Lord Kryo - Part 2: 24 CPU Coolers in Review

Swiftech MC462: Best Cooling Ability For Overclocking

The Swiftech MC462 is absolutely heavy. Nevertheless, it offers the best cooling in this test.

The Swiftech MC462 was originally designed for the new Intel Pentium 4. Consequently, this cooler is suitable for clock rates of up to 2000 MHz and reaches by far the best cooling results in our test among all test candidates. It was not by chance that Intel installed this cooler in a display system based on a Pentium 4 2000 MHz at the recent Developer Forum (IDF).

However, certain requirements must be met before using the Swiftech: The motherboard must have four holes in the CPU socket area so that the cooler can be screwed onto it. All boards with Socket 462 (for AMD Athlon/Duron) incorporate these holes.

The spring-loaded screws prevent too much pressure on the motherboard. The contact area to the motherboard is made from solid copper.

The thick and solid copper plate, which provides the contact to the CPU surface, contributes greatly to the total weight of 789 grams. The integrated springs provide the necessary pressure, whilst preventing damage to the processor.