CPU Cooler Charts 2008, Part 1

Features
By Daniel Schuhmann
published

MSI / Watercool HydroGen - The User Friendly Solution

The random number generator next picked a watercooling solution. A short while ago, motherboard maker MSI introduced the X38 HydroGen motherboard, which sports a water cooling solution for the northbridge and southbridge. It utilizes a small copper pipe that conducts water through all heatsinks on the entire board. MSI sells this board as a bundle with the Watercool HT Fusion Dual cooling solution. Since this cooler is also available separately, directly from manufacturer Watercool, we decided to add it to the list of candidates.

MSI / Watercool HydroGen

The external radiator also contains a pump, a compensating reservoir and two fans. The cooler can be set up on the top of the PC case, or on the floor.

The CPU cooler of choice in this case was the Heatkiller CPU LGA 775 Rev2.5, which is also available in an AM2/AM2+ version. MSI's bundle only comes with the Socket 775 mounting bracket, for obvious reasons.

Underside

MSI Logo

Installing the cooler is very simple, and can be quite elegantly done. With the motherboard removed from the case, four holding pins are screwed into the board. The CPU cooler itself is then mounted on these pins using four spring-supported hexagon-socket screws (an appropriate tool is included).The flat design of the heatsink gives you lots of space to work in, making installation a breeze.

Removing the motherboard from the case is not necessary for the AM2 mounting bracket.

CPU Cooler Top

CPU Cooler Bottom

The cooler is equipped with the four screw-connections (type A. 90°C, 10 mm) and a tube (3 meters). If you're buying the HT Fusion Dual as an aftermarket option, you'll need to buy the assembly components separately.

The radiator ships in a protective plastic adhesive film.

Ventilation Holes

Daniel Schuhmann
26 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Thank you, been wondering what cooler to buy for an OCed Quad, and high temps are good when dying :D
    Reply
  • sorrii
    ... must be stupid ...! The fan is istalled at wrong side of the cooler ...
    Reply
  • Thermalright FTW!! Every time.
    Reply
  • suspect
    I cant believe that photo...sorrii I am with you only a nutjob would use or test it in that configuration!!!
    Noctua clearly state orientation of their coolers and that is ass about.
    Every other review I have read rates the NH-U12F much more highly... always near best in class
    Reply
  • wkornf
    your numbers of near 70C on every cooler is outrageous, if those numbers are true not a single one of these coolers would keep a computer stable in a closed case outside the northeast. and a couple minutes isnt a good measure of cpus final temp, if u look over a temp log after a long game session you know it creeps up. to many factors.
    Reply
  • dragunover
    Bullshit article.I agree with wkornf.

    If my Artic silver 5 + Scythe Katana 2 cooler(for only a massive price of 25 USD! I can keep my outdated Pentium D under 100 degrees fahrenheit,infact around HALF of these tests,even under water cooling? Wow,according to this,I should actually worry about getting a quad core because of the heat.And no,I don't have any fans in my case,it's open,only fans are from my GPU,CPU,and my PSU.
    No extra 4 250mm performance fans.And an X38? That's just unbelievable.
    Reply
  • eaglestrike7339
    Do you guys get the point? They maxed out everything, so the cooler could show off the best that it could do in the most extreme conditions.

    A good article, i especially like the tests for installation and sound, as those are what i would look into most when purchasing a cooler, and unlike CPUs, there are usually no charts to go along with.
    Reply
  • suspect
    eaglestrike... do you see mounting the noctua fan in the wrong direction as good testing???
    They have it on the top side of the sink flowing in a downward direction!!!
    it goes against basic laws of physics and logic.
    Reply
  • cliffro
    alot of the coolers listed of a particular design are installed all goofy like, Of course on their open setup it doesn't make much difference(i think)

    but when installed in a normal ATX case, would be detrimental to the coolers performance. Especially coolers designed similar to the Noctua and Scythe Ninja plus.

    I can't be certain about others but Arctic Cooling's Freezer 7 Pro is supposed to be installed like this(one would assume others of similar design would be the same)
    http://bigrockies.com/media/cooler.jpg
    Reply
  • suspect
    cliffro I think to some degree you are correct but it still does not follow good practice when supposedly collecting data to represent consumer products.
    As these have published manufacturer recomended installations why would you reverse it.
    I recently read a review of the latest Noctua cooler at Legitreviews
    where Noctua actually contacted them on this very issue... as a result they retested and found some improvement in cooling.
    http://www.legitreviews.com/article/741/1/
    Reply