A Comparison of 34 Coolers for the AMD Athlon XP

Coolermaster CP5-7JD1B-0L & HAC-V81-X-Dream

For the test, Coolermaster provided the CP5-7JD1B-0L, a very quiet cooler, and the HAC-V81-X-Dream, a cooler that comes with a rotary potentiometer, allowing you to adjust the ventilator speed.

Quiet As A Whisper: Coolermaster CP5-7JD1B-0L

One of the most striking features of the CP5-7JDB1B-0L is its inconspicuousness as far as the noise level during operation is concerned. The phonometer displayed a mere 39 dB(A), making the CP5-7JDB1B-0L one of the quietest coolers tested.

This good specification value is thanks to a ventilator operating at only 2400 rpm. The heat sink is made of aluminum. The contact surface to the CPU is made up of a solid copper plate fixed to the heat sink profile with four screws.

To enable better thermal conduction, there is a layer of thermal paste between the plate and the heat sink. Logically, as the ventilator is so slow and hence extremely quiet, it has a lower cooling capacity. The maximum die temperature was measured at 61°C; the thermal resistance stood at 0.54 °C/W. An Athlon XP 2400+ still feels at ease beneath this cooler. The triple clip, while making this cooler more difficult to install than the X-Dream, serves its purpose.