X-bit labs

SuperCoolers Return: Zalman CNPS9700 LED and Scythe Infinity (page 10)

Category: Coolers

by Sergey Lepilov

[ 12/11/2006 | 03:12 PM ]

Thermal Performance

AMD Athlon 64 Platform

The Athlon 64 3000+ processor was overclocked from its default 1800MHz to 2800MHz (a frequency growth of 55.6%) with a voltage increase to 1.65V.

CPU-Z doesn’t tell the voltage I’ve set up in the mainboard’s BIOS correctly here as well as for the other CPUs in this review.

Here are the results of the test:

The excellent performance of the Thermaltake Big Typhoon relative to the other coolers is due to its high efficiency inside the system case thanks to the 120mm system fan on a side panel that is driving a stream of fresh air right into the Big Typhoon’s fan. This system fan helped the other coolers as well, yet the Big Typhoon benefited from it the most of all.

The Big Typhoon is also in the lead when cooling the Athlon 64 on an open testbed. The Scythe Infinity is about 3°C better than the Scythe Ninja in a closed system case and 1.5°C better on an open testbed. Note that the Scythe Infinity is very effective inside a system case if you equip it with two 1200rpm fans for intake and exhaust. It performs better then than with a single fan rotating at 2000rpm.

Alas, the Zalman CNPS9700 LED could only sport its blue highlighting, but not good performance. This cooler is obviously far from efficient in this test. It equals the Scythe Infinity at maximum speed and on an open testbed, but the level of noise is too high then.

Perhaps a single-core processor is not enough for the new coolers to show their full potential? Let’s check them out with an Intel Core 2 Duo.