A Comparison of 34 Coolers for the AMD Athlon XP

Very Loud And Very Powerful: MCX462-U+VANTEC Tornado

The Tornado lives up to its name. Once the MCX462 has been mounted and connected, the user is blasted with almost 70dB(A). But for all that, the MCX462 delivers outstanding cooling capabilities. We calculated a thermal resistance of 0.34°C/W; the die temperature under peak load was just 47°C. In this combination, the MCX462 is one of the most powerful air coolers on the market. And this cooling solution has no problems, even with high-clock CPUs.

Half Volume And Four Degrees Warmer: MCX462-U+ Y.S. Tech PD1270155B-2F

Anyone looking for a quieter solution and who doesn't mind a warmer CPU by a few degrees should settle for the PD1270155B-2F cooler from Y.S. Tech. This configuration helps the MCX462 achieve a thermal resistance of 0.40°C/W (die temperature 51°C). The noise level reduces to a relatively moderate 58.5dB(A). And this arrangement ensures enough leeway even for a high-clock processor such as the Athlon XP 2800+.