Performance
Test System Configuration |
||
|---|---|---|
| Motherboard | ASUS Sabertooth Z77 | |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-3570K @ 4.4GHz | |
| CPU Cooler | Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 | |
| Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws-X 8GB (F3-12800CL7D-8GBXH) | |
| Memory Speed and Timings | 1,600MHz, 7-8-7-24-2N | |
| Graphics Cards | 2x Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 OC in CrossFireX | |
| Storage | 120GB SanDisk Extreme SSD | |
| Optical Drive | Pioneer DVR-S19LBK DVD Writer | |
| Power Supply | Corsair HX1050W | |
Our new Z77 test platform consists of an ASUS Sabertooth motherboard, an Intel Core i5-3570K processor overclocked to a modest 4.4GHz and cooled by an Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 cooler, 8GB of high-performance G.Skill Ripjaws-X memory and two factory-overclocked Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 OC graphics cards in a CrossFireX configuration.
To find out how well the chassis can cool this particular setup, we record the CPU temperature after a 15-minute stint of the intensive Prime95 stress test is applied to all cores. To get an idea of GPU cooling performance, we record GPU temperature after 15 minutes of running Aliens vs. Predator. Last but not least, we also record chassis noise by using a PCE-318 noise meter to take readings when idle and while running Aliens vs. Predator.
All chassis are tested only with the standard manufacturer-supplied fans (any/all of which are set to 'silent' in the ASUS BIOS or low-speed using a fan controller if present), and to take into account the fluctuating ambient temperature, our graphs depict both actual and delta temperature - the latter is the actual CPU/GPU temperature minus the ambient. For the record, room temperature while testing the In Win H-Frame was recorded as 21.7ºC.
We expected to see CPU cooler temperature go up - particularly on a hot-running and overclocked Core i5-3570K processor - but Cooler Master's Silencio 650 does a good job of keeping actual core temperature to 76ºC under extreme load.
GPU cooling performance, however, isn't quite as good. Bringing down the temperature of two overclocked Radeon HD 7950s isn't easy, but 84ºC after 15 minutes of Aliens vs. Predator is a little on the high side. And you can tell that the chassis is starting to struggle - the side panel and the area surround the expansion slots begins to feel noticeably warm to the touch.
The Silencio 650's primary purpose, however, is to keep noise levels in check and it does a decent job. Our test platform proved to be barely audible when idle, but of course under load the chassis can only do so much to mask the noise of the hot-running GPUs. In fact, under load, the Silencio 650 proves to be counterproductive on ultra-high-end hardware; our Radeons got so warm in this chassis that their fans ramped up close to 80 per cent of full speed.
