Great article. Can't wait for the next price range. ( 30-40? )

Wish companies would stop ruining coolers with bad direct touch implimentations...

I can't shake the impression that so-called "direct touch" heatpipes are mainly a cost-cutting measure: manufacturers are simply avoiding the cost of a dedicated heat spreader. The Zalman CNPS 10X Performa, for example doesn't use direct-touch but a proper heat spreader into which the heatpipes are plugged:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/a...award_vapor120.html#sect0

In the case of the TX3, there is so much space between the heatpipes that I'm wondering about temperature uniformity inside the CPU. Yes, there is a thin aluminium heat spreader on top of the CPU itself, but is it enough? There is a temperature probe inside the CPU, and this area might be cooled adequately, but what about a few milimeter off the probe, in an area not under a heatpipe?

Upon further checking of the Samurai ZZ, it's MSRP is $36 and it seems to be selling around that price in e-tail. Not really an entry-level price.

http://www.scythe-usa.com...050/scsmz2000-detail.html

http://www.ncixus.com/pro.../42811/SCSMZ-2000/Scythe/