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ThermalTake Cooler Roundup


Date
: 02/24/01 – 12:24:58 PM

Author
:

Category
: Cooling

Thermaltake Super Orb

Manufacturer: Thermaltake

Price : around $22

Kindly supplied by Thermaltake!

Thermaltake Mini Super Orb

Manufacturer: Thermaltake

Price : around $22

Kindly supplied by the Thermaltake!

Thermaltake Volcano II

Manufacturer: Thermaltake

Price : around $15

Kindly supplied by Thermaltake!

Introduction

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After doing last week’s Socket A cooler roundup with some very interesting contestants, we are bringing you another cooler shootout because a few days after completing the previous cooler test, Thermaltake send us a ‘cool’ package! Today we have some of the latest and ‘probably’ most popular Thermaltake coolers on the market, the Super Orb, the new Mini Super Orb and the Volcano II.

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Let’s see how these Thermaltakies compete with each other in our little Thermaltake Cooler Roundup…

The contestants :

• Thermaltake Super Orb
• Thermaltake Mini Super Orb
• Thermaltake Volcano II

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Just like we did last week in our Socket A cooler roundup, we will give you idle CPU temps and CPU temps under full load of each HSF. The idle temps were taken NOT right after startup but after starting up the PC AND waiting half an hour without running a single program (not even ICQ or notepad!). The temps under full load were taken after an hour of Prime95 together with RC5 to ensure that the CPU doesn’t have time to relax! We didn’t use a computer case during the tests so the measured temps may be a little lower than when you put it in a case, but still the results will give you a perfect image of what these coolers can do.

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We tested all HSFs in this review with the standard fan(s) that it is shipped with to see how good/bad these coolers perform with the fan that they are meant to work with.

Some last words before we can continue with the tests; mobo temp was around 26C at all times and the environment temperature was hovering around 19C.

Ready? … Set … GO!

The Tests

Test System :

-
AMD Duron 850 @ 1.05GHz (1.80v)

- Asus A7M266 DDR Motherboard

- 128MB OCZ Performance PC-1600 DDR SDRAM

- Creative Annihilator Pro (GeForce 256 DDR)

- WD 45GB UDMA100 7200rpm hard drive

- Windows 2000 + SP1 + 4.25a VIA drivers + 6.50 Deto drivers

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Thermaltake Super Orb

Let’s start by discussing this good ‘old’ Orb from Tt. This one has proven itself to be a hell of a cooler with great looks. The aluminum alloy heatsink, measuring 69mm x 74 mm, fits both Intel and AMD CPUs & its two fans running at 5500RPM and 5000RPM should produce a combined airflow of 21CFM! The noise level on this Super Orbs can be annoying sometimes; the top fan produces 34Dba and an airflow of 17.3CFM, the bottom fan makes a noise of 28Dba with an avarage airflow of 23CFM!

Altough this cooler makes some noise, it’s practicly silent when you compare it to a FOP38 with a Delta 7000RPM fan on it!

Installing this baby is a really piece of cake thanks to big clip which should be pushed down with your thumb. Removing the HSF is also as easy as installing it.

Performance : The Super Orb does an excellent job here. It manages to keep my overclocked Duron 850 to a pretty cool 37C at full load. Now let’s see if the new Mini Super Orb performs equal to or maybe even better than the ‘original’ Super Orb…

Thermaltake Mini Super Orb

The new Mini Super Orb has exactly the same specs as the original Super Orb except that it’s 4mm smaller than its precessor (only 65mm x 74 mm). But why make it smaller? Doesn’t a smaller heatsink result in worse cooling performance? Well, the reason why Tt made their Super Orb smaller, is because it should now fit the space limited motherboard like the Abit KT7s: the Mini Super Orb was born! Does it still have the same cooling power of the original Super Orb? Let’s have a look…

Performance : It looks like the Mini Super Orb performs just as well as the original Super Orb although it’s slightly smaller. Neat huh?!

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Thermaltake Volcano II

This brandnew Thermaltake cooler is the only non-orb HSF in our test! It’s 60x60x69 mm tall and made out of thermagon T905c interface material instead of just aluminium like the Super Orbs. The fan runs at 4500RPM and is capable of delivering a maximun airflow of no less than 36 (!!) CFM. The noise level is very acceptable with 31.5Dba; that’s only 2CFM less than the FOP38 and 15Dba
less noise. The mounting mechanism is totally different from the thumb clip on the Super Orbs. The clip has a hole to put in a screwdriver to push it down and fasten it to the socket. I know that this probably sounds pretty hard, but it’s actually almost easy as the thumb clip on the Orbs.

Performance :Woooow… I’d did not expect to see the Volcano II perform like this. It manages to keep the Duron 1C cooler than both Orbs!

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Summary

The Volcano II is definately the winner in this little Thermaltake test. I have to tell you I was really surprised to see this little cooler
perform this well against the big fat Orbs. Actually I’m still not over it yet! I mean… woooow…

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Conclusion

One conclusion has to be drawn from all this! You can’t judge a cooler unless you tried it yourself! In our test, the Volcano II performed like a real champ. It beats the Super Orbs (Super Orb – Mini Super Orb) in terms of noise level, amount of airflow, cooling power and another thing… it’s much smaller so it fits easier in those tight cases. Don’t you think I dislike the Super Orbs, because I’m not! But I have to admit that the Volcano II is just a slightly better cooler because it delivers nearly the same airflow as a GlobalWin FOP38 but it doesn’t sound like a Jetplane that’s passing by! Of course the Volcano II does not look as cool as the Orb coolers but …. you can’t have it all can you?