The CPU cooling market is dominated by the big names in the industry such as the Cooler Master’s, Noctua’s and Thermaltake’s. These larger companies have a proven track record and consistently produce top quality cooling solutions. However, there are numerous other minnow companies out there that are producing top notch products without the high price tags demanded by the big names.
Today, we take a look at the X120TF Frozen Orb CPU cooler from CoolAge. I, for one, must admit have only very recently come across this manufacturer so how will this cooler compare is the already very crowded CPU cooling marketplace? Let’s find out…
Category Archives: CPU Coolers
CoolAge Frozen Orb X120 Transform X120TF CPU Cooler Review
October 18, 2009 – 9:23 pm
Evercool Buffalo HPFI-10025 CPU Cooler Review
October 5, 2009 – 6:54 pm
Evercool has a vast array of thermal solutions incorporating both air and water methods for numerous different components. Their CPU cooling solutions especially include a variety of different fin and heatpipe architectures compatible with most current sockets.
The Evercool Buffalo, from the LGA775 range, is a newer design that utilises a copper base, a 10cm pre-installed fan and an easy installation method. As a more mainstream cooler compared to the HPK-10025EA, some decent cooling is expected too so let’s see what it can offer…
ThermoLab BARAM CPU Cooler Review
September 20, 2009 – 9:50 pm
A lot has been made of the high TDP’s of Intel’s i7 range of processors, only surpassed by the 140W TDP of AMD’s Phenom II X4 965 BE, requiring more cooling especially when at overclocked settings. In terms of air cooling, many of the smaller designs just can’t cope with the heat demands of the i7’s and so the larger heatsinks with more fins, surface area and heat pipes have been left to fight it out to see which cooler performs best.
ThermoLAB, a Korean company, have created the BARAM – a huge aluminium heatsink with a very particular fin structure. But how will it contend with many of the other top air CPU coolers? Let’s take a look…
Cooler Master Hyper N520 CPU Cooler Review
September 4, 2009 – 2:18 pm
With the tower format cooler generally accepted as the best current heatsink design architecture, the variations are often with the base, heatpipes and fan configurations. Previous Cooler Master designs such as the V8 and V10 are pretty extreme with additional heatsinks sprouting from all parts making them into monster coolers.
Although this cooler may resemble a basic heatpipe cooler, CM has gone down a different route in making it unique. The Hyper N520 not only has a dual fan configuration but the fans are also slightly offset supposedly to ensure the air is “accelerated” through heatsink. So where about does this cooler fit into Cooler Master’s ranges?
Well, the V8 and V10 coolers are very high end and with specific coolers such as the Hyper TX3 for the new Intel i5 processors, Cooler Master appear to have slotted the N520 into the all round category with it being compatible with an array of different processors. Enough said for the moment, let’s take a better look at the product in question before unleashing it on our test rig.
Evercool HPK-10025EA Review
September 1, 2009 – 5:39 pm
Evercool, a company which specialise in the cooling market, provide our latest CPU cooler sample to pit it wits against our i7 rig. The cooler in question with its low profile architecture is designed to suit HTPCs and small cases. Named the HPK-10025EA, this cooler is solely Intel orientated for both LGA775 and LGA1366 sockets but how well can it contend with the high 130W TDP of the i7 920 processor.
Many larger designs have come unstuck so how will the HPK-10025EA fare? Let’s take a look…
Noctua NH-U9B Review
August 18, 2009 – 10:14 pm
In the thermal solutions market, the name Noctua is a highly respected one that is synonymous with a very high build quality and great performance. Their product base is fairly limited though with a total of three different heatsinks but when you can produce products such as the NH-U12P and NH-C12P, you don’t exactly need a huge selection.
Noctua’s flagship model, the NH-U12P is known throughout the industry and with the addition of an LGA1366 mounting kit; it’s moved onto the i7 scene. Perhaps the one downfall of this product is its size and this is where, the third heatsink comes into its own. The NH-U9B, effectively the baby brother of the larger NH-U12P, features the same 4 dual heatpipes but is a much smaller heatsink utilised the 92mm NF-B9 fan. But, how much cooling potential will the heatsink lose in its slimmed down version, let’s take a look…
Cooler Master V8 Review
August 9, 2009 – 10:07 pm
Recently we’ve been taking a look at some pretty high end CPU coolers which, despite the different fin configurations and heatpipe layouts, are all reasonably similar. The Cooler Master V8, which we are to take a look at in this review, is a litter different in that although it is based on a tower format design it has added heatsinks on both sides and a centrally mounted fan.
The V8 appears to be somewhat of a brute as CPU coolers go with its fiery red LEDs and countless heatpipes massing together at its base. Our i7 test rig has put to shame many a cooler in the past, so how will the V8 fare? Let’s find out…
Scythe Mugen 2 Review
August 4, 2009 – 9:07 am
CPU Coolers have got bigger and better in recent times with the introduction of taller fin stacks and more heatpipes utilised in the tower format design. Unique fin designs, integrated fans and H.D.T. Technology are but a few features designed to improve cooling and attract customers to a particular cooler.
Scythe, a company well-regarded in the cooling industry, has come up with a new invention to improve upon their already impressive Mugen CPU Cooler. Split into several fin arrays the Mugen 2 has a completely new layout intent on increasing performance.
With a large amount of hype surrounding this product, will this new layout be able to help it to prove its worth or will it fall flat on its face? Let’s find out…
ASUS Triton 88 Review
July 20, 2009 – 3:07 pm
The release of Intel’s i7 architecture has seen thermal solutions increase in size with more fans, fins and heatpipes in order to try and counter the massive 130W TDP. Many products have tried and failed to really stand out when it comes to working with a Nehalem rig and could simply not keep up with the heat levels produced.
OCZ Gladiator Max Review
July 5, 2009 – 9:28 pm
With the introduction of Intel’s latest range of processors – the i7 series – thermal solutions manufacturers have been caught between two minds: to create a new cooler which is better able to counter the 130W TDP of these new processors or to create a mounting mechanism for an existing CPU cooler in their range to allow it to fit the LGA1366 motherboards.
OCZ took the decision to do the later and created the Force II support brackets for the Gladiator Max. The cooler follows popular tower format design utilises a single 120mm fan but will this be enough cooling for the high heat-producing i7 920? Let’s find out…