Product:	Thermaltake Hardcano 5 HD Cooler
Price:	$53 (CAN) / $35 (U.S)
Supplied By:	Thermaltake
Author:	Shennon
Date:	June 22nd, 2002
Rating:

MODTHEBOX would like to thank Weller from Thermaltake for providing the Thermaltake Hardcano 5 HD Cooler for review.

Introduction:

The hard drive market has seen tremendous growth thanks to improvements in the manufacturing process and expanding technology. Some of the top hard drive manufacturers in the world such as Maxtor, IBM, Western Digital, Samsung and Seagate are making their products bigger and faster. One of the factors associated with these new products releases is heat dissipation. Consumers are now becoming more aware that it is important to protect a hard drive device from failure, especially when important data is at risk. Hard drive failure is common, but proper cooling may be the key solution for extending the life, and reliability. Many companies have taken up the challenge to combat hard drive heat with various cooling related products. Today in the MTB labs, we will be evaluating the Thermaltake Hardcano 5 HD Cooler, the latest in a series of aluminum based coolers using a 40mm fan to cool down an active hard drive.

Specifications:

The Thermaltake Hardcano 5 is one of several Hardcano themed HD based coolers developed by Thermaltake. Each HD Cooler revision has a slight amendment in terms of features and design. Here are some of the specifications taken directly from the Thermaltake website:

Thermaltake Hardcano 5 HD Cooler Features
Fan Dimensions:	40mmx40mmx20mm
Rated Voltage:	12VDC
Started Voltage:	7VDC
Rated Current:	0.11 Amp
Power Input:	1.32w
Bearing Type:	Sleeve bearing
Life Time:	30,000 hours
Connector:	3-pin
Fan Speed Settings
Fan Speed:	5000 + or – 10%
Max Air Flow
Max Air Flow:	5.1 CFM
Air Pressure:	1.50 mm – H2O
Noise Levels
Noise Levels	23dBA

 

Hardcano 5 HD Cooler Dimensions:

 

Click image for larger view

Click image for larger view

 

The Hardcano 5 comes packaged in a formed blister display package with specifications and dimensions printed on the back. The package is self-contained with all the necessary components one would need for installation. One of the first things that I noticed is about this HD cooler is that aesthetically this model has some nice improvements over the previously reviewed Hardcano 2 HD cooler.

Click image for larger view

Thermaltake Hardcano 5 accessories

 

Included with the Hardcano 5 is a 3 to 4 pin converter, enough screws to assemble the Hardcano and some tape to secure the thermal sensor wherever you would like to monitor the temperature. The strip seems more than generous, as I would cut off what I would need in strips, rather than use the whole piece at once. The instruction sheet included with the package is printed in English with Chinese on the reverse. The simple instructions and diagrams should have even a novice up and running without too many problems. If the supplied sheet does not help, there is an animated version using the Viewpoint Media Player of these instructions available online at the Thermaltake website.