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Product:
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Thermaltake Silent Boost RX K8 CPU Cooler |
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Price:
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$29 (CDN) / $25 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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Thermaltake
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Author:
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clsGrinder
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Date:
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March 24th, 2006
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Rating:
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Installation was a snap, and requires no training. The retention clip functions very well and it only took
seconds to fasten the device to my motherboard.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Acoustically, the Thermaltake Silent Boost is much quieter than the stock AMD solution. While barely noticeable with
the side panel off, its sound profile was invisible once the side panel was installed. Keeping your power wires tidy
around this device is of the utmost importance though. A stray wire can get caught in the fan blades very easily.
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Click image for larger view
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The stock aluminum HSF @ 3400RPM and the Silent Boost @ 2900RPM look almost dead on. Oddly, the case temperature seems to
rise a couple degrees when the Silent Boost is used. I would guess this is caused by a higher flow fan pushing hot air on
the motherboard temp sensor. At any rate, the Silent Boost is not an overclockers dream come true, but a solution that will
give you normal temperatures with very little noise pollution.
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Conclusion:
The Silent Boost RX K8 CPU Cooler by Thermaltake brings to the table what most HSF’s don’t, and that is a uniquely designed fan.
The fan pushes allot of air at low pressure levels, making it whisper quiet. This is a great device for low noise applications;
like a simple home/office PC or HTPC. Power users with overclocked A64 x2 CPU’s might breathe more fire than the RX K8 can handle.
With that said, Thermaltake does have other solutions to suit those needs. While the new fan looks very cool, caution is needed
to protect your fingers, as well as dangling wires. But with the flexibility to swap out the Thermaltake fan with something
different as your needs change, you have something that will last you a very long time. Overall, I was pleased with the
Silent Boost RX K8 CPU Cooler and award a final rating of 8 out of 10.
If you have any questions regarding this review be sure to visit the Thermaltake
website for more information or discuss them in our forums.
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Pros:
- Quiet operation
- Swappable fans
- Easy install
- Good looks
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Cons:
- Cools no better than stock
- Be careful of exposed fins
- Not suited for overclocking environments
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