Benchmarks: stock frequency
To get the ball rolling, we keep the Core i7 980X dialled in at stock settings and measure both idle and load temperatures.
Keeping the high-end Intel Core i7 chip cool when idle isn't a problem for any of these premium coolers, but take a look at the gap separating the KÜHLER 920's Silent and Extreme modes.
Fan speed hovers at around 660RPM in Silent mode and ramps up all the way to a loud 2,400RPM when you hit the Extreme dial, creating a sizeable gulf in temperature.
Put Prime95 to work across all of the Core i7 980X's twelve threads and you quickly raise temperatures.
Once again, none of these coolers have any trouble keeping the chip's temperatures well within respectable levels. Setting the KÜHLER 920 to Extreme mode enables it to lead the pack, but cooling performance in Silent mode is well below the average.
