CPU Coolers - Tomshardware

[EzyStvy]

CPU Cooler Charts 2008, Part I - Loosing your Cool?

One thing that we can say in advance is that this group was good for quite a number of surprises. For example, some of the most well-known manufacturers, that have built their reputation on the quality of their products, have recently released some models that proved to be unusable in our test. Either they tortured our tester with a catastrophic installation procedure, disqualified themselves due to their (in our eyes) non-existent cooling performance or proved to be so loud in operation as to make any kind of concentrated work impossible.

CPU Cooler Charts 2008, Part II - Junk or Jewel?

In the first part of our extensive roundup of CPU coolers we came to the conclusion that 45% of the products we tested either failed our test or weren’t worth their asking price. Additionally, we were surprised by how much junk is sold in hardware stores these days and how badly customers are sometimes deceived.

[David M]

I love it when somebody blows away the hype. Thanks Tom's hardware.

I would like to see a test done on power supplies and some of the wild claims made by the manufacturers of these.

[shadowpr]

Makes me glad I did some research before picking up my ThermalRight.

[Cricket]

I'm really not surprised by the results of Tom's tests...a lot of so called CPU heatsink companies are just bandwagon jumpers who want to get their piece of the pie and don't really do any kind of real research with their designs (I mean come on, have you looked at some of those idiotic designs?). Thermalright has an excellent reputation among overclockers and for good reason...their designs work!

I've never liked Zalman heatsinks and I'm not surprised that they aren't very good at keeping the CPU cool, originally their claim to fame was quiet heatsink performance. Quiet usually doesn't go hand in hand with good cooling performance. And their "flower" design just reminds me too much of those horrible Thermaltake "Orbs" from about 9 years ago...those were terrible.

Originally Posted by David M I would like to see a test done on power supplies and some of the wild claims made by the manufacturers of these.

Spend some time here.

Here's another debunking article: Benchmarking the benchmarks.

Cricket

[hitchface]

Good reads, all of them. The article on the cooling units was good, but you have to realize that they are only testing some of many units out there. Not every Zalman unit has average cooling and is hard to install. I have the CNPS9500, and it was easy to install AND it keeps the CPU at a chilly 30C.

[phigdon]

well that answers my question of which CPU fan to get. glad i read that I was going to get the Zerotherm now I will order the coolermaster thanks for the post.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103031

[amdalex]

I like my Zalman 9500, and my CPU never gets above 46c and idles anywhere from 22c to 30c.

[hitchface]

Originally Posted by phigdon well that answers my question of which CPU fan to get. glad i read that I was going to get the Zerotherm now I will order the coolermaster thanks for the post. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103031

Coolermaster units are good, but a few recently (that look a LOT like AMDs stock cooler) have been running on a really low RPM and letting the CPU get really hot. I recommend you make sure that your unit doesn't do this. If it does, get SpeedFan and bump up the RPMs.

[phigdon]

i downloaded speedfan anyway. i was looking for something like that thanks. it tells me that all the fans are running 100% and the CPU is at 1400RPMs and running 36C.

[backithink]

Originally Posted by Cricket Here's another debunking article: Benchmarking the benchmarks. Cricket

Lmao cricket i am a tad bit surprised you linked that.... i agree with the article completely but the quote from anandtech was kind of a cheap shot. which pissed alot of people off.... personally i dont care especially since derek wilson didnt try to deny the quote just seems like it was a shot to the kidney.... all be it the article does hold alot of truth in gaming benchmark techniques