Review: Enermax Liqtech 120X

Specification and Test Methodology

To put CPU cooler performance into perspective we're testing using a high-end Intel Ivy Bridge system. A detailed description of our test bench and all comparison coolers can be found in the tables below.

Benchmark Process

To get a feel for how well all of the above coolers compare, we start by running our Core i7-3770K at its default frequency and run Prime95's small FFT test to apply maximum load to all four cores/eight threads. This test is run for 15 minutes while temperature is logged and in order to provide a stabilised reading we then calculate an average temperature across all cores from the last five minutes of testing.

We then repeat the same test, only this time with the Core i7-3770K processor overclocked to a modest 4,4GHz, with voltage increased from 1.17V to 1.22V.

Actual CPU temperature is recorded, but to take into account any temperature fluctuations in our lab, we also graph the delta temperature - that's CPU temperature minus ambient temperature. And, last but not least, to give you an idea of cooler acoustics, we use a PCE-318 noise meter to measure overall system noise in both idle and load states.

Notes

To put the onus on the CPU coolers, our Corsair Graphite Series 600T chassis is set to run with two fans; a 200mm front intake and a 120mm rear exhaust. The top 200mm exhaust is disabled. Both chassis fans are set to run as 'silent' from within the Gigabyte BIOS, while each CPU cooler is set to a 'normal' profile.

Each cooler is configured for optimum performance as per the manufacturer's recommendations, and any fans connected to a radiator are configured to draw air in from outside the chassis (hereby ensuring that the delta between the air temperature and the temperature of the radiator is maximised).

For the duration of our temperature benchmarks, the Liqtech 120X's dual fans were set to their balanced profile, enabling speeds of up to 2,000RPM.