# Cooler Master V10  Hybrid TEC Cooler Tested



## btarunr (Feb 3, 2009)

Cooler Master has gone full cylinders with innovation for the design of the V10 Hybrid TEC, a variant of the V10 cooler that employs a 70W TEC (Thermo-electric couple) element to indirectly cool the processor. The principle on which it works is fairly simple: A set of heatpipes propagate through the CPU contact block. The same heatpipes make contact with the cold-plate of the TEC. The hot-plate of the TEC is cooled by a dedicated aluminum fin array which is subjected to air flow. The heatpipes that cool the CPU propagate into two additional, independent aluminum fin arrays. All this, neatly packed into the shroud. The TEC part of the cooler has its own Molex power input, and is regulated by a temperature control module. The two fans in place to cool the fins use standard 3~4 pin fan connections. TweakTown put this cooler to test against most common high-end air coolers.

In theory, this is a good concept, though the indirect cooling the TEC element provides, isn't going to send temperatures down to sub-zero levels. Instead, the estimates on its spec. sheet shows it to maintain temperatures between 25 and 70 degrees Celsius. The cooler however, is rated for CPUs with TDPs of up to 200W (a figure achieved during overclocking). The findings of the review, however, show the cooler to be not much of an improvement over most high-end air coolers. The review can be read here.



 

 

 



*View at TechPowerUp Main Site*


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## Weer (Feb 3, 2009)

Wow, you take away the black-plastic overlay and it becomes just a regular old cooler.

And those temps.. 2C better than the Ultra 120 eXtreme that's been out for years? Ridiculous.


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## a111087 (Feb 3, 2009)

^indeed


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## phanbuey (Feb 3, 2009)

so according to that review i should get a Sunbeam Core contact freezer or a TRUE...


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## Cold Storm (Feb 3, 2009)

Well, look at it this way... Are you going to spend $139.99 on a cooler? When you can spend around half that on a CPU cooler and corsair's ram cooler


? buying a True, and ram cooler, and you'll still never hit around that price!


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## DrPepper (Feb 3, 2009)

Would only be worth that price if it cooled below 0 degrees or came with a voucher for a strip club.


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## RevengE (Feb 3, 2009)

That is Huge, And it is very pricey I don't really think it's worth it.


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## Cold Storm (Feb 3, 2009)

If you where a DIE HARD fan of Cooler Master's cooling and like the fact that you can change out the fan's yourself... It could be.. But, at the price No one would be... Under $100 it would be good..


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## sneekypeet (Feb 3, 2009)

oh and the fact BTA left out is this cooler is also 1200g on the motherboard. Thats almost 3 lbs!


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## 1Kurgan1 (Feb 3, 2009)

Cold Storm said:


> If you where a DIE HARD fan of Cooler Master's cooling and like the fact that you can change out the fan's yourself... It could be.. But, at the price No one would be... Under $100 it would be good..



This gives cooling as good as any other cooler out there really. Saying it isn't better than a cooler that came out so long ago means what, other "high performance coolers" have came out after that and only cool as well as it.

Of coarse after you take off the plastic it looks like another cooler, this isn't a space ship. 

Also like said this provides ram cooling and CPU cooling, price is a bit steep, but you get 2 for 1.


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## Evo85 (Feb 3, 2009)

DrPepper said:


> Would only be worth that price if it cooled below 0 degrees or came with a voucher for a strip club.



THIS!!


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## Cold Storm (Feb 3, 2009)

1Kurgan1 said:


> This gives cooling as good as any other cooler out there really. Saying it isn't better than a cooler that came out so long ago means what, other "high performance coolers" have came out after that and only cool as well as it.
> 
> Of coarse after you take off the plastic it looks like another cooler, this isn't a space ship.
> 
> Also like said this provides ram cooling and CPU cooling, price is a bit steep, but you get 2 for 1.



You may get 2 for 1, but the Price will make anyone run away from it. When you buy stuff, your looking for price and performance.. 

I won't beat that isn't a good cooler, but your looking at the price and It's a hard thing to bite on... 9' long, and almost 3 pounds... I'd hope to have a work bench for use.. 

But, that is me....


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## AddSub (Feb 3, 2009)

This will probably be my next cooler. I'm going to wait until somebody more reputable and more capable reviews the V10, like FrostyTech, X-bit labs, or even Techpowerup. Right now I got a modded V8 that cools my i7 920 pretty good, but this V10 looks promising. 

As for the value, I agree. Almost $150 is way too much for this. However, Buy.com is accepting pre-orders at $113 shipped for these and I have several coupons and discount codes that will drop that all the way to $75 or around there.... so I'm good to go. Just need some decent reviews.


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## WarEagleAU (Feb 3, 2009)

For the price it better do more than cool my processor. Hell I cant say what else it should do 

139.99 can get you a decent H20 setup or pretty damn near close to it.


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## thebeephaha (Feb 3, 2009)

I wonder how hard it would be to find a more powerful TEC to mod in there as a replacement for the stock one?


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## Binge (Feb 3, 2009)

I bet that tec will get overloaded so easily and burn out then kill the proc.


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## HolyCow02 (Feb 3, 2009)

that thing is ridiculous and just not worth its price tag. I mean damn.

I agree with the voucher to the strip club, except I was a freebee in the back as well


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## kid41212003 (Feb 3, 2009)

I don't know why they don't make Waterblock with heatpipe, probably more effective.


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## HaZe303 (Feb 3, 2009)

Wow those results were really bad & disappointing!!? I mean cmon already, make something better than TRUE. And CoolerMaster is a good brand, but they always make their coolers to complicated and as the reviewer said, something in the end is always missing, that little extra WOW is missing from their coolers. Quality, but no great Quality... Just look at those heatpipes on the TEC, all bended and buckled... Dont like it.


Ps. Thermalright, give us a HDT version of TRUE240Xtreme HaZe303Edition??? The greatest gamer/nerd in the world, Fatal1who??


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## Cold Storm (Feb 3, 2009)

AddSub said:


> This will probably be my next cooler. I'm going to wait until somebody more reputable and more capable reviews the V10, like FrostyTech, X-bit labs, or even Techpowerup. Right now I got a modded V8 that cools my i7 920 pretty good, but this V10 looks promising.
> 
> As for the value, I agree. Almost $150 is way too much for this. However, Buy.com is accepting pre-orders at $113 shipped for these and I have several coupons and discount codes that will drop that all the way to $75 or around there.... so I'm good to go. Just need some decent reviews.



So, your saying that Tweaktown isn't a "reputable" site? The site as more talent in reviewers then Most places... So, since a Reviewer is going to report the truth, and not worry about the "samples" from stopping, your thinking it's not "reputable"? T.e.c.c. is a proven thing to be used.. Why does sites use their "benches" if they weren't "reputable"?

Want to know something funny? Funny about reviews that come out before the product? Most time's the product is pushed back because the company found the reviewer to find something they didn't... Xigmatek even did this... The 1284 were shipped to Newegg before anyone else, and because of that we got the ones that where "defective"... Who's to say that it's not even like that to them...


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## phanbuey (Feb 3, 2009)

kid41212003 said:


> I don't know why they don't make Waterblock with heatpipe, probably more effective.



because a heatpipe and a waterpipe are basically the same concept. (heapipes have coolant in them)  why would you need pipes with coolant if you already have coolant coarsing through the block...


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## kid41212003 (Feb 3, 2009)

Because then we will have both heatsink and waterblock, I think that would be more effective.

Think what if TRUE have waterblock under it...


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## Bjorn_Of_Iceland (Feb 4, 2009)

hmm.. lemme see.. 2x the price of what a high performance air cooler would do, 70 watt more power consumption, the risk of breaking your board, and only 3 degrees cooler... the same 3 degrees less that you will get if you just open your case' sidepanel.

nty.


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## LittleLizard (Feb 4, 2009)

get a coolit domino alc and be happy. also that cooler is ugly. stick with v8


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## Marineborn (Feb 4, 2009)

theres no point for the size, get a cheap watercooler and itll cool better and not take up the whole case


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## Marineborn (Feb 4, 2009)

LittleLizard said:


> get a coolit domino alc and be happy. also that cooler is ugly. stick with v8



i get one of those tommorow after reading 60 good reviews about them and for 65 bucks! cheaper then air and cools better. ill post temps when i get it


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## Chris_Ramseyer (Feb 4, 2009)

Cold Storm said:


> So, your saying that Tweaktown isn't a "reputable" site? The site as more talent in reviewers then Most places... So, since a Reviewer is going to report the truth, and not worry about the "samples" from stopping, your thinking it's not "reputable"? T.e.c.c. is a proven thing to be used.. Why does sites use their "benches" if they weren't "reputable"?
> 
> Want to know something funny? Funny about reviews that come out before the product? Most time's the product is pushed back because the company found the reviewer to find something they didn't... Xigmatek even did this... The 1284 were shipped to Newegg before anyone else, and because of that we got the ones that where "defective"... Who's to say that it's not even like that to them...



Thanks CS, we work very hard at TT to stay above the fray and the TECC allows us to test with science and not our hearts. I can tell you that Asus and Cooler Master test their coolers in "heaters" just like we do. Our TECC was actually modeled after Asus' setup, they use an entire room though and we just use the box. I can also say that we also pick an old cooler once a month and retest it to make sure the system is still calibrated to where it was when we first started. The result of the last test was a .1C difference, the max we have ever been off. The V10 article caused quite a stir at CM and we are retesting it again tonight to verify that the cooler was working correctly. We have also been talking with the V10's product manager all day, like the last 10 hours off and on, mostly on.

Again, thanks for the kind words.


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## Castiel (Feb 4, 2009)

Its pretty big.


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## cdawall (Feb 4, 2009)

already done on XS with some true's and way better temps







http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=183509


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## Chris_Ramseyer (Feb 4, 2009)

Wow, that is a lot of work, throw a TEC under an old copper block, a real block from when they were made 50mm x 50mm and get a big ass pump. All of this has been done before, we use to actually make our own blocks, you couldn't buy them because no one made a prefab kit, it was Autozone and Lowe's for the parts....and it was also a lot cheaper.


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## Castiel (Feb 4, 2009)

cdawall said:


> already done on XS with some true's and way better temps
> 
> 
> 
> ...



May I ask what is this? And what are you doing?


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## cdawall (Feb 4, 2009)

HighEndToys said:


> Wow, that is a lot of work, throw a TEC under an old copper block, a real block from when they were made 50mm x 50mm and get a big ass pump. All of this has been done before, we use to actually make our own blocks, you couldn't buy them because no one made a prefab kit, it was Autozone and Lowe's for the parts....and it was also a lot cheaper.



yes it is lol i'm perfectly happy with my water cooling



Castiel said:


> May I ask what is this? And what are you doing?



its an air cooled tec just like the OP is but this is a homemade one and about 1000x as good


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## Cold Storm (Feb 4, 2009)

HighEndToys said:


> Thanks CS, we work very hard at TT to stay above the fray and the TECC allows us to test with science and not our hearts. I can tell you that Asus and Cooler Master test their coolers in "heaters" just like we do. Our TECC was actually modeled after Asus' setup, they use an entire room though and we just use the box. I can also say that we also pick an old cooler once a month and retest it to make sure the system is still calibrated to where it was when we first started. The result of the last test was a .1C difference, the max we have ever been off. The V10 article caused quite a stir at CM and we are retesting it again tonight to verify that the cooler was working correctly. We have also been talking with the V10's product manager all day, like the last 10 hours off and on, mostly on.
> 
> Again, thanks for the kind words.



T.E.C.C. like you say. It's the Science of cooling. For the cooling to be dead on, we have to have that in our lives. We can't let our heart's and minds fuel what goes on in everday life. Yeah, human's have passion, what creature doesn't? But, to truly understand something, You need to know how it works from the in's and out's... T.E.C.C. does that for coolers..  

I'm personally Glad that the V10 article got the stir up at Cooler Master. They need to know what they have given, and what the people is going to see! To Sugarcoat something of that nature, and of that PRICE would be so wrong. A Marketing Gimmic that is so uncalled for it's not even right.. So what if it has TEC... We've done fine without it, so why not develop it to IT'S STANDARDS? 


They aren't understanding that there is Forums, where people go to and get help, TPU and others, for asking questions like this... "Is the V10 cooler good?" or " What's the best cooler for a 775 chipset?"... To me, their throwing out the V10 just for the lulz, or the fact to be First with something new.. And to get that "Easy Buck"..


ADD:: I'll be one to stand by that review that was done by Tweaktown. Not because I know the person(s) involved with it. But, for the fact that you haven't let down and allowed Cooler Master to make you their Puppets on a string. Something that reviewers of the Xigs 1284 should of done... The reviewers that got the bad batches...


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## Chris_Ramseyer (Feb 4, 2009)

I am not sure if the Chad has said what his TPU name is but I can say that you all know him. He did call out the Xig at another site he use to review for and was trained by me (no that it means anything but it needed something to go after the and). 

Cooler Master isn't a company that pressures reviewers for awards and that sort of thing. If there is a problem they want to investigate to be sure it is not on their end. I have worked with CM for many years and can say that they are very honest and try very hard to come up with new products that have a practical purpose. I still hate their mounting hardware for CPU coolers but when that issue comes up we report it (&$*##^ reverse thread screws).

A good example of this is the V10. We performed some additional tests for CM tonight and didn't find an issue with the sample. To be fair to them we will have a new sample on the way and will retest with it to see if we get the same results.


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## Cold Storm (Feb 4, 2009)

Oh, I'm not trying to say that CM is bad. I love the two products I have of them. But, for a company, any company, to throw out a $140 dollar cooler, and get hot over what reviewers found to be wrong, before the thing came out, then it needs to be done right. I'm glad that You Guys have been given another cooler. I really hope this time Their stuff works right. I really do. Just from what you've have given us, there isn't a reason (right now) to even grab that cooler..


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## tkpenalty (Feb 4, 2009)

The way that CM designed the cooler is extremely inefficient. If the TEC is above the actual heat source how does the peltier even work properly? The reason why the thermalright array works so well is because its done properly and theres enough heat dissipation.


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## Chris_Ramseyer (Feb 4, 2009)

Where to start....lets start with the processor.

200 watt loads with a mild OC, up to 270 when getting a good clock!

So you need at least a 270 watt TEC just to do anything so lets say a 320 watt TEC. 320 watt TECs are 60mm x 60mm and at 12 volts it draws 27 amps. You are not getting that many amps off of your ATX PSU with everything else plugged in. You are also going to melt molex connectors if you use just one.

So let's add this up, 320 watts via TEC and another 200+ for the proc, that is 520 watts you need to get rid of off of a 60mm square package. Good luck with that.

PS, you can do it, I have done it years ago but it is expensive, requires a machine shop that doesn't mind making you just one part and a high level of understanding of what you are doing.


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## Wile E (Feb 4, 2009)

Binge said:


> I bet that tec will get overloaded so easily and burn out then kill the proc.


No, because the TEC doesn't touch the cpu. It attached on top of the heatpipes. If the TEC dies, it becomes a regular cooler.

Having said that, I bet it would perform better with the tec above the cpu.


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## Hayder_Master (Feb 4, 2009)

cdawall said:


> already done on XS with some true's and way better temps
> 
> 
> 
> ...



the new cooler from cool master is nice , but i am still look on your cooler it is impressive me , very nice work any details for mod this


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## BrooksyX (Feb 4, 2009)

I think ill stick with my Xigmatek heatsink, it seems to do the job just fine.


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## Bjorn_Of_Iceland (Feb 4, 2009)

cdawall said:


> already done on XS with some true's and way better temps
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So umm.. how do you place it on the cpu?


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## Chris_Ramseyer (Feb 4, 2009)

You would be better off with vinyl screws too since your metal ones will transfer heat....maybe I am just being anal.


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## thoughtdisorder (Feb 4, 2009)

Excellent review! Very well thought out and non-biased. I like some of the features, but as stated previously, at that price I just can't see myself going for it. Hopefully Cooler Master will listen and make adjustments accordingly.


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## kenkickr (Feb 4, 2009)

For the money I'd rather go with this, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835108105, Swiftch H20-220 WC kit.


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## cdawall (Feb 4, 2009)

hayder.master said:


> the new cooler from cool master is nice , but i am still look on your cooler it is impressive me , very nice work any details for mod this





Bjorn_Of_Iceland said:


> So umm.. how do you place it on the cpu?



its not my build read the XS link underneath it


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## DrPepper (Feb 4, 2009)

HighEndToys said:


> You would be better off with vinyl screws too since your metal ones will transfer heat....maybe I am just being anal.



Wouldn't you want the metal screws taking some heat away  or better yet make little heatsink screws with mini fans on then


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## Chris_Ramseyer (Feb 4, 2009)

DrPepper said:


> Wouldn't you want the metal screws taking some heat away  or better yet make little heatsink screws with mini fans on then



The metal screws that hold the sandwitch together are poluting the clean pelter cooling power by allowing heat to travel down them. This is going to require a very special screw, something that can't transfer heat!

LOL...


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## crtecha (Feb 4, 2009)

That thing is massive and expensive.


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## HaZe303 (Feb 5, 2009)

BrooksyX said:


> I think ill stick with my Xigmatek heatsink, it seems to do the job just fine.



Wait until you upgrade to Core i7 (if you will?), then youre xigmatek wont be up for the job?? Even a TRUE (i know equal to the xigmatek) cant handle the core i7 chips, maybe when not OC´d, but as soon as you try to OC even a little the temps get like 3 times higher?? Strange chips IMHO, coz everyone said that NB would get cooler without the memory controller in them, and that the Core i7 would not get much hotter being a 45nm chip? Boy was everyone who said that wrong?!?


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## spearman914 (Feb 5, 2009)

This is just crap, get a S1283 for much cheaper, and 3C difference.


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## TurdFergasun (Feb 5, 2009)

wow what stupidity from the majority of posters, this is one of the first mainstream implimentations of peltier technology.  so if the majority of your small minds had their run on things, we'd never see SSD tech get to where it is today, because on first mainstream attempt they were much, much slower than 7200rpm drives.  or ddr would never have gotten to ddr2 or ddr3, when they were first released the speed improvements were negligible and the prices were far higher than their predecessors.  try to see past your own nose once n awhile maybe?


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## DrPepper (Feb 5, 2009)

TurdFergasun said:


> wow what stupidity from the majority of posters, this is one of the first mainstream implimentations of peltier technology.  so if the majority of your small minds had their run on things, we'd never see SSD tech get to where it is today, because on first mainstream attempt they were much, much slower than 7200rpm drives.  or ddr would never have gotten to ddr2 or ddr3, when they were first released the speed improvements were negligible and the prices were far higher than their predecessors.  try to see past your own nose once n awhile maybe?



Doesn't change the fact that it isn't as good as other coolers that are half the price.


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## Haytch (Feb 7, 2009)

If the V8, V10 and V12 were released over a year ago, then i would have been impressed. This dragging news of these 3 coolers being released is really bad.

When i first heard of these coolers i paid special interest towards the V12 and am still anxiously awaiting their arrival down under.  The V8 finally hit the shelf, and i guess this marks the V10 hitting the shelf, now its just a matter of the V12 heading my way.  

The V8 has been priced at what i expected to pay for the V12.


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## DRDNA (Feb 7, 2009)

TurdFergasun said:


> wow what stupidity from the majority of posters, this is one of the first mainstream implimentations of peltier technology.  so if the majority of your small minds had their run on things, we'd never see SSD tech get to where it is today, because on first mainstream attempt they were much, much slower than 7200rpm drives.  or ddr would never have gotten to ddr2 or ddr3, when they were first released the speed improvements were negligible and the prices were far higher than their predecessors.  try to see past your own nose once n awhile maybe?



They did this about two years or more ago .....And I have one  ...it worked better than than this thing seems too but also did not have the ram fins which are on the cold side....It was a fun cooler  ....I did experaments with like stacking peltiers to see the affects.. ( I had it on a FX57 clocked and it did very well as good as any average water rig)....but yup sooner or later they will get it right, it probably take water to do it though.....some pics of it from my cell...


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## Wile E (Feb 7, 2009)

TurdFergasun said:


> wow what stupidity from the majority of posters, this is one of the first mainstream implimentations of peltier technology.  so if the majority of your small minds had their run on things, we'd never see SSD tech get to where it is today, because on first mainstream attempt they were much, much slower than 7200rpm drives.  or ddr would never have gotten to ddr2 or ddr3, when they were first released the speed improvements were negligible and the prices were far higher than their predecessors.  try to see past your own nose once n awhile maybe?



Except that both Monsoon and Ultra products already marketed peltier air coolers years ago.


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## DrPepper (Feb 7, 2009)

Wile E said:


> Except that both Monsoon and Ultra products already marketed peltier air coolers years ago.



Here's the ultra 

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/5...ectric_CPU_Cooler_ULT33186.html?tl=g40c14s870


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## cdawall (Feb 7, 2009)

the ultra is only a 50w tec


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## Wile E (Feb 8, 2009)

cdawall said:


> the ultra is only a 50w tec



No, I'm pretty sure it's an 80w TEC. They just keep it throttled back. I seem to remember somebody doing a test on it by bypassing the controller module.


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## cdawall (Feb 8, 2009)

Wile E said:


> No, I'm pretty sure it's an 80w TEC. They just keep it throttled back. I seem to remember somebody doing a test on it by bypassing the controller module.



they listed the wattage on there site as a 50w if its really an 80w thats somewhat nicer.


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## kyle2020 (Feb 8, 2009)

Atleast if zombies pull off an uprising you can tie it to a bit of string and use it as a flail


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## Wile E (Feb 9, 2009)

cdawall said:


> they listed the wattage on there site as a 50w if its really an 80w thats somewhat nicer.



Most 12v 40mm TEC are 80W. But I'm not 100% sure if it was the Ultra that the test was performed on.


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