Finished Looks

Just for fun, I changed out the top-plate on the Malik Customs Edition Fortis 3. The deep red top-plate really helps it match the MSI motherboard used in the test bench. For those not too enthused by red, there are also the original black, blue, or white top-plates.



The SilentiumPC Fortis 3 HE1425 is what could be considered a mid-sized heatsink. It won't hide the motherboard under its dual-tower design with an additional fan, but has enough surface area to handle a decent overclock.



The Malik Customs Edition definitely has the edge when it comes to looks thanks to its heatpipe caps, colored top plates, and nickel-plated fins and heatpipes. Functionally, the two coolers are identical.


Surprisingly, clearance around the cooler is good. The Fortis 3 does not loom over the memory slots, and I was pleased to see that it did not block the first expansion slot on the test system's motherboard. It certainly was a close fit, but it still cleared, which makes the SilentiumPC Fortis 3 an option for some mini-ITX systems.