NZXT Havik 120
Jun 13th, 2012 | By ChrisThe following system configuration will be used to test the Havik 120’s cooling capabilities:
- ASUS P5WD2
- Intel Pentium D 925 @ 3.00GHz
- Buffalo Firestix 4x1024MB @ 800MHZ
- Powerman 300w PSU
- ATI Radeon 3850 256mb
- Western Digital 500gb
- Windows 7 Home Premium
First off, the Pentium D is outdated hardware; so why did I choose it for this test? Mainly, because it runs hot. Being a dual core CPU running at 3.00GHz, with old 65nm fabrication, heat is inevitable. Using a more modern CPU, however, would run much cooler, and the heat sinks would “catch up” so to speak, and the differing performance between them wouldn’t be as substantial.
For the test, I will have the processor idle for two hours. Once the two hours are done, I will record the temperatures of the CPU core. I will then stress the CPU with two instances of SP2004 for two hours. Temperatures will be recorded again. The Havik 120 will be tested against the following competitors:
- Evercool Transformer 3
- OCZ Vendetta 2
- OCZ Gladiator Max
- Intel Stock HSF
The ambient room temperature is 21 degrees Celsius.
Here are the results:
Under full load, the Havik yet again holds the lead by a small .3 degree margin. Nevertheless, it still stands as king, and that’s the important thing. When directly compared to Intel’s stock heat sink, the Havik stomps all over it, performance a solid 32.5 degrees cooler – a very obvious reason to upgrade from any stock cooler.
Amidst all the glory, NZXT’s Havik 120 leaves a bad impression in the acoustic department. With both fans running at a maximum of 1500 RPM, I was surprised as to how obnoxiously loud the turbulence became – assuredly louder than the advertised 22 dBa. There is usually a price to be paid, and in this situation, it’s the lack of silence for the gain of performance.