RoundUP: 23 SuperCoolers tested (extreme TDP, lapping, moding, 250CFM+)

[illidan]

how did you get those odd temps for IFX-14?

68.5 C with 2x3000rpm and TRUE 63 C

how did you measure .5 C?

[Monstru]

The final temps in the graphs are the sum of the temps on all cores, divided by 4. Ergo, odd numbers like that appear

[animaN]

how did you get those odd temps for IFX-14?

68.5 C with 2x3000rpm and TRUE 63 C

Good question!

[zalbard]

Good question!

The answer's above you...

[HamidFULL]

great review

[miahallen]

balance has been tipping strongly in favor of low noise

Um...are you lost...
SPCR.com is over here

[illidan]

The answer's above you...

ok for .5 but +5 C ifx-14 against true, strange those two where always 1-2 C

[Monstru]

Real test conditions lead to real results. Of course, on a stock E8400 or smth like that, the difference between the 2 can be even lower then 2 oC

[zalbard]

ok for .5 but +5 C ifx-14 against true, strange those two where always 1-2 C

Might have something to do with fan placement on IFX-14 I guess. It's a pretty odd cooler.

[Monstru]

Might have something to do with fan placement on IFX-14 I guess. It's a pretty odd cooler.

Oh, no, no, no. This test does indeed go deep. In this graph you can se how the IFX-14 scales with different fan positions

[zalbard]

Oh, no, no, no. This test does indeed go deep. In this graph you can se how the IFX-14 scales with different fan positions

OK, ignore me, I'll admit I haven't read all of it, lol.

[illidan]

i've read it all
that's why i said strange temps for ifx-14, those are pretty high temps when u compare it with true for example

Real test conditions lead to real results. Of course, on a stock E8400 or smth like that, the difference between the 2 can be even lower then 2 oC

i know
i have true black and yorkfield, and didn't even think about some dual core cpus

[Monstru]

Well, I see lots of people tested IFX 14 and had a good opinion about it. poparamiro tested 2 different pieces, to be sure that the one piece he is testing in particular is somehow deffective. Both had the same results. Ergo, IFX 14 is a poor performer compared to the top dogs.

[illidan]

ok

thanks again for this awesome test

[Monstru]

Please believe that Jon, please. Do not believe a test like this one, and believe that one. And buy the IFX-14, it is the grandfather of all heatsinks. And then do some serious i7 OC-ing on air =))


BTW - page 48 and page 49 contain details about the testing of 2 IFX-14 samples to see if there are differences between them. You can see how they both do (and you can also see the new drop-down menus, so the article is easier to navigate)

[Monstru]

I do not like to comment other tests, so I will not say anything more about that. But, regarding IFX-14 beeing the best low-noise out there, that is definately a joke. When you have a Z600, Ninja 2 and Megahalems, there can be no other

[Monstru]

Please do not continue this argument. I really do not want to be mean, and I really do not want to get into an argument about this. IFX-14 is a failure because of it's design, and I REALLY do not cope with any review or review-er that shows me different. Maybe that is how those coolers perform on an Intel Pentium 524, but for the rest of us who want to cool a CPU that has not been around since the days Abe Lincoln was alive, IFX just doesn't have enough juice. You have your opinion, we have ours, you have your test, we have ours, let's just leave it like that

[brandinb]

Please do not continue this argument. I really do not want to be mean, and I really do not want to get into an argument about this. IFX-14 is a failure because of it's design, and I REALLY do not cope with any review or review-er that shows me different. Maybe that is how those coolers perform on an Intel Pentium 524, but for the rest of us who want to cool a CPU that has not been around since the days Abe Lincoln was alive, IFX just doesn't have enough juice. You have your opinion, we have ours, you have your test, we have ours, let's just leave it like that

Hey Really great article and an awesome amount of work you have accomplished.

Would you say the ifx14 has a problem from overloaded heatpipes?

[illidan]

Z600 and Ninja 2 and Megahalems don't stand a chance against the pure MASS off the IFX-14;
I only base my posts on facts



Megahalems is a tightly packed fin HSF, needs airflow to excel. decrease airflow and performance drops. Z600 and Ninja 2 have less fins with more space between them, allow for better performance at lower CFM. The Orochi has the MASS and fins, but disappoints if you can't align it exactly right in your case.
IFX-14 has MASS and good setup for low noise; add the IFX-10 and you'll gain a few degrees; don't even need active cooling on the IFX-10 or IFX-14 if you have C2D system!

Passive cooling: IFX-14 has 20°C lead on Z600/Ninja 2... nuff said. That difference will only increase with higher TDP CPU.

are those idle temps?
what to do with idle temps?

100% load is what matters

[Monstru]

Hey Really great article and an awesome amount of work you have accomplished.

Would you say the ifx14 has a problem from overloaded heatpipes?

Thank you, but my coleague Poparamiro wrote the article. He can explain better what he found in his tests. From my point of view, the IFX-14 is too big with too little mass. You just have to take it in your hand after you hold a Z600 or TRUE or Megahalems, and you will know what I mean. Also, air-flow is really not that good with this design, and has never been.

[Origin_Unknown]

and I REALLY do not cope with any review or review-er that shows me different.

you got your stevie wonders on in regards to the ifx? either that or your post is a massive case of 'toys out the pram'

[Monstru]

You work for Xbit or smth? I know what I have tested, I know what my coleague that wrote this article has tested. I know what my other coleague (matose) that will publish a similar round-up (but on LGA 1366) tested. Not on only one sample, not old CPU's, not small load where all heatsinks are the same. 3 different persons, 2 different samples, n different conditions, and IFX still performs poor. Now should I take it that the air in Romania is to blame, or that heatsink is just overated? What would you think if you would be in my shoes?

[poparamiro]

First of all guys, thank you for any critics, observations and appreciations, i put a lot of passion and "soul" in this test but of course it is far from perfect.

All the coolers have remounted, retested, if necessary lapped, modded for the best performance.

Regards the IFX:

The arhitecture of IFX-14 is not good for top performance nor for the best fannless comportament. Very thin fins and of course very little distance between them is not a good fanless construction, to point few arhitecture problems. The fact that hot air is ventilated from one side to the other in case of dual or trifan configuration is another deficience. I try to bypass this problem and i do this (both fans are blowing in) but the results did not get better.

About his weight: compare the Ifx with Z600 an you will understand what i mean. A good cooler have thick fins, it is essential for a good capacity of thermal absorbtion.

Just do this: take a True and the Ifx, modd them (retention and lapping) and put them on a high tdp configuration (not dual core, not P4), quad or i7 with ~1.5 or more volts. Do a prime 95 or a linx session on a 3000 or more rpm and see the results.

I test the ifx with every configuration possible, i even test two different Ifx's to be soure that is no problems or defects involved.

On low rpm thoug is performs better, the gap between True and him is getting small.

At the end please bear in mind that my coolers are modded, (if there was problems) so you can't compare results with the same coolers but stock.
I try to do the test the best that i can and i like all of them because 90% of the coolers are my personal property, bought from my own pocket.

Thank you again and all the best
With respect
Ramiro

[RSC]

The arhitecture of IFX-14 is not good for top performance nor for the best fannless comportament.

Somebody forgot to tell that to Xbitlabs, because they continue to show some incredible performance with that cooler:


(10/01/2009 @ here)


As for the way the IFX-14 is designed, Noctua found something they liked in it, because the upcoming NH-D14 is very similar to the IFX-14 with its twin towers.


(Noctua NH-D14)

[poparamiro]

@ jmke - if True is not modded and IFX is fully modded the True is still better (at high tdp and high air flow). On the article i specified gains for each cooler so comparrisons can be made.

@ RSC - i will make an article with the best coolers that have ifx arhitecture, Asus Triton 88, Noctua NH-D14, IFX-14 and i hope Thermalright Arrow. Noctua and Asus must arrives soon. My opinion that this arhitecture is not good for top performance will be confirmed or not in this test. The test will contain extensive and detalied tests (including lapping moddind and eficiency tests).

They will be compared wiht top performance coolers and after the test i can draw better conclusions.

As for the IFX issue things are simple: i test and retest IFX and TRUE many times (in all the ways possible, even different exemplares) and no way IFX is the best cooler (as the Xbitlabs present things). Any of you can do a versus between the two and post results. Nobody knows everything and all tests are welcome