Benchmark System
Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Despite their size differences, all three of the models we tested are able to keep AMD's FX-8350 cool at stock clock rates. The two larger coolers will participate in a second round of benchmarking with an overclocked processor for a chance to qualify for a place in our separate Overclocking Charts.
| Benchmark System CPU Cooling, Normal And Overclocked | |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD FX-8350 (Vishera) 4M/8T, 8 MB Shared L3 Cache, 4 GHz Base Clock Rate, 4.2 GHz Maximum Turbo Core |
| AMD FX-8350 (Vishera) All Cores at 4.4 GHz using 1.4325 V | |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte 990FXA-UD7, Socket AM3, 990FX North Bridge, SB950 South Bridge, BIOS F10 |
| System Memory | 1 x 4 GB G.Skill DDR3-1333 CL9 |
| Graphics Card | XFX Radeon HD 5450 (Passive) |
| System SSD | 60 GB Kingston SSDNow V+ 200 |
| Power Supply | 1000 W Xilence XQ Series Platinum R4 (Semi-Passive) |
| Case | Cooler Master CM Storm Stryker |
| Case Fans Front and Back: 1000 RPM | |
| Case Fan Top: 900 RPM | |
| Other | Aqua Computer Aquaero 5 LT (Firmware 1027) |
| Arctic Cooling MX-4 (Thermal Paste) | |
| Operating System | Windows 8 Pro 64-Bit (Version: May 2013) |
The processor’s temperature is measured after loading (and heating) it up for 60 minutes using Prime95 with user-defined settings. Theose thermals are logged for 10 minutes, and the results are averaged. This is more accurate than just measuring at one specific point in time. It should be noted that the processor’s temperature sensors only provide whole numbers, which makes the results a bit less precise than if we had a tenths or hundredths place.
Noise levels are measured with an open case from a distance of 30 cm at a 90-degree angle to the CPU cooler and at the level of the middle of the CPU cooler’s fan. Don’t be alarmed if the numbers seem high; they would be lower in a closed case. Measuring the noise level this way gives us more precise numbers due to reduced interference from ambient noise.