6-Way Intel Core i7 CPU Cooler Roundup

[Apoptosis]

Today we will be firing up our new Intel Core i7 test system and putting several enthusiast CPU coolers through the paces. Join us as we see how coolers from Asus, Cooler Master, Intel, Noctua, Thermalright, and Vigor Gaming stack up to one another.

As for the coolers themselves, the Noctua NH-U12P CPU Cooler is the winner in our testing. Either in its original single fan configuration or in its new SE1366 dual fan configuration it led the pack and did it quietly Next in line is the Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme 1366RT. It's heavy and has a name as long as my arm, but it is quiet and performs well. The Ultra 120 is a very popular line of coolers and for good reason - it is solidly built. This is the only other cooler in our round up other than the NH-U12P that I don’t worry about bending up the cooling fins when I handle it...

Article Title: 6-Way Intel Core i7 CPU Cooler Roundup
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/880/1/

[FZ1]

Great roundup Shane. Question on the TRUE, I have heard that most of them have convex bottoms so they don't always make good contact. Is this something you noticed?

[DMB2000uk]

Thanks for the roundup, I've not really seen any LGA1336 heatsink reviews yet so this is a good thing to have

Dan

[bubba]

Great roundup Shane. Question on the TRUE, I have heard that most of them have convex bottoms so they don't always make good contact. Is this something you noticed?

I don't have a TRUE, its the Ultra-120 eXtreme, same but different.

The OG Ultra 120, aluminum fins/copper base - http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_page/ ... VzaWFzdA==
The Ultra 120 eXtreme, more heatpipes - http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_page/ ... VzaWFzdA==
The TRUE Black (black nickle finish to the whole Ultra-120 eXtreme cooler, also fist dual fan version) - http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_page/ ... VzaWFzdA==
The TRUE Copper (an all copper Ultra-120 eXtreme) http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_page/ ... opper.html
The Ultra-120 eXtreme 1366RT, LGA1366 only version - http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_page/ ... 366rt.html

But yes, Ultra-120 eXtreme I have looks to have a very slight convex to it. When I took it off it looked like it had made good contact to me, the TIM had spread nice and evenly. With a second fan I would think it would be neck and neck with the NH-U12P SE1366, just like it is with the single fan and the NH-U12P.

Thanks for the roundup, I've not really seen any LGA1336 heatsink reviews yet so this is a good thing to have

Dan

This is why we did the round up the way we did.

Glad you guys liked it

[Skippman]

I'm making an assumption here but can you still use Core2Duo coolers on the new i7? I'm wondering if my Swiftech GTZ will work on the i7 platform.

[GI-JOE]

I'm making an assumption here but can you still use Core2Duo coolers on the new i7? I'm wondering if my Swiftech GTZ will work on the i7 platform.

I believe you need a LGA1366 bracket for it, but it should work.

[gwolfman]

Thanks for the roundup, I've not really seen any LGA1336 heatsink reviews yet so this is a good thing to have

Dan

Agreed! Nice job. I was waiting for a roundup to see what I needed. I think I'll go with the Noctua. Or the CoolIT Domino you just reviewed. It's about the same price.

[Skippman]

I'm making an assumption here but can you still use Core2Duo coolers on the new i7? I'm wondering if my Swiftech GTZ will work on the i7 platform.

I believe you need a LGA1366 bracket for it, but it should work.

I should do more research before I ask some of my questions. lol

Part # Apogee-GTZ-Ci7 provides compatiblity with Intel® Core® i7, and is fully compliant with the components keep-out specification. The kit is composed of a replacement hold-down plate for the water-block, and a motherboard stiffening back-plate needed for all socket 1366 desktop motherboards.

[Bio-Hazard]

Got one of those on my rig right now, but man, do those i7 run hot OC'd even water cooled. I'm going to try a few different blocks out to see if I can get a bit better performance out of my system.

[DMB2000uk]

With the amount of watercooling in your rig bio, that's not something us mere mortal coolers want to hear

Seems strange that I find myself considering AMD as it's a cooler running chip for similar performance.

Dan

[Bio-Hazard]

I hear that the new AMD's do run a bit cooler, but from what I see the performance difference between the 2 is a bit larger than most might think.

But the new AMD's do offer a good bit more bang for your buck now that they just dropped their prices again.

[ERJH]

It would be interesting to see how the stock cooler for the Core i7 965 compares as well. It should be better than stock for the 920 and 940 as it's a different design.

[egtx]

I bought the Triton 81 but I am feeling nervous about the installation.

The LGA 1366 brackets don't secure firmly to the cooler. Instead the screws just kind of sit in the holes and you can pull the cooler off easily. It seems this is not right...or is it? Shouldn't the brackets attach firmly to the cooler?

[DMB2000uk]

Doesn't sound like you've screwed it on right. Have you made sure you've followed the mounting instructions properly?

Dan

[Apoptosis]

It would be interesting to see how the stock cooler for the Core i7 965 compares as well. It should be better than stock for the 920 and 940 as it's a different design.

Can you buy an Intel Core i7 965 Extreme cooler from a store like Newegg or Tiger Direct? When doing reviews I want to keep it as realistic as possible and I personally don't know anyone running a Core i7 965 Extreme cooler on an Intel Core i7 920 processor. That being said the 7 years I've run the site Intel has never once provided us the cooler for an Extreme edition CPU.

[bubba]

I bought the Triton 81 but I am feeling nervous about the installation.

The LGA 1366 brackets don't secure firmly to the cooler. Instead the screws just kind of sit in the holes and you can pull the cooler off easily. It seems this is not right...or is it? Shouldn't the brackets attach firmly to the cooler?

I didn't have an issue with the cooler not fitting up to the motherboard, or the clips not tightening up.

Here a couple of shots of mine.

notch.JPG (34.69 KiB) Viewed 9603 times

The brackets should fit into the little groove in on the top side of the base. Then the screws should come from the bottom up into the brackets.

brackets.JPG (20.92 KiB) Viewed 9604 times

When fully tightened they should just slightly stick above the top side of the bracket.

If the screws do not feel like they are threading popper in the brackets, with them off the cooler try and thread the screws all the way through the bracket. If they will not screw in all the way there may be an issue with the threads in the bracket that is keeping them from tightening all the way.

Hope this helps

[egtx]

So to be sure, the clips attach firmly to the cooler?

I think my cooler is machined incorrectly. The screws don't screw into the cooler at all. They just drop in, as the hole is too large. The screw into the brackets just fine and are nice and snug.

Time to contact Asus...or NewEgg.

Thanks for the help. I may just take it back and get the Noctura instead. I was trying to avoid having to take the machine apart, but the Noctura performs so much better anyways.

[egtx]

So I re-read the posts one last time before contacting Newegg and realized my error was not putting the bracket under the clip. DOH! Once I did that, it attachs quite firmly. Thanks so much for the help.

[bubba]

Glad it helped

[egtx]

So I decided to buy the Noctua cooler and I got it installed a couple of weeks ago.

Unfortunately, I am not able to get thermals anywhere close to the ones posted in this article and others I have seen on the web.

At stock speeds, my CPU idle and load temperatures are 10-20C higher than the ones posted here. In particular, at load I am seeing in the low 70s compared to the mid-high 50s seen here.

I got this cooler so that I could overclock the CPU and still have reasonable temps. I have it running stable at 3.8ghz but the temps can creep up above 90C at sustained load, and idle temps are close to 50C. I am thinking this is too hot!

What could I have done wrong?