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Product:
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Nexus AXP-3200 SkiveTek CPU Cooler |
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Price:
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$39 (CAN) / $32 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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Nexus Canada
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Author:
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Hi-TEK
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Date:
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August 14th, 2005
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Rating:
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One of the standout features of the Nexus AXP-3200 SkiveTek CPU Cooler is the combination aluminum and copper base which is
enclosed in a green anodized fan shroud. The fan shroud has 4 pre-drilled mounting holes in each corner to keep the 70mm
fan stationary. The AXP-3200 introduces Nexus's new SkiveTek® technology which involves the process of shaping materials
to produce high fin density thermal solutions. The AXP-3200 includes patented V-shaped fins which optimize the airflow and
prevent air obstruction. The Base plate and fins are constructed out of one piece of pure aluminum or copper by cutting the
material in thin layers and bending the fins in place.
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The bottom portion of the copper base is very smooth with a mid-level reflective finish. Some people might take the extra step
for added performance and lap or polish the copper base, but this is entirely optional. One of the biggest critiques that I
have for most coolers on the market is the design of the clipping mechanism. A well designed or poorly executed clipping
mechanism can essentially make or break a heatsink cooler design. The clipping mechanism on the Nexus AXP-3200 SkiveTek CPU
Cooler consists of a 3-lug style design, which covers all three clips on a CPU socket. There is a small opening which allows
you to insert a flathead screwdriver and slowly install the heatsink in place without worrying about damaging a motherboard.
Consumers should exercise caution when performing this step as I ran into a situation where my flathead screwdriver slipped
away from the clipping mechanism because I applied to much pressure and nearly damaged my motherboard.
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Testing:
In order to provide accurate test results, I choose to not use the included thermal compound that was supplied in the package.
I will be using Arctic Silver 3 in this round of testing for the AXP-3200 SkiveTek CPU Cooler. A small portion of the compound
was spread against the copper base using a plastic thin squeegee. For comparison I tested the AXP-3200 SkiveTek CPU Cooler
against Vantec's Aeroflow VA4-C7040 CPU Cooler. The test system consists of the following components:
- ABIT NF7-S Rev 2.0 Motherboard
- AMD Sempron 3000+ CPU
- 2 x 512MB OCZ PC3200 Dual Channel Kit EL-DDR RAM
- ATI Radeon 9700 Pro Video Card
- 2 x Maxtor D740X-GL 60 GB Hard Drive (RAID 0)
- Promise FastTrack TX2000 ATA-133 w/ RAID
- D-Link DFE-530TX NIC Card
- Pioneer 106S 16X DVD IDE
- Lite-On LTR-40125S 40x12x48x CD-Rewriter
The "Burn-In Wizard" from SiSoft Sandra Pro 2005 is used to put the CPU under concentrated load for a pre-determined amount
of time. The options selected in "Burn-In Wizard" run the CPU and CPU Multimedia benchmarks for approximately 15 minutes. The
system is left alone for approximate 15 minutes before the burn-in test is performed. Maximum temperatures are measured in
degree Celsius and recorded using an independent thermal probe and Motherboard Monitor 5.3.7.0 for idle and full load. Ambient
room temperature was measured at 29 degrees Celsius.
The overall performance results indicate that the AXP-3200 SkiveTek CPU Cooler does manage to hold its own against the Vantec
Aeroflow VA4-C7040 CPU Cooler. The performance margin between both heatsinks was very small at 3-4 degrees in all test beds for
standard and load modes. The AXP-3200 SkiveTek CPU Cooler has a slight advantage where the bottom of the unit features a much
larger copper base and surface area for heat transfer. In terms of noise level, the AXP-3200 SkiveTek CPU Cooler wins hands down
as one of the quietest heatsinks that I have had a chance to evaluate for the aging Socket A/462/370 platform.
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Conclusion:
The Nexus AXP-3200 SkiveTek CPU Cooler works as advertised and does provide near silent operation with average
cooling results. The design of the combination aluminum copper heatsink base and fan shroud provides universal
support for all Socket A/462 and Intel 370 platforms with ease. Consumers will appreciate the 3-lug style design of
the clipping mechanism, which provides some assurances of a secure fit once installed on top of a CPU socket.
The silent cooling performance is a definitely plus for those individuals concerned with fan noise levels for
specific applications or environments. The only negative aspect of this product is the bundled generic thermal
compound and design of the clipping mechanism which can be slightly problematic if caution is not used. Overall,
I'm rating the Nexus AXP-3200 SkiveTek CPU Cooler a final score of 8 out of 10,
and would only recommend this product to consumers looking for a cooling solution for quiet working environments.
If you have any questions regarding this review be sure to visit the Nexus Canada
website for more information or discuss them in our forums.
NOTE: Consumers looking to purchase the Nexus AXP-3200 SkiveTek CPU Cooler can find this product at
ADPMods.
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Pros:
- Small footprint
- Quiet operation
- AMD Recommended
- Moderate performance
- Price
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Cons:
- Generic thermal paste included
- Clipping mechanism can be problematic and needs to be improved
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