Hmm, the Review is a little late, to be honest. In fact, the Archon SB-E you tested is already EOL at the time of the release of your article.
There is already a new version (Archon SBE X2) wich comes with 2x TY-141 fans and also with the old mounting system of the original Archon.

Looking forward to testing of the Archon SB-E X2. If you have a chance, perhaps test the updated Thermalright Silver Arrow SB-E "Extreme" version as well:

http://www.nansgaminggear...SILVER-ARROW-SB-E-Extreme

I am not sure if you guys tested the Thermalright True Spirit 140 yet? For $40, I think it's the best value air cooler as it's basically an Archon with slightly lower performance and no nickel-plating on the heatpipes.
http://www.nansgaminggear...ls.asp?ProductCode=TS-140

Also, could you please test the new NZXT Kraken X60?
http://www.nzxt.com/new/products/cpu_cooler/kraken_x60

Thanks!!

What I wonder is: why would Thermalright go to the expense of redesigning the cooler, meaning new / revised engineering and fab drawings, version management, retooling, worker training, revised packaging etc. - when they know from the start that with 10% less area and weaker mounting parts it's going to be inferior to its predecessor? And, in the event, they did have to revise the revision, at further expense.

Who was thinking what? They can't be as clueless as they appear from this, or they wouldn't have gotten to where they are now. And they aren't, I believe, so large a company as to have lost all connection between management and engineering.

These issues puzzle me whenever I read of products that are obvious losers from the beginning.

Another I recall is Cooler Master's "Cosmos 1000" case. A white elephant (in that case literally) with so many cooling issues it had to be redone within a year. This from a company specializing in PC cooling.

Anyway - thanks again to X-Bit Labs for all the amazingly thorough comparison tests. Thermalright should get your input before their next wrong turn.

Well, that statement is not really true. Even accortding to this review itperformas slightly better than the old one. The SBE comes with less fins, but they are actually thicker than the old ones (unlike it's told in the review). The fin spacing is bigger, wich makes the cooler even more efficient at relatively lower rpms/with less static pressure.

The choice of the fan is a matter of taste really. They have two fan types, the ones with Double Ball Bearing and the ones with the HYdro Dynamic Bearing (old archon).
The latter one is cheaper, slightly quieter at 12V but tends to make sidenoise, especioally at lower rpms.
The Double Ball bearing of their newer cooler is slightly louder, but has a smoother sound profile. So again, thats a matter of taste really.

Really, the only thing lacking is the newer mounting system, wich they changed to save costs. They corrected that with the new version of the Archon the SBE X2, wich again comes with the old, more sturdy Mounting.

Also is TR far from a large company, it's really small actually.

I really don't like the curved base. I wan't optimal pressure all over the CPU. Not just in the middle