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Dr.Thermal TI-V77 Heatsink


Date
: 01/15/02 – 12:20:20 AM

Author
:

Category
: Cooling

Page 1 : Introduction

Manufacturer: Thermal Integration Technology Inc.
Price: $24.99 @ Plycon

Introduction

It's been a while since we had a CPU cooler on the torture bench here at Overclockers Online. But today is the big day because … we're back! Not with a huge motherboard review or a videcard shootout (Tim and I still have our mid-terms), but with a quick look at a cooler we received from Plycon a while ago. So which one is it today? Well, it's a CPU cooler that might look kind of familiar to you. I'm talking about the Dr. Thermal TI-V77 from Thermal Integration Tech Inc..

Although this company still is a new kid on the block, it has managed to manufacture a CPU cooler with some impressive specifications like a sweet design, a 70mm fan, an innovative retention clip, a copper insert and much more … Got your attention yet? ;)

Testing Method

Here's how we test all heatsinks @ O² … We tested each heatsink for about an hour with RC5 and Prime95 running together with other common used software like email, ICQ and stuff. RC5 and Prime95 is used to max out the CPU power and to let the CPU generate as much heat as possible. After an hour, we measured the temperature with that little program called Motherboard Monitor. (Check out our downloads page for links to these proggies) The next step is to turn off all the programs that were running during the stress test and see how the temperature evolves after about half an hour. That's when we measure the idle temps. I'd like to note that the sidepanels of our testrig were removed and that and no additional case cooling was turned on. By the way … this is how we always test the HSF's around here so we can compare results from various heatsinks. Ambient temps were around 20-21°C …

Page 2 : Specifications

Specifications

Here's a quick overview of the specifications :

HSF Dimensions : 74mm x 74.5mm x 47.2mm  
Weight :  276.5g
Fan Dimensions : 70mm x 70mm x 15mm  
Bearing System : Ball bearing  
Rated Voltage : DC 12V  
Speed : 5000 RPM ±5%  
Noise Level : 42.5 dBA  
Air Delivery : 38 CFM  
Heat Sink Dimensions : 70mm x 70mm x 25.7mm  
Heat Sink Material : Aluminum Alloy with Copper insert
Clip Attachment Force : 19.5lbs ±3  
Material : Phase Change  
Thermal Resistance : 0.03°C-in2/Watt@50ps

Detailed Specs

Now that you had your quick look at the specifications, let's zoom in on the cooler a little more. Let's start with the fan, shall we?

The fan measures 70mm x 70mm x 15mm and is about 10mm bigger than most other fans (60mm fans) you see on the avarage CPU cooler. Everyone who thinks this 70mm Y.S.Tech spins at a lower RPM than an avarage 60mm fan just because it's bigger, is just wrong as hell! The 70mm fan on the TI-V77 spins at no less than 5000 RPM according to the specs. We found out that the Y.S.Tech fan runs even 500RPM faster than the specs. The fan delivers about 38CFM of airflow which is about the same amount as a screaming loud 60mm fan. The 70mm fan is not what I would like to call a quiet fan, but it isn't a loud one either. If you are used to the noise of a screaming 7k RPM Delta fan, you probably won't even notice the 70mm Y.S.Tech fan when it is spinning. But on the other hand, when you're upgrading from a stock P3 cooler or something similar, the 42.5 dBA may sound pretty loud. The bad thing about the fan is that it doesn't come with a fan bracket to prevent those sliced fingers. Finding a 70mm fan bracket all by yourself isn't exactly what I would call an easy task either. I wonder if it even excists in the stores? On last remark about the fan is that it has a 3-pin connector which allows you to power the fan by connecting it to the motherboard. The 3-pin connecor also has a yellow wire so you're able to monitor the fan at any time. Now let's move onto the heatsink …

The 74mm x 74.5mm x 47.2mm heatsink of the Dr. Thermal TI-V77 is divided into 4 parts. Each part/side has 15 curved fins and each fin has a different length. The fins are mounted around the copper core of the heatsink. This copper core measures about 20mm in diameter and goes from the top all the way down to the bottom of the heatsink. And how about the quality of the copper insert you might ask? Well, I have to admit that it looks very smooth. Although we couldn't use it as a mirror, it sure looks more solid than some other more expensive coolers I've seen around. Nevertheless, there is one huge remark about the copper base of our Dr.Thermal. Because the copper insert is completely centered on the heatsink, the core of the CPU doesn't make 100% contact with the copper on the cooler. Combine this issue with the fact that the copper insert is slightly raised compared to the aluminum part of the heatsink, and you become a major error in Thermal-Integration's design.

What does this heatsink remind you off? Right! The Thermosonic ThermoEngine which was the topic of discussing around this time last year. Remember the two versions? The one with a hollow core and the other one with the solid core? Well, to prove to you that the Dr.Thermal TI-V77 HSF we're discussing today is merely a improved version of the ThermoEngine, I want to show you the comparison between some Dr.Thermal specs and the ThermoEngine specs …

The original ThermoEngine measures 63mmx63mmx58mm in total and weighs only 258gr. (that's only 1/2 pound). The 60mmx60mmx10mm fan is very flat and runs at 5100RPM. It's capable of delivering 16.3cfm of air and is extremely quiet! (only 35.7dBA). Remember those of the Dr.Thermal? Not exactly a match with these specs huh.

Conclusion : The Dr.Thermal is bigger than the ThermoEngine, it has a better and larger fan, a heatsink with copper base, etc. The Dr.Thermal TI-V77 HSF, a souped-up ThermoEngine or nothing more/less than a kick-ass new cooler? It's your pick ;)

Page 3 : Installation & Removal

Installing & Removing

Installing this Dr.Thermal HSF is 'slightly' different from what you are used to. Now, don't you think this cooler comes with a completely new way of attaching the heatsink on the CPU! Because that's not the case. What I mean by the minor difference compared to an ordinary heatsink is that the Dr.Thermal uses a lever to tighten the clips onto the socket. Here's how it goes … You simply put the CPU on top of the core and see that the clips are aligned with the socket of the motherboard. Then the time has come to press down the lever of the cooler and you'll notice that the clips close around the pins of the socket and your Dr.Thermal is secured. Is this great or what? ;)

To remove the cooler from the CPU, just pull the lever back up and the clips around the heatsink will open up. Some say the cooler can now be removed from the CPU/socket. Well, I sure couldn't do this! I had to push the clip away from the socket with a screwdriver first before I was able to remove it from the CPU. How well, nevermind that little problem. The point is that this clip design is really clever! Good thinking, Thermal-Integration!

Let's check out how this baby handles a hot and excited AMD Athlon 1GHz CPU overclocked to 1.4GHz (the fastest Tbird around)!

Page 4 : Testing

Testing

Test System :

- AOpen HQ45 Case (sidepanels removed)
- AMD Athlon Tbird 1GHz @ 1.4GHz (1.75v)
- Vantec 6027D Heatsink
- TS ThermoEngine Heatsink
- Tt Volcano 7 Heatsink
- Swiftech MCXC-370 Heatsink
- Swiftech MCX-462 Heatsink
- Thermal-Integration Dr.Thermal TI-V77 Heatsink
- IWill KK266plus-R Mainboard
- 384MB OCZ Performance Max SDRAM
- Inno3D GeForce2 Ti Video card
- IBM 20GB UDMA100 7200rpm hard drive
- Windows XP Professional + VIA 4in1 4.35

The TIM was removed from the copper base and replaced with thermal grease

Look at the results folks. Don't these charts speak for themselves? Well, I guess so. Although the Dr.Thermal isn't the fastest cooler we have in our lab, it sure doesn't have to be scared of the top performing heatsinks like a Swiftech MCXC-370 or a MCX-462. Because of the fact that not all the copper touches the core of our Tbird, I was quite surprised when I first saw these readings ;) I mean, 44°C isn't bad at all for a $25 cooler!

Page 5 : Conclusion

Conclusion

Good

- Sweet & safe clipping mechanism
- Good cooling
- Good value for money
- Not too loud
- Easy installation

Bad

- Copper insert doesn't touch the CPU core properly
- No fan bracket
- Removing the heatsink from the CPU can be difficult

I certainly have no problem with recommending this Dr.Thermal TI-V77 to anyone who is in need of a good all-round CPU cooler. The cooler fits on every CPU except for the Intel P4s (What a shame). With a pricetag of only $25, this HSF will not only provide its buyers with some good cooling performance at a relatively low noise level but it also includes a superb mounting mechanism and the nice ThermoEngine look. The Dr.Thermal HSF is shipped in a solid box with the words "Designed For Overclocking" written on the side of it. I very much doubt that it will let you overclock as well as a high performance Swiftech or Alpha CPU cooler, but with a pricetag like this one, noone should even think about complaining. Too bad the base plate has the little issue we discussed on the specifications page, otherwise the Dr.Thermal might just perform even better. We will have soon a full 10-way HSF shootout here at Overclockers Online. This shootout will include the lastest and most wanted CPU coolers money can buy these days, so stay tuned for more cooler action!

Thanks to Plycon for supplying us with this CPU cooler!