FRONTPAGE Three Premium Heatsinks Revisited

[Overclockers.com]

This short piece isn't so much a formal review, but an opportunity to revisit three of the six heatsinks tested in my first review at Overclockers.com. My test system has changed quite a bit since then, so it's a good idea to re-examine the performance of some of the top coolers on the market. I have switched my 980X processor for an i7 930, so I could upgrade my main system at home. In fact, the 930 is actually harder to cool at 4 GHz than the 980x at the same speed. I also changed the case, which can affect cooling performance

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[Mjolnir]

Damn. I might just well keep my TRUE then! Maybe I could lap mine properly.. Currently got 2 Gentle Typhoon 1850s on it; silent; and on my OC I don't go over 75 on the hottest core.. But that's at 1.25v :\. Maybe my mount is a bit weak.. (I've got the single-bar type mount, which is supposedly better?). Though I've checked my surface and it's definitely not flat D:

Good to know my old cooler still sits up there .

Now; care to make a comparison chart with your results for these older coolers with say; the new Corsair Hydro series and the Noctua D14, the Silver Arrow; etc? Would be interesting. Other sites have it; but specifically for how you test with different fan configs I'd like to see =)

 

[muddocktor]

Is yours an original TRUE or a Rev. C version? I am assuming that you have a rev C since you have the newer style mount instead of the old "X" style. And the base of your heatsink isn't supposed to be flat. Thermalright machines them to be slightly convex, in order to point load the center of the IHS to make better contact at the hottest part of the processor IHS. Prolimatech, Noctua and other manufacturers do this also. You can try lapping, but unless TR machined it off center, you will gain little, if any performance.

And yes, the old TRUE design still hangs in there with the big dogs. It just shows how solid of a design that TR came up with in the first place.

As for some of the others you mentioned: some of them will be tested soon. Unfortunately the NH-D14 won't be retested, since I sold it since the first review and I won't buy another one to review again.

 

[muddocktor]

Bump back to the top since the guys in charge of the front page forgot to move this over to the Cooling forum when it was published.

 

[Leonardo]

Thanks, Muddocktor. I'm running a Megahalems heatsinks on overclocked 2600Ks and an overclocked Xeon X3440 (i7, 95W). I'm running a TRUE, original version (I think...) on an overclocked I7 870. I've also run these same coolers on overclocked Q6600s. I have no experience with the Cogage True Spirit, but I can say that the Megahalems and TRUE perform about the same on 95W, 4-core Intel processors. The spread of temperature between the two on an overclocked 130W CPU is very interesting. Again, thanks for the review.

 

[muddocktor]

Thanks, Leo. The True Spirit is surprisingly effective in it's cooling ability, especially considering that you can get it for $32 plus shipping and it also comes with a fan. The only drawback to it is that it uses the original "X" style Thermalright 1366 mount, which I don't particularly care for because it lets the heatsink rotate around on top of the processor with very little side force. As for the difference between the original TRUE and the Rev. C, the easiest 2 ways to tell the difference are:

1 - The Rev. C has a "V" shaped cut in the center of the fins from the bottom to almost the top fin. The top fin is still solid, without the "V" cut in it. Note that the Rev. B also has this same "V" cut in the fins, but it has the original fin count and spacing.

2 - The original TRUE and Rev. B TRUE have 52 fins. The Rev. C has 48 fins spaced a little bit wider apart.

 

[woboy]

thermalright black

I picked up a used Thermalright True Black, so I find the article timely indeed. Enjoyable too. I believe the Black is the Rev B plated?
The 1156 Rev B mounting kit is no longer available (uses the spring/screws).
Thermalright recommends the Venomous X Kit, which bolts down. Is this likely to make a difference?
Thanks Walter

 

[LennyRhys]

The new mounting kits for the TRUE are far better - both of my TRUEs have used the older X-style bracket which is a royal PITA to install, even for me having done it probably twenty times.

And yes I think the Black TRUE is Rev B - a very nice cooler and a good buy! I have no intention to part with my Copper TRUE...ever, really.

 

[muddocktor]

They also made the TRUE Black in Rev A and also Rev C models too. And just looking at the Thermalright website, they have discontinued the TRUE Black Rev. C. So if you want one you better get it now.

EDIT: BTW Lenny, speaking of the Copper TRUE, guess what came in this afternoon. I couldn't resist getting me another one. I sold my original around 6 months ago, but kind of regretted it. And I saw that PPC still has some Cu TRUE's in stock at a good price so I bought me another one. And unlike the last one, this one has a nice straight, flat base, so I won't have to lap the sucker for hours like the last one.

 

[Leonardo]

That would so attractive in a windowed case with compact fluorescent or LED lighting. I wish I hadn't seen that, now.

 

[muddocktor]

Yeah I know. Leo. They are definitely a beautiful heatsink. I'm going to have to remember to wear some rubber gloves when I handle it this time so it doesn't get fingerprints on it. But you have to keep in mind at all times that it does weight over 4 pounds, which means no bumps or even slight drops when you are moving the system. And it also has the older "X" style mounts for 1366 and 775 as well as the older style AM3 mount, so you might want to buy the new Rev mount or a Ven-X style mount for it.

 

[LennyRhys]

The copper tarnishes very easily from finger prints, which is why I polish my TRUE every so often (true story)... it's such a GORGEOUS heatsink, especially when it has a mirror-like shine to it, and I have a windowed case so I need it to look nice

@ Mud, did you mount your TRUE Cu just like a regular one without extra support? I used to have mine tied to the roof of my case, but for the last few months I haven't bothered, and the motherboard seems to be doing fine lol.

 

[muddocktor]

I never bothered using extra support for it and it didn't seem to affect anything. But I do use the Rev. 2 mount instead of the old "X" style it comes with. Got a good deal on some Rev. 2 1366 mounts so I bought 3 of them.

 

[woboy]

Only the Venomous X mount is available now, supposedly the best of the lot, lol.
Waiting for one for a used True Black I bought (only came with partial 1366 mount).
I do like the look.

 

[muddocktor]

Yeah, I saw that about the Ven-X mounts. Looks like everyone is running out of stock on the Rev 2 mounts on all socket designs, even though Thermalright isn't showing them as discontinued (yet). But the Ven-X mount is also very good and will work on any Intel socket, so less stock for vendors to keep.