Hardware News

CPU Cooler Review Roundup - Noctua, Vigor, Zalman & More

Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan

2009-01-06 15:04:34.0


Bigbruin, Frostytech, Modders-Inc, ThinkComputers, and TweakTown have reviewed CPU coolers from Cooler Master, Noctua, Thermaltake, ThermoLab, Vigor, and Zalman.

Here's what they had to say:

  • Bigbruin: ThermoLab Baram CPU Cooler Review:

    "The Baram CPU cooler made a strong first impression for ThermoLab and what they are capable of... I hope to see more products from them in the future. The cooler performed quite well during testing, and using a low speed / low noise fan was able to keep the processor as cool as with a higher speed / high noise fan. For those interested in running their system in near silence, the Baram will cooperate, and the temperatures will still be better than on some more popular (and louder) coolers."


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Bigbruin: Zalman CNPS9900 LED CPU Cooler Review:

    "The performance of the Zalman CNPS9900 LED CPU cooler is definitely impressive. With that fan at full speed it was able to drop the test system's CPU temperature below the results achieved with a handful of other coolers. Unfortunately it was fairly loud while doing so.

    Dropping the fan speed is the obvious solution, and doing so will allow you to find the perfect balance between cooling performance and noise production. Knocking a little over 20% off the speed makes the CNPS9900 quiet enough to not be heard inside a closed case, and still produces temperatures that are better than the other coolers tested. Cutting the fan speed in half makes the noise nearly impossible to hear in an open case, and the CPU temperatures are still quite respectable."


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Frostytech: Cooler Master Hyper Z600 Black Label Heatsink Review:

    "In the next round of tests the Cooler Master Hyper Z600 Black Label heatsink was stressed with an 85W heat load, resulting in a slight 11.5°C rise over ambient temperature at stock fan speed, and 20.1°C at the reduced level.

    There you have it - Cooler Master's Hyper Z600 Black Label heatsink performs quite well with one fan running and outputs a moderate amount of noise. Better still, this Black Label heatsink is also capable of running very quietly while still maintaining average thermal results."


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Modders-Inc: Thermaltake MaxOrb EX CPU Cooler Review:

    "The ThermalTake MaxOrb EX also has a Blue LED fan, which might give you some visual pleasure in your mod. The overall performance was very well keeping up with the Noctua NH C12P and Nirvana NV120 CPU coolers. The installation is relatively simple providing you do have enough room to mount a large cooler. I didn't run into any size issues when trying to slide the motherboard tray back in on the TJ10 like I had with the Noctua and Nirvana coolers. Double check your memory heat spreaders heights to make sure they will clear the fins on the cooler. Getting to the fan controller on the MaxOrb will require you to remove the side panel to make your adjustments. I almost think it would have been better to do a remote mount of some sort, but then that brings in extra wiring to deal with. Hmm... maybe wireless? At the higher RPMs the cooler is audible, but isn't as bad as some of the current GPU coolers on the market. Overall I feel the Thermaltake MaxOrb EX did a great job. Coming in at just under $70 at Tiger Direct, I think it falls in right there with most of the other over sized coolers in its class."


    Click here to read the full review.


  • ThinkComputers: Noctua NH-C12P Premium CPU Cooler Review:

    "While the Noctua NH-C12P probably isn't for everyone it certainly is a great CPU cooler to have. It is probably a worthy investment of around $70 because when you upgrade your system, chances are you don't have an i7 processor, you can use this cooler with the mounting kits typically available from Noctua for free. Overall there weren't any significant problems that I found with this cooler rather than just a few annoyances, but it still is a great CPU cooler that even comes with a 6 year warranty. ThinkComputers awards the Noctua NH-C12P Premium CPU Cooler a 9 out of 10 score and our Recommended Award."


    Click here to read the full review.


  • TweakTown: Vigor Monsoon III LT Dual 120mm CPU Cooler Review:

    "he Vigor Monsoon III LT takes Vigor outside the realm of their previous TEC coolers. With the Monsoon III LT being an all air CPU cooler, they did admirably in their pursuit of taking a marketed cooler and adding their own touches. I would like to see more attempts at this same philosophy to other coolers as well.

    You can tell by the charts, the Monsoon III LT performs well in its price range. With a two fan system the noise level is kept to a minimum and this cooler is redesigned to add a bit of flare to any rig. With this cooler being priced at $59.99, $18 above the Hyper 212, it makes it a bit tougher of a decision based on price vs. performance. If you are looking for a good cooler with little added noise, a flood of blue light from the fans and an all black look, this may very well be the cooler for you."


    Click here to read the full review.

Enjoy!

---

Please head over to our discussion board to talk about this news (registration not required).

Recent posts