MODTHEBOX.COM - Canada's Premier Case Modding Source - Reviews

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The bottom portion of the Thermaltake Silent Boost HSF is machined smooth and only slightly reflective in certain areas of the heatsink base. I ran my finger against the copper base and did not notice any significant nick marks which might hinder performance. While the default configuration of the Silent Boost should suffice for most users, those who want to improve the effectiveness of the unit can lap the heatsink base which is entirely optional.

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The emphasis on the Thermaltake Silent Boost HSF is silent performance cooling and the included 80mm fan is of the Panaflo brand name. The 80mm fan uses new "Hydro Wave Bearing" Technology which provides multi-directional air intake circulation while keeping the relative noise level down. The Thermaltake website boasts that this type of new design decreases the wear on the fan and extends the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) to a life time use of 50,000 hours. The fan runs very quite at 2450 RPM +/-10% and is capable of pushing 27.5 CFM at a noise level of 21 dBA. The fan receives its power via a 3-pin connector, which attaches directly to a motherboard header pin. No 3-pin to 4-pin adapter was included in the package for those individuals who use to power this unit directly from a PSU source.

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One of the standout features of the Thermaltake Silent Boost HSF is the inclusion of an aluminum fan shroud which surrounds the copper heatsink base. The fan shroud has two sets of 4 pre-drilled mounting holes in each corner to accommodate a full 80mm fan or smaller low profile 60mm fan. The entire composition of the heatsink base is made of copper with 41 cast fins on each side for a total of 82 copper fins. The center portion of the heatsink base has been hollowed out to incorporate the 3-lug style clipping mechanism.