CPU Cooler Test System Update for 2024

[DaveBSC]

Still no Thermalright FC-140. It's HALF the price of D15 and DR Pro 5.

 

[W1zzard]

some example TDP's should be given

http://imgur.com/uV9Duj3

Added this table, is that what you had in mind?

what about a test that’s noise normalized to 35dba on an open bench to see what cools good with low noise?

Yeah, we have plans for testing at lower noise levels, it gets complicated and expensive very quickly

Just put the rpms in parantheses after dB readings in the same chart.

Fantastic idea, exactly what I was looking for

 

[sKam]

Hmm, the only thing is that 45dBA sounds a tad bit high to me. Typically I want my fans to spin at at most 1000-1100 rpm or so what according to the 50% PWM noise/rpm relationship seems to be about 40dBA or so. I'll just mentally add a couple degrees to the noise normalized chart but perhaps you could poll for a noise normalized noise level?
Maybe combine it with a video so we can make a better judgment on how many dBA's measured reflect our perception of "acceptable".

I do question how many people unironically need the full max RPM chart, if you're planning on using this data in some kind of way you're probably only concerned how much W it can cool and how noisy it is. Or worded differently, if the cooler can adequately cool the CPU when needed if all the reins are loosened. Think you can simplify the testing somewhat at no cost.
Maybe I'm wrong however.

I'm looking forward to the test results

exactly ... the same for me

 

[MingoDynasty]

COTS air coolers and AIO coolers are great and all, but can you also do a comparison with some custom water cooling setups?

 

[Vayra86]

COTS air coolers and AIO coolers are great and all, but can you also do a comparison with some custom water cooling setups?

Custom water is custom.. what is there to gain? So many variables...

 

[MingoDynasty]

Custom water is custom.. what is there to gain? So many variables...

I just think it would be an interesting comparison. Let's say a CPU-only loop with 240mm or 360mm radiator, common MCP 655 pump, Heatkiller block, etc.

For some reason nobody ever compares COTS coolers with custom water coolers. I want to know what kind of temp difference I should be expecting, or if AIO already does 90% of what custom can do.

 

[Legolas84]

I would like to know how my Arctic Liquid Freezer II 420 performs compared to the Galahad II Trinity Performance at the same noise level....

 

[Voultapher]

I second @mechtech, would love to see something more silent than 45dba. Personally that would be way too loud for my taste. So a 35dba normalized test would be great.

 

[Kaesar]

Could you please test thermalright line of coolers? FC 140, FS 140, PS120... Also, there are a few corsair coolers that almost no one reviewed, like H150i PRO XT.

 

[atila pereira]

hello. I would like to know if they have an environment chamber to be used in the methodology?

 

[80-watt Hamster]

I second @mechtech, would love to see something more silent than 45dba. Personally that would be way too loud for my taste. So a 35dba normalized test would be great.

The 15 cm test distance is very close, akin to placing your ear right next to the PC; 45 dBA feels like a reasonable value. Consider:

SPL drops by 6 dB with every doubling of distance from source. 45 dBA as tested becomes 39 at 30 cm, 33 at 60 cm, and 27 at 1.2 m; pretty quiet by most measures.

(I know that SPL and dBA aren't equivalent, but the math is the same.)

 

[W1zzard]

Fan speed/pwm/dB charts can be merged for shorten the page. I don't think we really need a seperate ascending order rpm chart. Just put the rpms in parantheses after dB readings in the same chart. I understand this can be important for some fans those dont scale well with lower pwm signals but I don't think we need seperate charts just for those presumely 'bad' fans.

Added. Is this what you had in mind?

hello. I would like to know if they have an environment chamber to be used in the methodology?

A chamber is not used, the room temperature is controlled and tracked though

 

[adilazimdegilx]

Added. Is this what you had in mind?

Yep. I think they are now easier to read and the page looks much more clear.

 

[fusseli]

I’m surprised the 360mm AIOs are now outperforming the 280mms since they are roughly the same surface area. Is this because they are putting more powerful fans on the 360s or what? Looks like the Galahad mostly just has powerful fans.

I agree more cpu coolers would be nice to see, like EK and especially some 420mm AIOs with respect to huge heat loads and the nice heat load charts in the new methodology as it applies to Intel present gens.

 

[alfablac]

I would like to know how my Arctic Liquid Freezer II 420 performs compared to the Galahad II Trinity Performance at the same noise level....

Weird that the ALF was not included there. At least the 360. It's the best overall, cheap and I think it gets up to 298W

 

[Yashyyyk]

I would like to see some ITX coolers (Noctua L12S and Thermalright AXP120-67 come to mind, but there are smaller ones than that too) - they won't be able to cool them but you can probably still see how much listed wattage they can cool.

I would also like to see a space-cooling ratio chart noise normalized (and maybe price normalized too hehe)

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

For those stuck on the 45 dBA noise choice. You do realize that distance is highly important you consider 45 too high but fail to keep in account distance. If I drop back to 2 feet from say 6 inches and add a side panel noise levels depending on cooler can drop by as much as 5-7 dBA. That is with all other sides of the chassis open. Meaning at 2 feet in a proper case with say a Tempered glass panel you can pretty much be guaranteed the cooler will end up at around 40 dBA. The noise floor in my home in a rural suburb is 35 dBA (I can't eliminate natural noises so that is as low as it goes for now. While we are looking into ways to improve things. It's not like I have thousands of dollars to double the amount of drywall on my walls and make other improvements to further isolate the room. So with what I have on hand the current setup was the best way to show a difference between the coolers and give an accurate result.

 

[stuen4y]

The new setup looks good and relevant so thank you for the update.

Could you please test thermalright line of coolers? FC 140, FS 140, PS120... Also, there are a few corsair coolers that almost no one reviewed, like H150i PRO XT.

I agree there are at least a couple of Thermalright coolers missing - PS/PA120 and FS/FC140 (to be honest less concerned about the frost ones as they don't seem to perform that well overall compared to PA/PS). You could add a single tower Thermalright in the mix too for the budget pick. With the performance/price Thermalright has been offering in the past 1.5-2 years, it's pretty much impossible to beat so should 100% be on the charts.

 

[Noci]

Properly testing with consistency at an almost scientific level is really complicated, shown by the fact how you struggle with the questions which methodology and what parameters. You guys toke quite a challenge on you, my respect for that.

The question you're asking here is actually the expectations of what the readers think is logical info regarding CPU coolers. Do you think it is posssible to publish unambiguously interpretable data, despite the huge variaty of individual technical knowledge out there? It's almost mission impossible , as most of the readers would translate test results to their real live situation (already in this thread you see basic questions; why is my cooler X not better compared to cooler Y).

We all know the discussions in the past; if you use this or that fan on this or that cooler it performs soo much better, so I personally would like to see how much heat a bare cooler can maximally dissipate, despite the out of the box fan solution of the vendor. That means testing with air going through the cooler with a fixed velocity and temperature.
The heat it can dissipate is a combination of the size of it's release surface and volume of air passing through, where the volume is a variable depending on the dimensions of the cooler. Velocity of the air is another variable but needs to be set, because at a certain point it will have no more added value.
This just basically gives the heat transferring and dissipiation capacity of the bare cooler, but does () not nescesarilly represent the vendors solution with the provided fans.

Yup, I already hear the comments, what about the noise? Well as stated in the article dBA meter A gives a different reading then dBA meter B and there is also the unpredictable personal interpretation or sensitivity for noise. You already mentioned it in your article with the magic words: Percieved Loundness.
Human hearing has a sound frequency range between approximately 20 and 20,000 Hertz. Humans cannot perceive frequencies outside this range as sound. But depending on several variables it is so damned personal on what an induvidual thinks/feels is acceptable that just measuring dBA doesn't cover it.

Frequencies also have a big influence on this percieved loudness, just look at this thread: https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...-stealth-metal-fan.314467/page-5#post-5157678

so many things about this topic running throug my head, just hard to express them in words, especially in a foreign language.
But you guys do a splendid job, keep up the good work

 

[SoppingClam]

ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 360 latest generation 3 (I think). Best cooler on the market in every context​

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[Nostras]

For those stuck on the 45 dBA noise choice. You do realize that distance is highly important you consider 45 too high but fail to keep in account distance. If I drop back to 2 feet from say 6 inches and add a side panel noise levels depending on cooler can drop by as much as 5-7 dBA. That is with all other sides of the chassis open. Meaning at 2 feet in a proper case with say a Tempered glass panel you can pretty much be guaranteed the cooler will end up at around 40 dBA. The noise floor in my home in a rural suburb is 35 dBA (I can't eliminate natural noises so that is as low as it goes for now. While we are looking into ways to improve things. It's not like I have thousands of dollars to double the amount of drywall on my walls and make other improvements to further isolate the room. So with what I have on hand the current setup was the best way to show a difference between the coolers and give an accurate result.

Even with the motivation I've provided?
I try to steer clear of the number game because, well, what you said.
Instead I equate it to an RPM and simply based on my experiences whatever RPM you guys measure/consider/etc. to be 45dBa is imo significantly louder than I'm willing to deal with.
It's not a huge problem, but I question where this particular level was taken from. It seems a bit... Arbitrary... As if someone just decided it on a whim without considering what the audience wants.
Maybe I am just the loud minority though.

And I'm actually somewhat infuriated by everyone complaining about coolers missing from the test or asking for coolers to be added, way to miss the point of this entire discussion guys.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

Even with the motivation I've provided?
I try to steer clear of the number game because, well, what you said.
Instead I equate it to an RPM and simply based on my experiences whatever RPM you guys measure/consider/etc. to be 45dBa is imo significantly louder than I'm willing to deal with.
It's not a huge problem, but I question where this particular level was taken from. It seems a bit... Arbitrary... As if someone just decided it on a whim without considering what the audience wants.
Maybe I am just the loud minority though.

And I'm actually somewhat infuriated by everyone complaining about coolers missing from the test or asking for coolers to be added, way to miss the point of this entire discussion guys.

Which is why the charts have been cleaned up and RPM information added to the dBA charts to make the data more complete, concise, and easier to read. Essentially combining the two into one. For the time being. I also didn't say we were not looking into other options. That is still on the table and actively being worked on but that requires more planning before anything is set in stone.

 

[ecin96]

Noctua NH-U12A is the best quiet cooler {pause for dramatic effect} I've owned so far. Recommended. I'm bias as I dislike AIOs.

My PC: Torrent case with stock fans removed and only 3x NF-A12x25 fans as intake at 500rpm. Seasonic Fanless PSU. I'm fussy with PC noise The performance is mostly due to the fan I expect. The new upcoming 140mm Noctua fan and CPU cooler should also be very good when they're eventually released.

 

[fusseli]

ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 360 latest generation 3 (I think). Best cooler on the market in every context​

​

Are you sure bout that?

EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB Review: New King of AIO Cooling

The strongest 360mm we’ve ever tested, but it doesn’t come cheap.

www.tomshardware.com

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
You conveniently ignore the bit "It doesn't come cheap" part