Xigmatek Introduces the Dark Knight Frostbourne CPU Cooler

16dba for $50? sounds good if the cooling can match up

The thing is, Noctua HD14 set the standards too high. There is only a handful of coolers that can compete and they still can't reach Noctua's performance. They just have better size-to-performance ratio (meaning that they are smaller but work very well for their size).

IMHO the Air-cooling market is a bit saturated, we can hardly expect any more breakthroughs.

the only possibility of a breakthrough is in material sciences and a creation of a cheaper, ligher, or more thermal-conductive alloy (or any combination of the three). unfortunately this is not the job of any of these cooling companies  

Dark knight? White knight would've been more appropriate if you ask me...

They are good coolers, I had one of their first releases with my last CPU 2 over years ago, but went with Corsair's liquid cooled H80 and never looked back at air since.

If you check this cooler out on frostytech this is one of the best price/performance/silent coolers at its price point.

Actually in a lot of tests, Xigmatek Aegir gave better results with just one fan on it and by better, like 1-3C difference while being fairly cheaper.

Um, aren't ceramics typically thermal insulators?

AMEC Thermasol has introduced a new range of Micro Porous Ceramic Heat Sinks (MPCHS). Due to the open irregular structure of the Micro Porous Ceramic, the heat sinks provide a greater surface area to contact with the air compared to metal. Due to this structure, the heat sinks have excellent heat dissipation and heat convection properties.

The MPCHS dissipates heat faster than metal heat sinks without storing heat within itself. MPCHS heat sinks are made from the lowest thermal capacity material in unit volume compared to traditional copper and aluminum solutions. The surface area of the MPCHS is greater than metal heat sinks by around 30%; hence, more surface area to contact air and dissipate more heat in a set unit time. Being non-metallic they also help ensure a reduction in any possible EMI/EMC issues.
- See more at: http://www.electronics-cooling.com/2010/11/micro-porous-ceramic-heat-sinks-enhance-heat-dissipation/#sthash.ZIqCcJwa.dpuf

There are several air coolers that beat the NH-D14. Some of them are even quieter too. Phantek's top cooler is a good example.

Several coolers beat the NH-D14 without needing new materials and those aren't even the only ways to make improvements anyway. One good example would to use direct-touch heatpipes and/or vapor chambers (which are just a different form factor of heat pipe) instead of the wasteful block between the heat pipes and the CPU IHS. There are many ways to improve modern coolers with the current materials.

After the fiasco I had to deal with on a Xigmatek rebate, I will never, ever buy a product from them. Lucky for me I am not alone on this.

looks nice.

call it the dark knight white lantern edition.
frostbourne sounds like a villain from thor movie.
or may be frostborune identity, followed by frostbourne supremacy and ultimatum... and then the underwhelming legacy: the alex cross edition...  

thermalright silver arrow sbe?
phanteks PH-TC14PE?
the havik comes pretty close as well i think

DOn't like the space betwwen the heatpipes where it contacts the cpu. The heat pipes should be united to form a single plane surfec for maximum heat dissipation.

Actually its more like wow. Frostmourne was the legendary sword which corrupted Arthas (pre-Lich King).  

Havik is not close at all.



The ceramic insulation makes sure the heat transfers up the tower where it is more efficiently dissipated by the fins where it can be blown away by the fans.

That cooler is just...........Racist!
P.S. Just kidding

16dB at 60CFM.

I highly doubt that.