Cooler Master MasterAir MA410M Review: (Air) Wolf In Wolf's Clothing
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Testing Results and Conclusion
Collecting data from every cooler we test provides us with a pool of content with which to compare cooler result. Our Intel Core i7-5930K clocks in a 4.2Ghz at 1.20v and provides plenty of thermal load across all six cores atop our MSI X99S XPower AC motherboard, which also cradles 16GB of DDR4-2400 Crucial Ballistix Sport memory. Keeping it all safe and secure is our Corsair Graphite 760T chassis.
We will be taking a close look at the Cooler Master MasterAir MA410M against its twin, the MasterAir MA410M TUF Gaming Edition, as well as the MasterAir MA620P TUF Gaming to wrap up our TUF Alliance comparison. Toss in the be quiet! Dark Rock 4, and we have our comparison quartet of coolers.
Both MasterAir MA410M coolers showed almost identical thermal load numbers, which is to be expected. Both also outperformed the larger, MA620P TUF Edition. The Dark Rock 4 turned out the lowest core temperatures of the group by a little over 1 degree Celsius.
These results aren’t surprising since Cooler Master used the same fan specs for the three MasterAir fans, while the Dark Rock 4 ran a bit slower due to the larger 135mm diameter fan.
Noise levels of both MA410M models were fairly similar, but what is rather interesting is the same fans used on the MA620P posted lower registered decibel levels. As expected, the lower-RPM Dark Rock 4 fan was ninja-quiet and snook away with the noise level award here.
Having the lowest (and best) thermal performance as well as the lowest noise level readings, the Dark Rock 4 surged to a strong acoustic efficiency rating while the Cooler Master models suffered a bit due to similar thermal performance yet higher acoustics at full fan speeds.
While the louder fans kept the MA410M a bit down on performance value, it’s the overall average price that caused the Dark Rock 4 to take a drop since it comes at a premium-tier cooler price. With the Cooler Master offerings available at $60 each, they all have nearly identical baselines to work from, making their comparisons more apparent.
Thermal imaging from our FLIR ONE Pro shows moderate cooling tower heat soak at 50 percent fan speeds, but almost none at full speed. Meanwhile, the latter produces a plume of warm air dissipating outward from the rear of the cooler, as well as some side venting. There are some minimal heat map differences in nearby components, such as the motherboard and memory DIMMs, but little to be concerned about.
Overall, Cooler Master has a solid-performing ,mid-size heatpipe cooler with the MasterAir MA410M and one that performs so well that it really negates reasoning for the larger MasterAir MA620P TUF Gaming Edition. Considering that the MA410M and the MA620P are available at the same price, the difference in cooling performance is enough to ask why you’d select the larger, harder-to-install, lower-performing MA620P over the bruising capabilities the MA410M provides. Even if the argument is around difference in noise levels, a good PWM fan curve can effectively neutralize that perspective when it comes to real-world use.
The Cooler Master MasterAir MA410M is our pick for an excellent performing mid-size air cooler, especially considering the aggressively designed exterior shell and the inclusion of addressable RGB lighting from within the cooling tower itself. Sitting on the upper range of the affordable pricing tier, $60 might cause budget system builders to balk a bit, but considering the features and performance, it definitely deserves those few extra dollars.
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Garrett Carver is a contributor for Tom’s Hardware, primarily covering thermal compound comparisons and CPU cooling reviews; both air and liquid, including multiple variations of each.
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nrdwka Would be nice to see a test without plastic cover.Reply
For me it is unnecessary and probably reduce cooling efficiency... -
dennphill Thanks for the review, Garrett. With the price of a nice cocktail at my favorite bar being only fifteen bucks, why wouldn't I just get the Dark Rock 4 since I have no use for the RGB-thinggie for my next build. :-)Reply -
rubix_1011 21345420 said:The height is wrong
Not sure what you mean; the height listed is exactly the height that was measured. -
Co BIY I heard this reading the title:Reply
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1CjOtSmg6o&index=2&list=RDl8syGlAMTKA -
rubix_1011 21346207 said:I heard this reading the title:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1CjOtSmg6o&index=2&list=RDl8syGlAMTKA
You are correct with the reference.
Also, there is some confusion with the US/UK site representation of the score.
"4.5/5" should really be converted to "9/10" - this is how our system has been defined internally for ratings.
The UK site has this listed as 4.5/10, which is even more confusing, but I'm working to see if this can be corrected. -
chevyguy122 http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cpu-air-cooler/masterair-ma410m/Reply
Check the specs -
rubix_1011 I physically measured it with digital calipers.Reply
I must have received a shorter version by 0.25" or 6mm, but my actual guess is that Cooler Master might round up a bit to make the numbers a bit more user-friendly to read to allow for slightly more clearance.
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xuco20 rubix_1011 said:The Cooler Master MasterAir MA410M, although a more ‘civilian’ version, performs just as well as its TUF Alliance twin.
nrdwka said:Would be nice to see a test without plastic cover.
For me it is unnecessary and probably reduce cooling efficiency...
dennphill said:Thanks for the review, Garrett. With the price of a nice cocktail at my favorite bar being only fifteen bucks, why wouldn't I just get the Dark Rock 4 since I have no use for the RGB-thinggie for my next build. :)
rubix_1011 said:I physically measured it with digital calipers.
I must have received a shorter version by 0.25" or 6mm, but my actual guess is that Cooler Master might round up a bit to make the numbers a bit more user-friendly to read to allow for slightly more clearance.
No one really noticed for 1 year that this cooler was upside down?
The air is pushing it towards the front of the box.
Below you have a picture of the "good" position of the cooler.