a bit more ease.

Anatomy of the Silent Fan

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 18:15:21 +0000

A distilled summary of fundamental design elements and key factors that affect the acoustic performance of DC axial fans in the role of PC cooling. This information is presented apart from our fan test methodology or actual fan review articles to keep information overload at bay. NOTE: A Postscript Q&A features Dorothy Bradbury, UK fan maven extraordinaire.

Recommended Heatsinks

Wed, 17 Jul 2002 07:47:19 +0000

Recommended Heatsinks lists SPCR-reviewed top cooling devices for CPUs, VGA and other hot computer parts, ordered by cooling performance and low noise. Latest update on July 10, 2010.

Antec Kühler H20 620 & 920 CPU Water Cooling Units

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:20:18 +0000

The Kühler H20 620 and 920 are self-contained liquid CPU cooling units from Antec (manufactured by Asetek). Hopefully they are improvements over the the first water cooler we reviewed, the Corsair Hydro H50, which was sunk for SPCR audiences by a noisy pump.

Scythe Kozuti Low Profile CPU Heatsink

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:20:46 +0000

Though it stands just 40 mm tall, the Scythe Kozuti sports three heatpipes and 57 fins, similar to its established brethren Shuriken. This just might be the low profile cooler we've been waiting for.

Havik 140: NZXT's First CPU Heatsink

Thu, 2 Jun 2011 00:20:55 +0000

The Havik 140 is a single tower cooler with a Prolimatech/Noctua style mounting system and a pair of interesting 14 cm fans attached using rubber isolators. NZXT's first heatsink has all the ingredients for success.

Thermalright Venomous X Silent Edition CPU Cooler

Sat, 14 May 2011 12:20:25 +0000

The Venomous X Silent Edition is a combination of a potent Thermalright heatsink and a pair of extremely low speed fans. Though not completely "silent," it is probably the quietest actively-cooled CPU heatsink available.

Prolimatech Genesis CPU Heatsink: Retaking the Crown

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 12:20:20 +0000

Prolimatech joins the dual-fan giant heatsink fray is with the unusually-shaped Genesis. An amalgam of a vertical tower cooler and a horizontal down-blower, the Genesis proved potent enough to take the CPU cooling crown.

Swiftech Polaris 120 CPU Heatsink

Sun, 3 Apr 2011 00:20:24 +0000

The Polaris 120 CPU cooler marks Swiftech re-entry into the mainstream air-cooling arena. The Polaris has the form of a typical tower heatsink with a 120 mm PWM fan and a significant mass of aluminum fins, but what makes it unique are its five 8 mm thick direct touch heatpipes.

Zalman CNPS9900 MAX & CNPS5X CPU Coolers

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 01:35:51 +0000

Two new CPU coolers from Zalman are put to task, the large radial style CNPS9900 MAX, and the CNPS5X, a lanky lightweight tower.

Thermalright Silver Arrow Dual 14cm Fan Cooler

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:20:09 +0000

The Thermalright Silver Arrow is a monstrous 1.2kg heatsink with 8mm thick heatpipes and a pair of 14cm fans. Does it have what it takes to beat Noctua's flagship NH-D14 cooler?

Noctua NH-C14 Dual Fan Top-down CPU Cooler

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 12:20:39 +0000

Noctua's NH-C14 is a big, beastly follow-up to the popular NH-C12P top-down CPU cooler. Armed with a bigger fin stack and two 14 cm fans, the C14 is the first down-blower cooler that truly competes against the against the formidable side-blowing towers that have taken over in recent years.

Thermalright Shaman 140mm Fan GPU Cooler

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:20:12 +0000

The Thermalright Shaman is a massive eight heatpipe GPU heatsink with an equally imposing 14cm fan. Taking up three extra expansion slots and weighing a total of 680 grams, this monster should have no trouble quietly cooling a high-end graphics card. We check it out on a 215W GPU.

Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme Rev.C & AC Freezer Xtreme Rev.2

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:20:52 +0000

The Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme Rev.C and the Arctic Cooling Freezer Xtreme Rev.2 are two divergent different approaches to extreme CPU cooling that manage to remain in the same basic "side-blowing fan on a tower of fins joined to the base by heatpipes" design dominating the field. Is there a winner? Yes, and its by a lot more than a nose.