Performance

Motherboard on-board sensors are very inaccurate, that's why I placed a small Type K thermocouple at the edge of the IHS. The observed temperature differential between reported core temp and IHS temperature is about 7°C. Room temperature was kept at 20°C.

Idle means Windows sitting at the desktop for 30 minutes. Load is after 30 minutes of Prime95. The CPU was running at 1.50V.


While the idle temperatures are pretty close within each other, there is a measurable difference.


Under load the differences are bigger. The Freezer 64 Pro performs excellent here, especially if you look at the fan noise.


It seems that the vibration absorbing mounting does a great job. Arctic's cooler is among the quietest ever tested.

I tested with both Arctic's MX-1 (after settle in time) and Arctic Silver Lumière testing compound. The temperature difference is negligible.

In their Reviewer's Guide Arctic Cooling recommends installing the motherboard in an upright position, like in a tower case, for best heatpipe operation. I tested this and see only very small differences in temperature. If you are running the motherboard horizontally, there is nothing to be worried about.