Test: 25 CPU coolers (page 32: Conclusion)

Conclusion

Measurements and previous analyses helped us emphasize the main characteristics of each product. So you can make your own choice according to your own criteria. Some products do stand out, however.

Thermalright confirms its leadership with the XP90, 90C and 120. Amongst the three products, the XP90C is the one that provides the best performances but its counterpart is a high price at US$60 without fan with an optional LGA775 set. The XP120, at the same price, is slightly less efficient and is only a little bit lighter. But if you choose a product with lower performances it is best to take the standard XP90.

The Thermalright competitors aren’t left behind and we noticed Thermaltake’s comeback with the imposing SonicTower, as well as with the Big Typhoon, which is better than the XP90C and that also features lower noise levels (39 dB(A). Those who prefer performances to noise level and are looking for a reasonable product also have a wide choice. We only find its weight and the low availability in several countries unfortunate.

IMG0012609,R,0]Other coolers such as the CoolerMaster Hyper6+ also reduces the temperature delta between the ambient air and the processor temperature even if it has a higher noise level (still far from the completely delirious level of the ASUS Star Ice).

It is important to remind you that if the test platform of this survey was the LGA775, this article’s objective was to test most of the coolers on the market. Only a few of them are designed to work with a single socket. Most of them also exist in similar versions for other platforms.

Finally, we can say that the Aircooling is now back on top, thanks to the Heat Pipe technology, and that the manufacturers’ efforts to innovate and develop efficient coolers, keeping in mind the "silence" challenge, is the basis for the excellent performances attained by the best products. For the time being, it seems difficult to reach higher performances without a considerable cost or bulk increase. However, the release of dual core processors will push the manufacturers to devise even better solutions…