Big fan even on a thin radiator? It can be done, AeroCool shows
AeroCool has come up with an inspiring design that will increase the efficiency of smaller tower coolers. These always use small fans, but the 135mm tall new addition in the form of the Raven 4 ARGB has a full-sized “hundred and twenty” on the fins. To make sense of such a design, the fan bezel tapers smoothly from intake to exhaust, thus having a conical shape. Look at the details.
In smaller computers, the ceiling or side panel and the radiator has limited space. There are various ways to combat such unfavourable conditions and AeroCool shows one of them.
The Raven 4 ARGB cooler is oriented vertically (i.e. the tower concept) and is 135 mm tall. However, it differs significantly from competing solutions in one aspect. Most coolers in this height category use a 92 mm fan and some use a 100 mm fan. However, AeroCool managed to squeeze an atypical 120mm model onto this thin heatsink.
The unusual feature is that the fan frame has a different cross-section at the intake than at the exhaust. It is larger at the intake to allow for a 120mm fan and just before the fins the frame cross section is significantly narrower. It’s formatted so that as little air as possible escapes out the sides, but AeroCool hasn’t avoided some overhangs. Either way, this is a remarkable design that makes even such a small heatsink have more air available for cooling than normal. This allows the fan to run at lower speeds and be more efficient than conventional models at the same noise level.
The speed range of the fan is 600-1800 rpm, which should result in an airflow rate of 40.9-98.5 m3/h and a static pressure of 0.6-1.6 mm H2O. The bearings are hydraulic and the mean time between failures is quoted by the manufacturer at 60 000 hours. For completeness, it should be added that the fan is also characterized by ARGB LED illumination. AeroCool lists traditional compatibility with motherboards, but also with the custom H66F controller. Connection is traditional, via 3-pin to 5V.
The design of the radiator is a bit in the shadow of the fan, as it has already quite established features. The ribbing is crossed by four 6 mm heatpipes and there is a black coating on the surface. What exactly AeroCool doesn’t specify, but it’s supposedly meant to do better at both dissipating heat and transferring it to the surroundings. The base of the Raven 4 ARGB is direct-touch, meaning there are truncated heatpipes in contact with the CPU IHS, with aluminum fillers in between. There is a higher local heating on these, as the heat is not transferred through them to the main heatsink.
But the biggest Achilles heel seems to be in the mounting system. On AMD processors, the heatsink is installed to the retention bezel by snapping a steel clip, and on Intel platforms it’s via push-pins. Although who knows if this is the procedure for LGA 1700 as well. In fact, on the plastic frame through which the push-pins are installed, there are only hole arrangements for LGA 775, 115x/1200 and 1366. At least that’s how AeroCool has it in the illustration photo. So it is possible that a different mounting system is designed for LGA 1700. But I guess you can’t expect it to be fundamentally different, looking at the backplate. In short, probably another frame for push-pins, just with a corresponding spacing of holes.
The specified heat sink thermal design power is 130 W. On LGA 1700 it will therefore be more suitable for the more economical Alder Lake processors, which will come out early next year. AMD processors are also supported, from the old ones for AM2(+) sockets, through AM3(+), FM1/FM2 to AM4. AeroCool isn’t revealing availability in stores or what the recommended retail price will be yet.
English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš
