A concept in which an LCP impeller and ARGB LEDs meet is particularly rare. But it has enormous potential for achieving top-notch results. That is, as long as everything fits together optimally and there are no weak spots somewhere that increase the noise level. There are still a few things to tweak with the MagFlow ARGB fan, but already now, in its current form, it is a premium fan, and not only among lighted models. Read more “Seasonic MagFlow ARGB: Lighting with LCP? The right way”
DeepCool has introduced a heavily glass-clad case with an atypical system fan layout (with an emphasis on negative pressure) and affordable liquid coolers. These will be attractive for users who do not like lighted elements and for whom the highest possible cooling efficiency or the most attractive price/performance ratio is paramount. DeepCool’s new liquid CPU coolers have the prerequisites to score points in this respect. Read more “DeepCool at CES 24: Panoramic case and dark liquid coolers”
There aren’t many 140mm fans that are more popular than the NF-A14 (PWM). This Noctua model has maintained that for a long time, for over a decade. In the meantime, naturally, a host of newer competing solutions have come along, and the question is how Noctua’s still-flagship 140mm fan will hold up against them in the present day. By analyzing the NF-A14, we’ll also shorten a bit the interminable wait for its successor. Read more “Noctua NF-A14 PWM: Relevant even after a decade”
The second wave of Z790 motherboards, released alongside 125W Intel Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs, is also attractive for its upgraded network connectivity. The latter is also cutting edge on the Z790 Tomahawk Max WiFi. It’s one of the cheapest boards with WiFi 7. But in our tests of it, we’ll naturally be interested in the overall implementation of all the features. That is, what MSI managed better or worse compared to competing models. Read more “MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Max WiFi: Mainly faster network”
It went by so quickly. Only recently we painted 2023 as the “year of the fan.” In the end, it didn’t work out as expected, but you don’t have to worry that we’ll slack off on that front, quite the opposite. Fan testing is a key topic for HWCooling, we just need to plan all things more sensibly (realistically, so that they can be done). But no excuses. The big goals, which drive us forward, remain for 2024. Read more “A few fans are missing to 70. What will the future bring?”
One of the most powerful SSD coolers reminds a bit of the era of massively finned heatsinks that used to be on motherboards. Thermalright is well known for producing small coolers with a large number of fins. Such a concept in the form of the HR-10 2280 cooler should score points on SSDs as well. And it does so even in comparison with almost 60 competing solutions. Read more “Test of Thermalright HR-10 2280, a premium SSD cooler”
We tested the first Z790 motherboard primarily designed for use with the 14th generation Intel Core (Raptor Lake) processors. The chipset’s features haven’t changed, but there’s a lot of new, noteworthy stuff around it. That includes upgraded network connectivity headed by WiFi 7 and, finally, 5-gigabit Ethernet. And in the year that it’s been at it, Gigabyte has worked on a lot of details too. Some were more successful, others less so. Read more “Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Pro X: White for Raptor Lake Refresh”
The PSU tests, which will be published shortly, will also include a detailed noise analysis. Each model has a different fan, a different grille in front of it, and operates at a different speed under the same loads, all of which shapes the different noise character. In order to make everything clear and accurate, spectral analysis of the sound is essential. This tells us which frequencies are noisier and how each PSU actually “sounds”. Read more “How we measured computer PSUs. The acoustic part”
The X670E Tomahawk WiFi motherboard is a combination of the highest-end AMD chipset and a relatively lower price. At least by X670E motherboard standards. In addition to broader connectivity (that’s first and foremost), there’s also PCI Express 5.0 support. The decent VRM is also well prepared to run efficiently with even the most powerful processors that can be used on the AM5 platform. Read more “MSI MAG X670E Tomahawk WiFi: Extra features “cheaper””
The time has come to introduce the testing methodology for computer PSUs. We will divide this into two articles, where the first will cover procedures for obtaining key electrical quantities (i.e. surrounding efficiency, voltage regulation, voltage ripple, etc.). A separate sequel will then focus on the analysis of acoustic profiles. But now on to the purpose for which we travelled to the external testlab. Read more “How we measured computer PSUs. The electrical part”
The long break is over, back to fans. BeQuiet! recently updated its entry-level line – Pure Wings – and at least the slower 140-millimeter models have to be on your radar. The Pure Wings 3 fans in the BL108 variant represent an extremely efficient low-cost option for some situations, while not suffering from the common shortcomings of their price class. What’s quiet here is not only the aerodynamic component, but also the motor one. Read more “BeQuiet! Pure Wings 3 (BL108): Efficient and “cheap” in 140 mm”
Something for warm-up. We’ll start our ATX 3.0 PSU tests with perhaps the most talked about topic surrounding them, the temperatures of the new cables with 16-pin PCIe connectors. The overview of the PSUs of twelve brands answers well the question of how the manufacturers handled which models. With high current loads, the temperature differences can be quite significant, both on the connector housings and on the wire insulation. Read more “12VHPWR cable thermal imaging: Different PSU, different temps”
In the archives we found some remarkable tests that have never been published in English. Although they are heavily out of date ( cases included have not been sold for a long time), it illustrates well the possible impact of cooling across a wide variety of designs. And by those we also mean completely passive solutions that use their own shell to dissipate heat, as well as rather larger midi-towers and also something in between. Read more “Retrotest: 8× PC case. From small to “large””
This news won’t please anyone who was eyeing the new generation of 140mm Noctua fans in early 2024. You’ll have to wait a bit longer for that one, although the planned release delay is quite small, but don’t count on a January date. But it looks like the period in which these fans will be coming out will be a very fruitful one. In fact, the successor to the NH-D15 cooler is also said to come out in the same quarter. Read more “Last delay of Noctua 140 mm LCP fans?”
What impact does adjusting the fan configuration have on the efficiency and acoustic pfrofile of the Scythe Fuma 3 cooler? We report on the possible changes in the additional tests, where in one of the modes, the heatsink is supplemented with a third fan and in the other we replaced the low-profile fan with a thicker model, but at the same time we deprived the cooler of one of the advertised advantages – the counter-rotating fans. Read more “Scythe Fuma 3 bonus tests: Third fan and same rotation”
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