TRUE has SERIOUS competition -

[cegras]

http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling...oc.aspx?i=3202

[MpG]

As good as a tie in my books (Since on Anandtech, you're not allowed to outperform the TRUE ). Makes you wonder if 2 more heatpipes would have put it over the top?

Seriously, just looking at the loaded temperature graphs, where the two differ, the difference seriously qualifies for statistical irrelevance. I'm sure we've all seen more temperature variation between remounts of the same heatsink.

[AliG]

I think 2 more heatpipes only would have helped with the capacity, the temps would have been roughly the same. Only downside I can see with it how noisy the fan gets on the high setting, as I prefer silence over performance (though I try to get the max performance for my silence if that makes any sense)

[aznsniper911]

Ouch it's on par with the Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme! Now if the base of that heatsink is properly flat before we get it then I think this would be a better seller! But The Ultra-120 has a nice thing where you can easily replace the fans!

[cegras]

As good as a tie in my books (Since on Anandtech, you're not allowed to outperform the TRUE ). Makes you wonder if 2 more heatpipes would have put it over the top?

Seriously, just looking at the loaded temperature graphs, where the two differ, the difference seriously qualifies for statistical irrelevance. I'm sure we've all seen more temperature variation between remounts of the same heatsink.

A lot of the differences on Anand seem like they are due to statistical anomalies, in truth. They probably average the temp over a few runs .. at least, I hope they do.

[Monkeywoman]

45 bucks? dam....thats an awesome price to performance ratio. i'd hit it

[zanzabar]

its not realy competion over all the true didnt ave enough heat load

[wyemarn]

It only matches true at high speed. Noise/performance wise, true is still the best.

[Seer]

You're right, but the price on it makes it a better choice for most people.

[GripS]

Ok...... I really don't want to nit pick BUT..... Let's see how it performs with a quad. All high end air coolers should be tested with quads as they put out the most heat. Surely Anandtech can afford to purchase a quad for testing.

I don't understand reviews of high end air coolers on dual core chips. Show me the max of what this thing can handle!! For example. If you try and lookup reviews on the Ninja Anniversary edition all copper version you will find a review from DragonSteelMods almost every sight you pull up regarding a review for this cooler all point to the same place. In this review it is tested with...... Intel P4 Extreme Edition 955 CPU @ 3.46GHZ. WTF??

[zanzabar]

dont most of those places get chips donated to test for the cpu marks or grafix tests so they could have just reused on of those

[=[PULSAR]=]

I wonder about taking it to the extreme though the fans on it are probuably only 45-50cfm. The cooler you keep the top of the TEC the cooler the base will run so I'd like to see the results from a higher cfm fan. Might have to buy this and test with a 92mm Delta 175cfm fan just for benching though. I wonder how many watts the TEC is.

[naokaji]

why do they test them with a dual core? doesnt make sense to me, i mean they are one of the bigger review sites, so they should have plenty of them.

also they prolly used some low speed fan on the TRUE seeing how they have put it as the least noisy cooler (tie with 2 or 3 others).

[brunormt]

My friends, if you look at page 6, you can see that the TRUE extreme is still the best. Incrising the speed of the cpu the TRue performs better.

[Serra]

In this review it is tested with...... Intel P4 Extreme Edition 955 CPU @ 3.46GHZ. WTF??

Do you not remember the heat output those things had? I could be wrong, but it may still have the crown of the largest heat dump, especially when overclocked.

[Seer]

Do you not remember the heat output those things had? I could be wrong, but it may still have the crown of the largest heat dump, especially when overclocked.

You're right. Those things are extremely hot.

[EvilBellyLint]

It only matches true at high speed. Noise/performance wise, true is still the best.

Your logic is flawed.

They used a noisy stock cooler that comes with the Nirvana unit.
The TRUE doesn't come with fans, so you are free to choose the
best noise/performance fan you can afford. Swap out the cheap
stock fan on the Nirvana for the same Scythe S-Flex fans Anand
uses to bench the TRUE, and then see how they compare.

Which reminds me, you still need to add the cost of fans to the
price of the TRUE. This makes the Nirvana a hands-down price/performance
winner if using the stock fan. (and the Cooler Master Hyper 212, a mid-range
cooler, seems to be just a degree or two behind the TRUE as well...)

I guess the Thermalright may soon finally come to an end


EBL


EBL

[EvilBellyLint]

My friends, if you look at page 6, you can see that the TRUE extreme is still the best. Incrising the speed of the cpu the TRue performs better.

So let's see:

* Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme: $56.95 on sale @ Sidewinders
* + Scythe S-Flex SFF21F: $13.95 on sale at Jab-Tech
= $70.90

- VS -

ZEROtherm Nirvana: $47.99 @ NewEgg

Price difference: $22.91

So as configured, the units Anand tested reflected roughly a $23
price difference. the TRUE (as tested) was 48% more expensive.

Follow me?

So now I'll take a look at page 6, as you requested:

Highest Stable Overclock

Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme: 3940
ZEROtherm Nirvana: 3900


Again, this is with the Nirvana using an inefficient stock fan,
and the TRUE using one of the best fans you can buy.
Yet, the TRUE manages a whopping 1% better overclock.

FACTS:

If you use the crappy stock fan on the Nirvana (and whom among us would)
the Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme manages a 1% higher overclock for a
48% higher price.

My Conclusion:

Replace the Nirvana's stock fan with a Scythe S-Flex, and it will beat the
TRUE by a couple degrees, match it in noise/performance, and still cost you
10-bucks less (and that's when the TRUE is on sale )

EBL

[revogamer]

So let's see:

* Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme: $56.95 on sale @ Sidewinders
* + Scythe S-Flex SFF21F: $13.95 on sale at Jab-Tech
= $70.90

- VS -

ZEROtherm Nirvana: $47.99 @ NewEgg

Price difference: $22.91

So as configured, the units Anand tested reflected roughly a $23
price difference. the TRUE (as tested) was 48% more expensive.

Follow me?

So now I'll take a look at page 6, as you requested:

Highest Stable Overclock

Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme: 3940
ZEROtherm Nirvana: 3900


Again, this is with the Nirvana using an inefficient stock fan,
and the TRUE using one of the best fans you can buy.
Yet, the TRUE manages a whopping 1% better overclock.

FACTS:

If you use the crappy stock fan on the Nirvana (and whom among us would)
the Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme manages a 1% higher overclock for a
48% higher price.

My Conclusion:

Replace the Nirvana's stock fan with a Scythe S-Flex, and it will beat the
TRUE by a couple degrees, match it in noise/performance, and still cost you
10-bucks less (and that's when the TRUE is on sale )

EBL

but, you cannot change the fans on the nirvana.

[EvilBellyLint]

but, you cannot change the fans on the nirvana.

And you can't de-solder the cheap capacitors and opamps on a sound card
and replace them with high quality variants to double your sound quality;
or volt mod a board to increase max voltage under load, or hack a BIOS
for increased performance, or mod a Radeon GPU to turn it into a FireGL
card costing five times the price, or...




EBL

[EvilBellyLint]

but, you cannot change the fans on the nirvana.

(it can be done) But regardless. Let's forget replacing the stock fan.
Does a 1% higher over-clock justify a 48% price premium?

Call me insane (many have; it's been certified) but I say, not worth it.


EBL

[little_scrapper]

No such thing as a fan that Cannot be replaced.

[HKPolice]

http://www.frostytech.com/articlevie...id=2225&page=5

[EvilBellyLint]

http://www.frostytech.com/articlevie...id=2225&page=5

Only 2 degrees behind the Thermalright, and 4.5 decibels quieter.
I'd say that corroborates my earlier conclusion.

Now, had they swapped out the stock fan for a quality, higher CFM
variant, and matched the noise output on the TRUE in this particular
test, guess what might happen?


EBL

[EvilBellyLint]

Bottom Line My Friends

Commercial website reviews are often quite flawed with respect
to testing procedures; usually not entirely unbiased with respect
to their desire to maintain good terms with certain manufacturers;
and always spin test results to color the reader's opinion.

Don't believe me? If I have time, I will show you a classic example of
this from Anandtech, comparing two entirely separate reviews of two
CPU coolers that obtained virtually identical results, yet Anand
concluded one product was an abject failure, while the other showed
great promise and just barely fell short of the top coolers they have
ever tested. Repeating: SAME TEST RESULTS.

Sift through the bull. Ignore the hype.
And when something seems a bit biased, go back and look at earlier reviews...
you may be surprised what the facts can tell you.


EBL