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Product:
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AeroCool DP-102 Deep Impact Heatsink |
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Price:
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$69 (CAN) / $52 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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Nikao/Tradex
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Author:
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Shatterstar
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Date:
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February 27th, 2004
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Rating:
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If you like working on jigsaw puzzles you’ll love installing the fan adapters for the DP-102. This requires
the use all the items shown above. First use the small screws to attach the adapter arms to the AeroCool DP-102.
Then use the longer screws to secure the fans to the assembly. More detailed instructions should be added
with this package in order to prevent aggravation when assembling this unit together.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Installation of the AeroCool Deep Impact DP-102 Heatsink on a motherboard was an absolute nightmare. I tried
installing it on the following motherboards; ASUS P4C800-DLX, ASUS P4R800-VM and ASUS A7N8X-X. The AeroCool
DP-102 Deep Impact Heatsink comes with a mounting plate for Pentium 4 and AMD motherboards. Removal of four
retaining screws is all that is necessary to change them. Consumers should note when changing from the P4
mounting bracket to the AMD mounting bracket, hold the bracket in place with your thumb and slide the
retaining piece down. This will be easier to line them up and screw them securely into place.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The mounting bracket for the stock cooler on a P4 motherboard prevented installation of the heatsink.
The only solution I could find was to either remove the mounting bracket or use a combination of bolts
and screws to fasten the DP-102 directly to the motherboard or re-drill the screw hole mounts of the
mounting plate. After looking at the plate more carefully I found that the indented areas might be on
the wrong side, which prevented the plate from seating itself properly on the processor. The final
problem I had was trying to figure out how to use the retention clips properly and this was due to
the lack of proper instructions. Proper instructions are definitely needed in order to prevent
potential damage and to ease the installation process.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Memory sockets and capacitors located close to the socket will cause problems when installing the
DP-102 Deep Impact Heatsink on an AMD motherboard. I had to move my memory from the first memory
slot to the last one, rotate the heatsink a bit, and carefully set the edge of the fan on one of
the capacitors. An extra word of caution for AMD users; the weight of the DP-102 combined with
the 6-lug mounting solution when mounted in a vertical position will cause the socket to dislodge
from the motherboard if your case is accidentally bumped or shaken. To provide you with a visual
view of the size of the DP-102, I have included a photo of this unit compared next to the original
stock AMD heatsink.
Testing:
I was anxious to see if the cooling properties of this heatsink would make up for the installation issues.
The test bed was composed of an AMD 2000+ T-bred B, Generic 512MB PC3500 Ram and Asus A7N8X-X Nforce 2
motherboard. The testing will be done both at stock levels and at 2.0 Ghz (167 MHz FSB, 12x Multiplier and 1.67 Vcore)
each period will last 5 hours both in 0% load and in 100% load. All temperature results were recorded using
Motherboard Monitor confirmed with onboard ASUS Temperature Monitor.
Click image for larger view
I was amazed by the performance of this cooler, which made great strides in redeeming itself. I believe that
with some work, the DP-102 might make it to the top of many a computer enthusiasts list.
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Conclusion:
The AeroCool DP-102 Deep Impact represents a product that has fantastic potential but is flawed with several
design issues and lack of proper documentation. For many computer enthusiasts, ease of installation should
be one of the top priorities and choices for an air based cooling solution. During my evaluation, I
was frustrated by amount effort this product took to get it mounted after unsuccessfully attempting three
motherboard installations. One of the biggest concerns for this product is the weight of the unit measuring
580g which is above the socket weight limit imposed by both AMD and Intel. One of the biggest benefits of
the DP-102 is the excellent cooling performance and I am positive that the DP-102 will be able to compete
with the high-end cooling solutions from Swiftech, Thermalright, Globalwin and Vantec. At this time I would
recommend extreme caution if you are considering purchasing this product. There needs to be significant
changes in the design to ease installation as well as a database of approved motherboards, redesigned
mounting clip along with an improved manual. As previously stated AeroCool is off to a great start with
this product but it’s hard to recommend it when there are so many issues with this first revision.
Overall, I'm rating the AeroCool DP-102 Deep Impact Heatsink a final score of
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:
- Astonishing cooling properties
- Unique look
- Cross platform compatible
- Superconductor Core Technology
- Dual fan cooling solution
- Price
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Cons:
- Will not fit all motherboards
- Very heavy, can cause damage to motherboards if not careful
- Difficult installation
- Poor documentation
- Generic thermal compound
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