As Quiet As A Whisper And Simple To Mount: TAK58
The TAK58 is impressive for three reasons: with a noise level of almost 40db(A), it is very quiet; assembly is as easy as it gets and requires little or no extra effort (slip the clip over the sockets on the right and left sides and turn the screw on top until it engages - that's it!); while all the other coolers in the test had horizontally-mounted fans, the TAK58's two fans are vertically-mounted. Both turn at 3,300rpm, making them relatively easy-going and quiet.
The cooler profile is made of black corrugated aluminum; the contact surface to the CPU features a heat transfer pad. The cooler consists of a solid aluminum core that tapers down toward the mounting clip. Cooling ribs branch out on both sides of the cooler core. Both coolers blow air toward the core. This arrangement creates a certain chimney effect; you can feel the powerful airflow above the cooler. With thermal resistance of 0.51°C/W (61°C die temperature), the cooler's performance is excellent.
