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Thermal Results with noise normalized to 38.2 dBA
Finding the right balance between fan noise levels and cooling performance is important. While running fans at full speed can improve cooling capacity to some extent, the benefits are limited and many users prefer a quiet system.
In this test where the fans have been set to low noise levels, DeepCool’s AK620 Digital performs very well, with performance falling between Scythe’s Fuma 3 and BeQuiet’s Dark Rock Pro 4.
No Power Limits Thermal Results
Without power limits enforced on Intel’s i7-13700K, the CPU will hit its peak temperature and thermally throttle with even the strongest of air coolers. In this test, we measure the total amount of watts the cooler is able to dissipate from the CPU.
In this maximum-intensity workload on Intel’s i7-13700K, the AK620 punches above its weight class, performing on par with Cooler Master’s MA824 Stealth and Noctua’s NH-D15S. In fact, the only cooler we have tested with better results in this scenario is the AK620’s sibling, DeepCool’s Assassin IV.
Many coolers run loudly in this sort of workload, but not the AK620 Digital. At 43.4 dBA here, the noise level is moderate, and amongst the quietest results we have for this test. We’ve tested a few coolers with better noise levels, but most either have worse cooling performance or a higher price tag – so we consider this to be a very good result.
175W Cinebench Results
Most coolers on the market can keep Intel’s i7-13700K under its peak temperature if the power consumption is limited. So for this test, we’ll be looking at the CPU’s actual temperature. This level of power consumption represents a moderately high workload.Many users will rarely run workloads that use more power than this.
With average temperature of 56 degrees C over ambient, DeepCool’s AK620 is the second-best result we’ve seen from any air cooler in this thermal test – trailing Noctua’s NH-D15S by only a single degree, which is basically within the general margin of error. It achieves this level of performance with a noise level just over 1dBA quieter than Noctua’s cooler, which is impressive.
125W Cinebench Results
The lowest power limit I test with Raptor Lake CPUs is 125W. This is a high enough limit to allow the CPU to maintain its base clock speeds, even in the most intensive tests. And most coolers should be capable of keeping the CPU below Tjmax – even low end coolers. This sort of power level is similar to that one would encounter in modern AAA games.
Thermal performance really isn’t a concern in these limited workloads, and as such the thermal results shown here are largely academic. That being said, with an average temperature recorded of 43 C over ambient, DeepCool’s AK620 again provides the second-strongest thermal performance we’ve seen, being beaten only by its bigger brother, the Assassin IV.
Noise levels in these lower loads are what I consider to be the important factor, and DeepCool’s AK620 doesn’t disappoint. With a measurement of 37.3 dBA, the AK620 ties with BeQuiet’s Dark Rock Pro 4 and the Assassin IV for the quietest coolers in this benchmark.
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X Thermal Results
It’s great to see how coolers perform with hotter CPUs like Intel’s i7-13700K, but that performance doesn’t always directly translate to how other CPUs will operate with the same coolers. Some coolers might perform better – or worse – depending on the CPU it’s paired with. Today’s review I’ve includes AMD’s Ryzen 7 7700X to show how coolers might respond with more commonly used CPUs.
Thermal Results with noise normalized to 36.4 dBA
In this test, I’ve set the noise levels so that total system noise doesn’t rise above 36.4 dBA. This is an extremely quiet noise level, barely perceptible to many – and DeepCool’s AK620 kills it here, getting beaten only by the bigger Assassin IV.
Maximum Cooling Capacity with maximum fan speeds
This test is the exact opposite of the previous one, where we see how a cooler handles a maximum heat workload where we let the fans run at their full speeds. Like many of our previous results, DeepCool’s AK620 has excellent performance – tied with Noctua’s NH-D15S and Cooler Master’s Hyper 622 Halo for the second-strongest results of any air cooler tested.
At 44.6 dBA, the AK620’s peak noise levels are quieter than most other air coolers of its price class, that generally range from 45-48 dBA.
Thermals and Acoustics with a 95W Power Limit
You won’t always push your CPU to its absolute limits or maximum power draw, so it’s a good idea to test coolers across different power limits. For a user of AMD’s Ryzen 7700X, 95W will represent loads more demanding than gaming, but less demanding than rendering. In these scenarios, noise levels are generally considered more important than cooling performance.
At this point in the review, you can pretty much guess the result: DeepCool’s AK620 Digital again ties with high-end coolers for the second-best thermal result we have on record. It achieves this strong level of cooling with a very low level of noise, at 40.9 dBA; the acoustics are comparable to that of a low hum.
Thermals and Acoustics with a 75W Power Limit
With power draw reduced to 75W on AMD’s Ryzen 7 7700X, this thermal load shouldn’t be difficult for most coolers. This is roughly the amount of power the Ryzen 7 7700X CPU will use during gaming, and it’s also the maximum power consumption of AMD’s non-X Ryzen 7 CPU.
In this situation, the temperature of the CPU isn’t very important – even the most basic coolers should be capable of handling the heat of a 75W power limit. It’s no surprise that DeepCool’s AK620 ties with other coolers for the best results we’ve seen in this scenario. What’s really important in a power-limited scenario like this are noise levels. And with a measurement of 37.3dBA, the AK620 runs nice and quiet.
Conclusion
DeepCool’s AK620 Digital provides the same quality performance as the previous AK620 model, but adds an LCD display that looks great and lets you monitor CPU temperature and utilization statistics. It’s nice to see a company take risks on non-traditional designs. The only downside of this model is that the added display raises the price. But for those looking for the best value, DeepCool’s non-digital AK620 remains available at a more affordable price.
