Cheap coolers are always worth attention. In this short analysis, we focused on one such cooler. Valkyrie designates it as the Surge SL125. To avoid any misunderstanding, the word “cheap” refers only to the purchase price—build quality on the Valkyrie Surge SL125 is very respectable. Especially considering that the MSRP of this CPU cooler sits just above thirty euros (incl. VAT).
The Surge SL125 coolers belong to the lower‑priced offerings from the Cypriot company Valkyrie. One tower, four heatpipes, one fan. And an illuminated fan, it should be added. The entire impeller serves as a light guide for the ARGB LEDs. Two variants are available—besides the usual one, there is also a white version. That white model is the one shown in the lead photo of this article, next to the base variant (with the traditional gray heatsink and black fan frame).
| Basic parameters | Valkyrie Surge SL125 | |
| Supported sockets | Intel LGA 1851, 1700, 1200, 115x; AMD AM5, AM4 | |
| Build type | tower | |
| Height (with fan) in mm | 155 | |
| Width (with fan) in mm * | 72,5 | |
| Depth (with fan) in mm ** | 120 | |
| Daisy chaining of fans | yes | |
| (A)RGB elements | yes | |
| Number of fans and their format in mm | 1× 120 | |
| Fan speed (rpm) | 800–2150 | |
| Weight (with fan) in g | 672 | |
| Approximate retail price in EUR | 29 |
* This dimension indicates the width of the heatsink together with the fan, typically toward the DIMM slots. That is, assuming the cooler is installed vertically.
** The distance between the shorter sides of the heatsink fins. The larger it is, the closer a symmetrical heatsink sits to the first PCIe ×16 slot. Or, in a horizontal orientation, potentially to the memory slots that the cooler may already cover.
Details of the Valkyrie Surge SL125 cooler
The Surge SL125 can be described as a medium‑height tower design. At 155 mm tall, it fits into relatively narrower (or shorter) PC cases. It’s not an especially low‑profile concept, but rather a mid‑sized one.
There is one fan here (the 120 mm B12 White model with a speed range of 800–2150 rpm) on a single tower. This also means a narrower profile with very good RAM compatibility. Even modules with the tallest heatsinks fit into all DIMM slots next to the cooler.
The tested white variant has a coating on the otherwise aluminum fins. The “raw” (aluminum) finish is used on the variant with the fan that has a black frame. The top cover of the cooler—with the light guide forming the Valkyrie logo—is also black on that version.
Now to the base. It comes with a pre‑applied layer of thermal paste in a pattern of small squares. This is just a texture that doesn’t matter much. After installation, the paste spreads into a continuous layer so that no gaps remain anywhere.
There are four heatpipes, and based on that, cooling performance will be optimal for mid‑range Intel Core Ultra 5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processors. Higher‑end CPUs will likely still be manageable, but probably at the cost of higher noise levels or, conversely, lower CPU clock speeds.
From the more distant photo below, you can get an even better idea of what the Valkyrie Surge SL125 looks like. The fan is illuminated, with a milky impeller that diffuses light well.
The backplate used to mount the cooler to the motherboard is metal. Its edges are bent to maximize compressive strength. In other words, unwanted deformation is unlikely, which promises high mounting pressure between the cooler base and the CPU’s IHS.
And now to the ARGB lighting the cooler features. This applies both to the impeller and to the logo on the top cover. Both elements were already mentioned above, but for illustration…
What Do the Spectrographs Show?
The acoustic profile can be described as unobtrusive when it comes to any critical tones. The spectrum is balanced, with noise distribution leaning toward lower frequencies—at lower overall noise levels. As fan speed increases, the sound—or rather noise—becomes more pronounced in the 500–4000 Hz band.
English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš
