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Review: LGA 775 CPU Cooler Mega Test

by Matt Davey on 1 June 2007, 14:45

Tags: Gigabyte (TPE:2376), Thermalright, Zaward, Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), Zalman (090120.KQ), Akasa, Cooler Master, Thermaltake (3540.TWO), OCZ (NASDAQ:OCZ), Scythe, SilverstoneTek, Arctic, Tuniq, Noctua, TITAN Technology

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Overall Winners – By Price

£0-£20 Segment

Winner

Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro - £12.16 Scan

The Freezer 7 pro gets our vote if you are on a budget of £20 and under. There really isn't much that comes close when it comes to performance and ease of installation.

Runner-Up

Thermaltake Blue Orb II - £18.68 Micro Direct

It was a bit lack-lustre in the thermal tests but still a pretty competent package overall, so it grabs the runner-up spot in this segment.

£20-£35 Segment

Winner

Thermaltake Big Typ VX – £28.08 Micro Direct

It's a close run thing here but our recommendation is the Thermaltake Big Typ VX. It's a very capable, if under-praised, cooler that managed to out perform many more expensive rivals.

Runner Up

Scythe Miné - £27.99 Quiet PC

It might not be viewed by Scythe's marketeers as high-performance solution but the Mine manages to deliver a whole lot more than its maker and most folk would credit. Even so, it wasn't quite good enough to take top spot in its price bracket, so runner-up it is.

£35+ Segment

Winner

Zalman 9700 - £39.99 Quiet PC

Bigger, in this instance, was better. The newest addition to the Zalman 9xxx series, the 9700, with its 20 per cent increase in bulk over the 9500 and 110mm fan , takes the top spot in the £35+ sector.

Runner Up

Titan Amanda - £64.04 (Pre-Order Price) Tekheads

We reckon that we didn't even flick the switch in terms of the Titan Amanda's capability despite our test rig and its previous-generation CPU having been chosen to push coolers to the limit. If what you need is a solution that can handle high heat dissipation from a CPU, this probably should be close to the top of your list - though you may need to re-mortgage first.