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Product:
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AeroCool Extreme CPU Cooler |
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Price:
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$45 (CAN) / $34 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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Nikao/Tradex
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Author:
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Shennon
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Date:
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February 2nd, 2004
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Rating:
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Click image for larger view
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AeroCool Extreme CPU Cooler 3-pin fan header
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The AeroCool Extreme CPU Cooler includes a tri-coloured 80mm LED fan which is capable of pushing 34 CFM
of air against the copper heatsink while generating a noise level of 30 dBA. The 80mm fan obtains
its power from the header on the motherboard by way of the 3-pin connector. The package does not include
a 3-pin to 4-pin adapter for those consumers who prefer to power directly from a PSU unit. Adapters
are very standard with most heatsink coolers on the market and it would have been nice if this package
included one.
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MTB 80mm Fan Comparison
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| AeroCool Extreme CPU Cooler 80mm Fan | 34 CFM | 30 dBA |
| Fanner Tech Corp #FD07025B1L 80mm Fan | 22.5 CFM | 25 dBA |
| Thermaltake A1654 80mm Fireball (TT-8025) | 27.8 CFM | 21 dBA |
| Vantec Spectrum UV LED Fans | 36 CFM | 34 dBA |
| Sunbeam 80mm UV CCFL Fan | 31.73 CFM | 28 dBA |
| Bitsmodding 80mm UV Fan | 26.97 CFM | 27.39 dBA |
| Vantec 80mm Stealth Fan | 27 CFM | 21 dBA |
| Cooler Master 80mm TLF-R82 Neon LED Fan | 32.11 CFM | 25 dBA |
| Xoxide 80mm Case Fan | 30 CFM | 29 dBA |
| Vantec 80mm Tornado Fan | 84.1 CFM | 52.2 dBA |
| Panaflo "Low" 80mm Fan | 24 CFM | 21 dBA |
| Adda 80mm AD0812MB-A70GL Fan | 31.4 CFM | 28.3 dBA |
| Sunon 80mm KD1208PTB3-6 Fan | 31 CFM | 28 dBA |
A quick comparison against other fans reviewed in house demonstrates that the 80mm fans can push a bit
more air than the Vantec Stealth, Panaflo "Low" or the Xoxide fans, but as expected has a higher noise
level.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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In order to install the Extreme CPU Cooler on either the AMD or P4 platform, AeroCool includes two
different mounting mechanisms. Out of the box the cooler comes ready to mount on an AMD system, but once
removed the second mounting kit allows this product to be used on a P4 system. The Extreme CPU Cooler
can be mounted to the base of a Pentium 4 system and instead mounting the 80mm fan to the heatsink shroud,
it can be mounted directly on the P4 retention clips. Both the AMD and the P4 retention systems have
thumb tabs to aid in installation and save pushing down on the CPU area. The AMD system will make
use of all three lugs on the socket, and if one is missing due to motherboard design you will still be
able to clip this heatsink into place.
Installation & Testing:
I will be installing the kit into my secondary system, which I scrounged from various parts piles around
the house and around town. The system includes the following components:
- Intel 1.7 Celeron processor (with stock heatsink)
- Intel D845WN motherboard
- 256 Meg SDRAM
- XFX GeForce 2 graphics card
- Ricoh DVD/CD-RW optical drive
- A-Open AON-325 10/100M Ethernet card
- 10 Gig Maxtor hard drive
- Chenming 301K case
This configuration is not the latest high-end hardware nor does it support overclocking; it is primarily
used as a Folding@Home client workstation. Installation of the AeroCool Extreme CPU Cooler was a
straight forward process, however when installing the Extreme cooler in a P4 system, keep in mind
that the heatsink is slightly smaller than normal, so one may have to reposition the heatsink if it
isn’t centered.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Temperature monitoring will be supplied by Motherboard Monitor 5.3.5.1 and recorded at idle and full
load in degrees Celsius. SiSoftware Sandra Burn-in Utility will be used to put the CPU under load for
ten cycles at normal priority. The AeroCool Extreme CPU Cooler will be compared against the stock cooler
supplied with most Intel Pentium 4 chips, but with Arctic Ceramique used as the thermal compound replacement
for both coolers. The AeroCool Extreme CPU Cooler provided a small temperature drop compared to the
stock cooling solution. I’m sure there would be a wider temperature margin if I used the stock gray
thermal pad which was on the stock cooler.
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Conclusion:
Having a CPU cooler that will work for a few different platforms is a plus, especially to AeroCool
since cuts down on Research & Development, as well as production costs. For the consumer, it provides
a unique and inexpensive cooling solution which can be used as a hardware platform is upgraded. I’ve
always been skeptical of the Bonded Fin design as there is usually no indication as to what bonds the
two parts together. If it can’t conduct the heat as well as the copper can, it would not be as
effective as a whole. One item to note, while the blue tri-LED fan (with the red or orange blades)
does look fairly decent, in my machine it clashes with the MADlights kit. Installing the heatsink and
the separate fan in a P4 system can frustrate a few people, as the heatsink does have a tendency to
move around in the retention base. Overall, the AeroCool Extreme CPU Cooler is a decent product and a
definite improvement over the stock cooler solution. I award this product a final rating of
7.5 out of 10. If you have any questions
regarding this review be sure to visit the Tradex Information Technology
website for more information or discuss them in our forums.
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Pros:
- Universally compatible on AMD and Intel platforms
- Excellent aethetically pleasing design
- Solid copper base and fins for better heat distribution
- Excellent clipping mechanism for both AMD and P4 systems
- Beautiful anodized fan shroud will appeal to case modders
- Tri-coloured LED cooling fan
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Cons:
- Installing on a P4 may frustrate a few users.
- Generic thermal compound included
- No 3-pin to 4-pin molex converter included
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