It has been a while since air-coolers were just an addition to a system CPU. Unpretentious chunks of aluminum with the simplest fans attached to them are long gone. Today a CPU cooler is not just a device that can lower processor temperature, but also a pretty attractive thing. Cooling solutions like that have become inalienable part of any modding experience, and they may often be even more expensive than the actual CPUs. However, it can hardly become a problem for real enthusiasts. Sometimes manufacturers get so carried away trying to design a unique impressive solution that they simply forget about the main purpose of this solution: efficient processor cooling. Two new coolers that we are going to talk about today - ASUS Royal Knight and Thermaltake SpinQ, boast truly unique one-of-a-kind looks. However, will they also impress us with their high cooling efficiency at a low level of generated noise? Let’s find out!

ASUS Royal Knight

Package and Accessories

The new Royal Knight cooler from ASUSTeK Computer Inc. does in fact look very ambitious.

A not very big cube-shaped box made of thick cardboard features a small plastic carry-handle at the top. There is a cut-out window in the front of the box revealing part of the cooler. The cooler technical specifications are printed on the back of the box:

There is a clear plastic casing inside the cardboard box. It is molded exactly following the cooler shape and holds it securely. There is a small trapezoid box right next to it. The box contains all bundled accessories:

Among them are two LGA 775 brackets with plastic retentions and a set of screws, a swing-clip with a locking tab for Socket 939/AM2(+), ASUS thermal interface and installation manual in 14 different languages. The cooler is made in China.