It’s strange, but desktop computers have been stagnant for over twenty years. In most cases, they are still built on the ATX standard in “oversized“ towers. From a rational point of view, however, such a concept should be marginal and replaced by SFF. A traditional PC can be tiny, powerful, and silent at the same time. And its equipment does not have to limit you. Read more ““Modern desktop based on Mini-STX” by HWCooling.net”
We already know that the biggest weakness of the cooler are fans. So, we replaced them with reference models and observed the difference. This led to a remarkable comparison of Okeanos and Noctua NH-D15 heatsinks. And there are few surprises even in modes without the same fans. Let’s take a look at how Okreanos manages to cool the area around the socket, and what it really can do in passive mode. Read more “Reeven Okeanos: effective “slim” dual tower”
Reeven seems like a smaller manufacturer, but it does not matter at all in the case of Okeanos. This cooler can definitely stand its ground. It could be used as a good example in many ways. There are some drawbacks for sure, but you get really decent cooling performance for the money. Read more “Excellent cooling performance for 70 euros? Reeven Okeanos”
For LGA 2066, liquid cooling is more beneficial than for any other platform before. Especially for Core i9-7980XE. Compared to EKWB full cover monoblock with a decent engine and evaporator, even NH-D15 looks like a dwarf. Not only does the liquid cooler open up for higher frequencies, but it also significantly improves the operating features with settings that can be barely handled by conventional coolers. Read more “EKWB EK-FB MSI X299 + X360: more than 500 W, VRM below 60 °C”
The ideal CPU cooler should not be bigger than a matchbox, and it should handle 500 W processor without making a sound. However, this is a sci-fi, so we will have to rely on conventional solutions. Although Noctua NH-D15 is in many ways unusual, it is remarkable to see how its original elements affect the effectiveness. Read more “D15 is elite, but there’s a room for improvement”
We extended our database of processor coolers with the notorious NH-D15. It will serve as a key reference point for every upcoming test because it represents some kind of a standard for air coolers. In this review, we analyzed the functional features of the most popular product in its category. How does Noctua do it? Read more “Noctua NH-D15: Austrian dual tower”
Skylake-X is a significantly more flexible generation of high-end processors than the previous one. Not only because of an unprecedented performance, but also thanks to a more reasonable consumption. Let’s take a look at the impact of different CPU settings on performance and functional features. These tests revealed also how economical can a configuration be with a more efficient cooling. Read more “Undervolting and overclocking of Ci9-7980XE with NH-D15”
After the review of SSD coolers, we found some long-forgotten GPU memory heatsinks. Of course, we tested them right away and the results were excellent. It makes us wonder if (and when) is it worth to pay for commercial solutions, because a set of these small “hedgehogs“ costs up to five euros and one packing is usually enough for more uses. Read more “Small VRAM heatsink on a SSD NVMe? Cheap and efficient…”
With increasing IOPS, SSD cooling demands also increase. This applies even to powerful models (NVMe) for common customers. In most cases, controllers can take a lot, but high temperatures do not add to their performance nor lifespan and they can cause problems even in very quiet computers or in a room with higher air temperature. An additional heatsink can do wonders. Read more “Duel of SSD coolers: Alphacool HDX M.2 vs. EKWB EK-M.2”
A powerful energy-efficient processor makes this barebone optimal for a more demanding office or for multimedia. Its format is minimalistic, which in other words always means a challenge that is often accompanied by various compromises. Nearly hundreds of measurements can tell you more about how the Taiwanese manufacturer managed to create simple but effective design. We also included tests without a fan. Read more “Shuttle NC03U5: Core i5 in a case smaller than one liter”
Thermal conductive pads are useful wherever a thermal paste cannot be reasonably applied. A good example are power supply circuit of graphics cards and processors, so the choice of test subjects was unambiguous. It was less clear, however, what thickness of pads is most effective, if it is better to pay for more expensive ones, and what improvement to expect. Read more “Test of “chewing gums”: 3× Arctic and Thermal Grizzly Minus Pads”
Two boards for the same price but with different approach. After reviewing the key elements of their layouts and examining fan control options, you can look forward to a large portion of temperature and consumption comparisons. Let’s find out which one of these AMD Ryzen boards fulfills your expectations better. Read more “Which X370 for 175 EUR: Asus ROG Strix or Gigabyte Gaming 5?”
From the previous tests, you already know that Freezer 33 loses its breath quite quickly in tower cases. But it does not have to be always like that – the distinctive performance difference between the vertical and the horizontal position appears only with certain cooling efficiency requirements. At 90 W, the cooler performs differently than at 180 W. Interesting is also the comparison on the “big” Haswell-E and on the “small” Kaby Lake. Read more “Arctic Freezer 33 tasting different heat intensities”
Cooling the processor is one thing, but cooling its power supply circuit is another. How will the coolers handle this task? We specially focused on testing the heatsinks with Noctua reference fans. Notably, the weird Freezer had some real difficulties. We know where the problem is. We made some tests without fans too, and on this occasion we decided to include top-notch passive cooler Zalman FX70. Read more “Arctic Freezer 33 face-to-face with SilentiumPC Fera 3 v2 (bonus)”
With the i/A32 cooler series, Arctic made a really good impression and created a decent opponent for the excellent Fera 3. In the meantime, Swiss have strengthened their ranks and advanced to battle with Freezer 33. However, the expected drama with fight for every detail did not happen. Because of a design mistake of one of the players, the winner is quite dominant under standard circumstances. Read more “Arctic Freezer 33 face-to-face with SilentiumPC Fera 3 v2”
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