Thermo Summary
Hi folks.
I have done my extensive testing, 24 hours nearly with each heat sink, with many
different room temps, I am not gonna give you all the temp readings etc. as I
don't have the time, and we don't want this thread to get to boring.
I mainly forget about temp readings and focused on stability.
I think I have taken the heat sink of my CPU this weekend more times I have
eaten hot dinners in my life. :eek:
I tested three heat sinks.
1. ThermoEngine V60-4210 with Delta fan - I also polished the base to a mirror
finish.
2. Alpha PEP 66T - I modified the shroud and turned it around. I played a YS-Tech
26cfm unit on top set to blowing. I also placed a slimline Taisol 20cfm unit on
the side set to sucking. Very quiet effective heat sink, again the base was
polished to a mirror finish.
3. Forged Taisol CGK742092 Heat sink - Tested with Delta and YS-Tech fans, the
based was too polished to a mirror finish.
An Extremely thin spread of Artic Silver 2 was used in all test too.
Brief explanation of what I found.
Posting & loading into windows test:
1463Mhz - All coolers passed no problem, except Taisol with YS-Tech, BSOD at
windows Desktop.
1475Mhz - Taisol with YS-Tech gave invalid system disk, Taisol with Delta fan
gave BSOD at desktop.
1488Mhz - Taisol gave invalid system disk on boot up with Delta fan, the other
two cooler carried onto load windows, with the PEP 66 having a fatal exception
at the desktop.
1500Mhz - Taisol & PEP66 failed and gave the invalid system disk message.
The ThermoEngine cooler reached the desktop then gave a windows protection
error.
These were done with a case temp of approx 25c
Reported temperatures in the BIOS at 1475Mhz
Taisol With Delta - 50c
Taisol with YS-Tech - 55c
Alpha PEP66 - 48c
ThermoEngine - 41c
Case temp - 28c
Sandra burn in reported temps after 50 cycles @ 1463Mhz
Taisol with YS-Tech fan - 58c (I switched it off after 15 cycles it was getting
to hot)
Taisol with Delta fan - 54c (It failed not long after 50 cycles)
Alpha PEP66T - 51c PASSED
ThermoEngine - 44c PASSED
Case temp - 28c
Sandra burn in Stability testing at 1475Mhz
Taisol with Delta - Failed after 13 loops
Alpha PEP66 - 52c PASSED
ThermoEngine - 45c PASSED
Case temp - 28c
Sandra burn in test @ 1488Mhz
Alpha PEP66 - 52c Failed after 20 loops
ThermoEngine - 45c failed after 50+ loops
Case temp - 28c
I also tried the same test at lower room/case temperatures, and the Alpha and
ThermoEngine were a very close match with the Taisol been left behind.
I must say that the probe underneath my CPU was bent up and touching directly
the bottom of the CPU core right in the centre. A slight resistance is felt when
I insert my CPU. My CPU has no stickers on the base!
However the ThermoEngine does give INCORRECT temperature readings of about 2c-3c
I found, however it is still a damn fine cooler, and the only one that allows me
to run at 1500Mhz with a case temp of 20c, neither of the other coolers could
manage this, and the Taisol was way behind.
Some of you might say those temperatures are very high, well hold on, look at my
CPU speed (1460Mhz - 1500Mhz @ 1.88v) I am putting out 90 - 105 watts
approximately. If I drop my speed to 1400Mhz I get around a 3c-4c drop in
underload temps, but who wants to run at that slow speed. :D
So there you have it, the ThermoEngine is a damn fine cooler, for me anyways,
but it is not the best!
I am now modifing my PEP66 yet again, this time is has a delta fan on top set to
blowin, and two fans on each side set to sucking. I reckon this will just
slightly out perform the ThermoEngine, I still have yet to try it though.
I also intend on getting the Swiftech MC462a cooler, as that is gonna be the
best. 0.15 c/w, yeah man that rocks. Still need to find out the c/w for the
ThermoEngine?
Hope you understand that, and feel free to ask any questions.
May I say that these are the results I have got at home on my PC, other people
results may vary, but I have done some extensive testing, and the Alpha PEP66
and ThermoEngine get my vote anyday. Don't forget the PEP66 nearly offered just
as good performance, but it was quieter. With the same Delta fan it should match
the ThermoEngine or be very close.
Gibbo
