Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE

[testman78]

Introduction

Thermalright announces a new cooler. This time it’s the Phantom Spirit 120 SE. On the menu, we have a compact double tower heatsink with seven copper heatpipes! True to the motto "double is better", the new CPU air cooler from the manufacturer Thermalright is it should be able to score with first-class cooling performance. The heart of the whole construction are the two stacks of 51 fins each, which are connected to the base of the heat sink, which is also made of nickel-plated copper, via a total of seven 6mm thick nickel-plated copper heat pipes. An 120mm fan takes care of the air supply, which transports fresh air through the first stack at a speed of 1,550 revolutions per minute, where it is received by the second 120mm fan and passed through the second block. Thermalright offers its cooler in two versions, as we have seen in the brand's cooler specs. Thus, it is possible to choose it in ARGB and a “normal” version. It is this last option that Thermalright sent us.



When it comes to socket compatibility, Thermalright says that its cooler is LGA-1700/115x compatible. The AM4 and AM5 are also on the program.




Packaging & Contents

Just like other coolers, the Phantom Spirit 120 SE is packaged in a brown cardboard box. It's sober, efficient and a bit greener. On the front side we have the reference of the cooler, as well as an image of it. The support for the LGA1700/Ryzen 7000 is specified. The latest 4th generation AGHP technology is applied. Below this representation we have the name of the model.



On the back are gathered the characteristics of the cooler (size, weight, fan speed, support for the different sockets, etc.).



On the sides we have the main features of the cooler. On the right side we have everything related to the fans as well as the premium look of the radiators.



While on the left side, Thermalright dwells on the heat pipes and the nickel-plated copper cold plate.



Removing the cooler an inner packaging from the box shows that Thermalright takes appropriate measures to ensure our sample showed up in near-mint condition. There is a box of hardware on the bottom of the stack, with foam separating it from the tower. At the top of the stack is another piece of foam to keep the cooler away from the box, and as for the fans, they are behind the tower in this image and is again separated with a thin layer of foam.



Assembly instructions are located in the accessories box.




The cooler package includes mounting kits for installing it on Intel and AMD processors, brackets for fixing fans and a Y-cable. In addition, the cooler comes with Thermalright TF7 thermal paste with a very high declared thermal conductivity of 12.8 W/m°K. Interestingly, this is not the most efficient thermal interface from Thermalright, as the company has TF8 thermal paste in its range, the thermal conductivity of which is declared at 13.8 W / m ° K.




A Closer Look

Thermalright offers us a heatsink with a double tower format. The latter benefits from compact dimensions, allowing it to slip into many cases. Indeed, this model measures 125 (W) x 110 (D) x 154 (H) mm without fans. The weight is 765g.



The tower body avoids the memory design, and the tower body avoids the motherboard VRM design, so that the radiator can be easily installed on any motherboard.



The air-cooled fins are made of aluminum alloy, using reflow soldering process, the fin density is high, and the double fin stack (type-D) design.



The Phantom Spirit 120 SE has 51 aluminum cooling fins per side, for a total of 102 fins, each fin is 0.4mm thick, and the fin pitch is 1.8mm. The two sides of the heat dissipation fins are aligned in the way of "Fin Buckle", the spacing is consistent and neat, and the fin structure is stronger to prevent the situation of one high and one low when the pressure is applied during installation. In addition, the heat dissipation fins are deburred, and the edges are rounded.



A top cover is additionally installed to hide the heat pipe, and the entire side is painted to give a more luxurious and clean feel. Although the SE model is low-priced, the top plate is painted black, giving it a strong and clean look against corrosion or contamination. The logo is engraved in the center of the cover to enhance its identity.



The heat pipes and the cold plate are made of copper, but covered with nickel. The Phantom Spirit 120 SE uses seven 6mm AGHP 4 anti-gravity heat pipes. The AGHP 4 heat pipes add more capillaries and enhance the capillary liquid return effect. The 4th Gen AGHP technology is said to be optimally designed for Intel 13th Gen Core processors and AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors and provides the best heat dissipation performance.



Whether the radiator is placed horizontally or vertically, the thermal conductivity will not be affected. The heat pipe is connected to the heat dissipation fins by reflow soldering process, which is more tightly attached and fastened to the heat dissipation fins than the general "wearing FIN", and it will not be easy to loosen after a long time of use.



The cold plate receives a nice finish, although we notice some traces of machining, nothing serious in itself. The Phantom Spirit 120 SE has a welded copper base, which is made of C1100 pure copper.



The ventilation is provided by a duo of TC-L12B V2 fans. These fans operate at up to 1500RPM±10% rpm.



It's size is 120mm x 120mm x 25mm, its weight is 135g, its bearing type is S-FDB Bearing. It's maximum noise value is 25.6dB(A), and its air volume is the highest Up to 66.17CFM, the wind pressure is up to 1.53mm/H2O, the interface is 4PIN PWM, and the standard one-to-two fan PWM control line realizes PWM synchronous control.



They can bring good airflow and air pressure performance, effectively drive the airflow through the cooling fins, and reduce the friction sound of the bearings and extend the cooling time.



In addition, the second-time dynamic balance dispensing correction and iron shell, copper shaft and steel core materials are used, which can greatly improve the stability and service life of the fan.



Vibration-dampening rubber corners around the edges.




Installation Process & Finished Looks

To install the Phantom Spirit 120 SE cooler on an AMD AM4 platform, the user does not need much action. They are typical for most of these coolers. For this cooler, we use the regular backplate of the motherboard and fix two mounting plates on it.



Next, install the radiator, which will require a high screwdriver. Unlike some "older" models of Thermalright coolers, this cooler does not include such a screwdriver. The final step is to install two fans. Please note that when using high memory modules, the height of the cooler, due to the “lifting” of the front fan, may be higher than the declared 154mm.




Performance

The tests are carried out with an AMD Ryzen 7 2700X processor installed on an ASUS TUF Gaming B550M-PLUS (WI-FI) motherboard . The processor is locked at 3700 MHz on all its cores with a Vcore at 1.05 V at first, then it goes to 4000 MHz / 1.25 V and finally 4200 MHz / 1.35 V. Temperatures are retrieved with HWiNFO , while the processor is loaded with RealBench for thirty minutes. Finally, the noise pollution measurement is taken 12 cm behind the radiator in a room measured at 29.6 dB(A).



While the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE cooler doesn’t post the lowest thermal load temperatures, take special note of the comparison group included here. These are some of the very best heatpipe air coolers we’ve tested. Staying within a few degrees of the industry’s top performers, the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE makes a substantial statement in this field of pricier competitors.



Adding more speed and voltage, delivering more heat to the Phantom Spirit 120 SE was of little consequence regarding how well it performs. Still landing in eight seems as if it could have been better, but again, Thermalright takes top honors for air cooling of a CPU in our charts. The difference to the big-named options increased slightly, favoring Thermalright and this Phantom Spirit 120 SE over many high-end, high-priced solutions.



This last run for thermal results is where the Phantom Spirit 120 SE performs impressively. That it beats the NH-D15S is no surprise.



Performance-wise, the fans are within the range of the measurement tolerance, with the fans tending to be ahead in the lower power range. Only at full power are the Noctua fans noticeably quieter, but who runs their coolers at full power?




Final Thoughts

Thermalright undertook a counterattack starting with a bunch of new coolers. The second cooler that should help Thermalright get their leadership back is the main hero of our today’s article. Noise levels were also acceptable, with the TC-L12B V2 fans ramping up to around 1550rpm. Build quality is great, with no bent fins or problems to speak of. The only issue for some will be the lack of ARGB lighting although Thermalight released an ARGB version. However, the understated design, simple heatsink covers, and 7x6mm nickel-plated copper AGHP 4 heat pipes still result in a visually appealing design. Also, for those who want a cooler that is just plain easy to install, Thermalright has you covered. The mounting hardware is one of the simplest and easiest to work with I have used on both AMD and Intel mainstream sockets. At 154mm tall, you’ll find that the Phantom Spirit 120 SE will likely fit in most cases without a worry. Clearance issues should not be a concern, as there is sufficient space for most memory kits this fan may hang over. To top everything off, the Phantom Spirit 120 SE from Thermalright is affordable. While contending blow for blow with a few $100 coolers and surpassing $90 options, the fact that the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE will set you back only $85 makes the purchase that much better. Sadly, there is one small issue, and that is availability. While we were able to locate it at one site, out of the six we checked, with any connection to the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE, only one shows stock inside the US.



It looks like we can once more time conclude our review with a phrase that there is yet another super-cooler out there right now. Thermalright's Phantom Spirit 120 SE is a stellar dual-tower cooler that offers an attractive blend of performance, looks, low price and ease of installation.