Performance

(Note: Installation was shown on an MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum. However, due to issues with that motherboard the system was updated to the specs above and the heatsink was retested).

To test the XP-90C’s performance, we used Artic Silver 5 and allowed the paste to thoroughly set up before testing. The stock AMD heatsink was tested using the factory-applied thermal paste. Idle temp was determined with computer sitting at the desktop (with MBM 5 running) and recording the lowest temp after 30 minutes. Load temp was determined with Prime95 running, using MBM 5 and recording the highest temp after 30 minutes. Temperatures are recorded in Celsius degrees, and room temperature was monitored using a standard mercury thermometer and recorded at 26C (± 1°C).

As you can see, the Thermalright heatsink does a much better job than the stock heatsink, just as it should. Using the XP-90C dropped the load temps an extra 8°C, which can go a long way in prolonging the CPU’s lifespan.

Overclocking the CPU on the stock cooler is rather insane, as I had to stop the test after only ten minutes due to the extreme temperature. Using the XP-90C dropped the load temp by 14°C.