Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme + MX-2

[eva2000]

Decided to grab a Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme to play with as I have disassembled my Asus Commando phase change setup, and will be setting up my Asus Blitz Formula for brief air cooling and then phase change cooling.

First, I'll play with Asus Blitz Formula on Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme air cooling using MX-2 paste as I need some time to find the best pair of DDR2 memory for when I use the Asus Blitz Formula on phase change :)

Some photos as always :D

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/thumbnails/thumb_thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_12.JPG (http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/photos/thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_12.html) http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/thumbnails/thumb_thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_08.JPG (http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/photos/thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_08.html) http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/thumbnails/thumb_thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_09.JPG (http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/photos/thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_09.html) http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/thumbnails/thumb_thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_06.JPG (http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/photos/thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_06.html)

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/thumbnails/thumb_thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_13.JPG (http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/photos/thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_13.html) http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/thumbnails/thumb_thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_02.JPG (http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/photos/thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_02.html) http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/thumbnails/thumb_thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_03.JPG (http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/1/photos/thermalright_120ultra_extreme_mx2_03.html)

Installed on Asus Blitz Formula.

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/installed/thumbnails/thumb_thermalright_120ultra_extreme_01.JPG (http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/installed/photos/thermalright_120ultra_extreme_01.html) http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/installed/thumbnails/thumb_thermalright_120ultra_extreme_02.JPG (http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/installed/photos/thermalright_120ultra_extreme_02.html) http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/installed/thumbnails/thumb_thermalright_120ultra_extreme_05.JPG (http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/installed/photos/thermalright_120ultra_extreme_05.html) http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/installed/thumbnails/thumb_thermalright_120ultra_extreme_06.JPG (http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/installed/photos/thermalright_120ultra_extreme_06.html)

System

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 L709A958 Retail
Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme with Artic Cooling MX-2 TIM
Asus Blitz Formula (http://i4memory.com/showthread.php?t=4294) 1101 bios
128MB Gainward FX5200 PCI
2x1GB Team 6400C3 Micron D9GMH in white dimm slots
Memory cooling = 120x25mm Thermaltake 81cfm fan
80GB Hitachi 7K80 SATA on Promise SATA300 TX4 PCI (http://www.promise.com/product/product_detail_eng.asp?product_id=139) 32bit/66Mhz controller - to allow higher PCI-E frequency for 3dmark benching in the future.
Pioneer DVR-08 Burner
Sony FDD
620W Corsair HX620 PSU
WinXP Pro SP2


Bit disappointed with the fan mounting clips they rely on fan's with gaps between their holes, but my Thermaltake 120x25mm 81cfm and Spire 120x25mm 96cfm fans don't have the regular fan gaps between holes. These 2 fans I wanted to use have very good air pressure for heatsinks such as Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme or Scythe Infinity. Somewhat better than even the 120x38mm Panaflo 103cfm fan tested below. But I'll probably have to use zip files to be able to mount them. So for now I'm limited to the fans listed below for testing.

Started with my usual sweetspot @3600Mhz. The E6600 L709A958 on Corsair Nautilus 500 water cooling usually does 3600Mhz at 1.440v to 1.456v with Prime95 smallffts coretemp loads around 59C to 64C depending on room ambients between 23C to 33C.

Comparison Result Summary Table:

http://fileshosts.com/intel/Asus/Blitzformula/results/nautilus500/E6600_L709A958/team/6400c3/9x/533/400-400_44412_1042101011_1.5375-1.3-1.55-2.1-1.05-1.5/thermalright_ultra120ex_fancompare.png

[eva2000]

Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme
+ 120x38mm Panaflo 103cfm fan

Room temp = 26.5C to 27.5C

CPU coretemp idle = 28C to 29C
CPU coretemp small ffts load = 59C
CPU coretemp post load idle = 28C to 29C

From PC Probe2

CPU PC Probe2 idle = 34C
CPU PC Probe2 small ffts load = 64C
CPU PC Probe2 post load idle = 34C

MB PC Probe2 idle = 28C
MB PC Probe2 small ffts load = 28C
MB PC Probe2 post load idle = 28C

NB PC Probe2 idle = 36C
NB PC Probe2 small ffts load = 38C
NB PC Probe2 post load idle = 36C

SB PC Probe2 idle = 35C
SB PC Probe2 small ffts load = 35C
SB PC Probe2 post load idle = 34C

Prime95 v25.4 smallffts load
http://fileshosts.com/intel/Asus/Blitzformula/results/nautilus500/E6600_L709A958/team/6400c3/9x/533/400-400_44412_1042101011_1.5375-1.3-1.55-2.1-1.05-1.5/panaflo103cfm/prime95_load.png

Prime95 v25.4 smallffts post load idle
http://fileshosts.com/intel/Asus/Blitzformula/results/nautilus500/E6600_L709A958/team/6400c3/9x/533/400-400_44412_1042101011_1.5375-1.3-1.55-2.1-1.05-1.5/panaflo103cfm/prime95_postload_idle.png

Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme
+ 120x25mm Delta 75cfm fan

On Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme + 120x25mm Delta 75cfm fan it needed more vcore around 1.504v cpuz v1.41 load to reach 3600Mhz but temp wise it was as good as Corsair Nautilus 500 at a Prime95 smallffts coretemp load of ~60C

Room temp = 27.5C to 28.5C

CPU coretemp idle = 29C to 30C
CPU coretemp small ffts load = 60C
CPU coretemp post load idle = 29C to 30C

From PC Probe2

CPU PC Probe2 idle = 35C
CPU PC Probe2 small ffts load = 64C
CPU PC Probe2 post load idle = 35C

MB PC Probe2 idle = 29C
MB PC Probe2 small ffts load = 30C
MB PC Probe2 post load idle = 29C

NB PC Probe2 idle = 37C
NB PC Probe2 small ffts load = 38C
NB PC Probe2 post load idle = 37C

SB PC Probe2 idle = 35C
SB PC Probe2 small ffts load = 36C
SB PC Probe2 post load idle = 35C

Prime95 v25.4 smallffts load
http://fileshosts.com/intel/Asus/Blitzformula/results/nautilus500/E6600_L709A958/team/6400c3/9x/533/400-400_44412_1042101011_1.5375-1.3-1.55-2.1-1.05-1.5/prime95_load.png

Prime95 v25.4 smallffts post load idle
http://fileshosts.com/intel/Asus/Blitzformula/results/nautilus500/E6600_L709A958/team/6400c3/9x/533/400-400_44412_1042101011_1.5375-1.3-1.55-2.1-1.05-1.5/prime95_postload_idle.png

Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme
+ 120x25mm Scythe 46.5cfm fan

Changing to 120x25mm Scythe 46.5cfm fan resulted it much poorer performance - so much so Prime95 v25.4 smallffts torture test failed within 7 mins on core 1. Load temps were at least 5C higher at 65C coretemp load only after several minutes of testing!

Room temp = 26.5C to 27.5C

CPU coretemp idle = 30C to 31C
CPU coretemp small ffts load = 64C
CPU coretemp post load idle = 30C to 31C

From PC Probe2

CPU PC Probe2 idle = 36C
CPU PC Probe2 small ffts load = 70C
CPU PC Probe2 post load idle = 36C

MB PC Probe2 idle = 28C
MB PC Probe2 small ffts load = 29C
MB PC Probe2 post load idle = 28C

NB PC Probe2 idle = 36C
NB PC Probe2 small ffts load = 38C
NB PC Probe2 post load idle = 36C

SB PC Probe2 idle = 35C
SB PC Probe2 small ffts load = 36C
SB PC Probe2 post load idle = 35C

Prime95 v25.4 smallffts load
http://fileshosts.com/intel/Asus/Blitzformula/results/nautilus500/E6600_L709A958/team/6400c3/9x/533/400-400_44412_1042101011_1.5375-1.3-1.55-2.1-1.05-1.5/scythe465cfm/prime95_load.png

Prime95 v25.4 smallffts post load idle
http://fileshosts.com/intel/Asus/Blitzformula/results/nautilus500/E6600_L709A958/team/6400c3/9x/533/400-400_44412_1042101011_1.5375-1.3-1.55-2.1-1.05-1.5/scythe465cfm/prime95_postload_idle_fail.png

Summary:

The temperatures with decent fan cooling are very comparable to the likes of Corsair Nautilus 500 and even my Swiftch G4 Storm water cooling. It could be the added benefit of using Artic Cooling MX-2 thermal paste over AS5
But it seems Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme air cooling no matter how good, will always need more vcore to run stable than with water cooling - 3600Mhz needed 1.504v load on air versus 1.440-1.456v on water.
The performance of the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme air cooling is highly dependent on what type of fan you use as both temperatures and the degree of stability can vary greatly it seems.
I don't have the silicon washer on the bracket, but it must be a revised bracket that is possibly shorter in height, as when mounted heatsink doesn't move or wiggle like earlier reported ones without the silicon washer

[eva2000]

Removing E6600 L709A958 for my E6850 L720A489 so took a pic of the MX-2 thermal paste's contact imprint after removing the Ultra 120 Extreme for the first time :)

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/contactresize1.jpg

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cooling/cpu/Thermalright/ultra120extreme/contactresize2.jpg

Next up is E6850 L720A489 :)

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cpus/E6850_L720A489/E6850_L720A489_01.JPG

http://i4memory.com/reviewimages/cpus/E6850_L720A489/E6850_L720A489_02.JPG

[TopherTony]

Wow, looking forward to it. Very nice job so far. I like the attention to detail you have managed.

[eva2000]

thanks

My new 2nd hand purchased E6850 L720A489 on air!

System

Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 L720A489 Retail
Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme (http://i4memory.com/showthread.php?t=4929) + 120x38mm Panaflo 103cfm fan + Artic Cooling MX-2 TIM
Asus Blitz Formula (http://i4memory.com/showthread.php?t=4294) 1101 bios
128MB Gainward FX5200 PCI
2x1GB Team 6400C3 Micron D9GMH in white dimm slots
Memory cooling = 120x25mm Thermaltake 81cfm fan
80GB Hitachi 7K80 SATA on Promise SATA300 TX4 PCI (http://www.promise.com/product/product_detail_eng.asp?product_id=139) 32bit/66Mhz controller - to allow higher PCI-E frequency for 3dmark benching in the future.
Pioneer DVR-08 Burner
Sony FDD
620W Corsair HX620 PSU
WinXP Pro SP2


@3600Mhz at 1.312v load
Definitely, best core 2 duo cpu I have owned to date :D

http://fileshosts.com/intel/Asus/Blitzformula/results/ultra120ex/E6850_L720A489/team/6400c3/9x/533/400-400_44412_1042101011_1.35-1.3-1.55-2.14-1.05-1.5/prime95_idle.png

http://fileshosts.com/intel/Asus/Blitzformula/results/ultra120ex/E6850_L720A489/team/6400c3/9x/533/400-400_44412_1042101011_1.35-1.3-1.55-2.14-1.05-1.5/prime95_load.png

[Levish]

wow went from 58-64c loads to 46 O_O;

[eva2000]

Different cpu ;)

[Lunchbox21984]

why did it drop so much? thats kinda werid for them to be the same cpu, could be because they were from different bunches ?

[eva2000]

E6850 G0 overclock better at lower vcore and run cooler that's all :)

[Morais]

Its the revision :up:

[MrRevhead]

Thanks for the Dual Core B2 revision tests Eva, not many of those types of tests floating around for this heatsink (mainly G0 Quad tests) :up:

[zsamz_]

i duct taped the sides of mine got -2c:D

[ChaosMinionX]

Hey eva, got any Liquid Metal Pro to test against MX-2?

If not I got some MX2 in on Monday, and will post some results with TRUE.

[eva2000]

nah LMP too messy for me.. i change cpus more often than underwear LOL

[Nanometer]

Great results here. I like how you provided temps for SB and NB. Hope you plan to do more coolers =-)

nah LMP too messy for me.. i change cpus more often than underwear LOL

I hope you change coolers more then once a week. haha

[san~man]

Hey eva, got any Liquid Metal Pro to test against MX-2?

If not I got some MX2 in on Monday, and will post some results with TRUE.

I'm anxious to see the MX2 results. I'm even considering trying Shin too.

[eva2000]

Great results here. I like how you provided temps for SB and NB. Hope you plan to do more coolers =-)
thanks .. only blitz formula can report the SB/NB temps so it was easier to do :)


I hope you change coolers more then once a week. haha LOL i try :D