Print this article

Titan Cool Idol (TTC-NK75TZ)


Date
: 01/25/09 – 05:20:11 AM

Author
:

Category
: Cooling

Page 1 : Index

Manufacturer
: Titan Technology

With over 17 years of experience in the computer cooling industry, Taiwan-based Titan is no newcomer to Overclockers Online. We have reviewed several of their unique products before and were usually very pleased. However, this time, we don't have a unique product.

I looked at the heatpipe-equipped Evercool Transformer 6 a little bit back and today, we have the exact same cooler except it is called the
Titan Cool Idol
. Confused? Me too, but I presume both Evercool and Titan got the cooler from a generic source and then rebranded it.

Page 2 : Package

The Cool Idol comes in a cube-like package with a purple theme. It features a carrying handle at the top and the front face shows off several of the cooler's features.

Installation graphics, specifications, and compatibility information can also be found on the outside of the box. LGA775 and AM2/754/939/940 are supported.

Descriptions of several features can be found on another side. The Cool Idol includes a tube of Titan's own Royal Grease thermal compound.

On yet another side of the box, we have a graph comparing the Titan Cool Idol to an Intel cooler, showing the Cool Idol as being quieter and higher performing. More compatibility information is here and there are more descriptions in 8 different languages.

Before opening up the package, let us take a look at the features and specifications.

Page 3 : Features & Specifications

I went to Titan's webpage for the Cool Idol, identified as ‘TTC-NK75TZ(RB)’, to get all the information.

Here are the features:

Compatibility information:

Specifications:

Based on the specifications, the fan should be relatively quiet at low speeds (at 800 RPM, 17 dBA) but loud at the high speeds (2200 RPM, 39 dBA). The Cool Idol has an advantage over its twin, the Evercool Transformer 6, in that this fan is adjustable from 800 to 2200 RPM while the Transformer's fan was only adjustable between 1200 and 1800 RPM. It has a lifetime (I'm assuming MTBF) of 60,000 hours which is a little less than 7 years.

Let's move on to the contents.

Page 4 : Package Contents

The packaging is impeccable, with a lot of protection for the heatsink. A plastic frame holds all the contents in securely.

It holds the heatsink and fan in it while the mounting hardware is packaged in a separate box which has graphics to show its contents.

Starting from the top of the cooler, we can see the 120mm fan. Unlike the Evercool Transformer 6, the Cool Idol has a grill covering the fan. A nice touch, also seen on the Transformer, is that the fan is mounted to the fins using rubber posts to minimize vibrations. The cable is sleeved and is terminated in a 3-pin connector.

Titan has put their personal touch on the cooler with a black matte finish around the edges. Also, the Titan and Cool Idol logos are set off well against the dark finish.

The other sides show off the copper heatpipes – four on one side and two on the other.

Based on the bottom views of the heatsink, we can see that it consists of two distinct sections. Two of the heatpipes go into the smaller bottom set of fins while the remaining four heatpipes are attached to the larger hood-shaped set of fins on top.

Turning the cooler over, we can remove the plastic protection from the heatsink's copper base. The heatpipes are sandwiched between the copper base and another aluminum block. It does not have a true mirror finish but is very flat.

Note that the fins do not make any contact with the base. All heat must travel through the heatpipes in order to reach the fins.

Page 5 : Installation

I'll be installing the Titan Cool Idol on my Biostar TF7150U-M7 motherboard, which has an LGA775 socket.

As with most heatsinks, you are going to have to remove your motherboard from the case to install. With the CPU installed and locked, use some of the included Titan Royal Grease thermal compound.

Remove the protective plastic from the heatsink's base and then align the cooler over the CPU in the orientation you prefer (or one that allows the fins to clear other components). Then use the base to spread the thermal paste around.

Now, flip the motherboard over while holding down the heatsink in place and use the included mounting hardware and screws to secure the heatsink to the motherboard.

I had clearance issues in all positions but one. Even the final position I chose had a slight problem with the heatpipes bumping into the motherboard's chipset heatsink.

Overall, the cooler looks nice when installed. The overhang covers a lot of components and should, in theory, provide cooling to them. It is, however, a bit heavy.

The in-line fan speed controller is attached to a PCI bracket so that you can control the speed from outside the computer.

Let's continue to testing.

Page 6 : Testing & Performance

I will be measuring the CPU temperature at both stock and overclocked speeds and at the lowest and highest fan speeds. Temperature measurements were taken using Lavalys Everest Home Edition 2.20. Idle measurements were taken with the computer idling at the desktop for 2 hours and no CPU or hard drive intensive programs, such as antivirus software, running. Load temperatures for the CPU were taken while running SP2004 Orthos for 2 hours three times and taking the average.

The ambient temperature was about 25ºC throughout all the tests.

First up we have the CPU temperatures at 1.86 GHz.

The Cool Idol edges out the Intel stock cooler but by nowhere near the amount described in the product packaging. Even with the fan speed set to the lowest position, it outperforms the stock cooler. At the high fan speed, the cooling is slightly better. It is neck and neck with the Evercool Transformer 6, meaning our testing methodology is pretty controlled since the Cool Idol and Transformer are essentially the same cooler.

With the processor overclocked to 2.33 GHz, we see some interesting results in the load temperature measurements. Changing the fan speed makes almost no difference for the Titan Cool Idol's temperatures. Once again, it outperforms the Intel stock cooler.

With the fan speed at the lowest setting (800 RPM, 17 dBA), the Cool Idol is essentially silent. At the highest speed (2200 RPM, 39 dBA), the fan exhibits a loud whine. As compared to the Transformer 6, the lowest setting on the Cool Idol is quieter but at the same time, the highest setting is much louder.

Since the cooler exhibited no major difference in CPU temperature between the highest and lowest setting, I would run the fan closer to the lower end of the scale. However, if noise is not an issue, it is probably more beneficial to run it at the highest setting. Either way, the choice is yours.

Page 7 : Conclusion

I have the same gripes with the Titan Cool Idol that I do with the Evercool Transformer 6. It seems that every heatsink out there is based on heatpipes and in this case, we have six of them! Though heatpipes are excellent ways to transfer heat, it is actually the job of the fins to dissipate it away from the cooler and ultimately, the CPU. I am not entirely convinced that the fin design of this cooler results in efficient cooling. Based on the tests, it was slightly better than Intel's stock cooler but not by much. Given the large size of the cooler, I would have expected a larger airflow cross section through the fins. Also, a cross-flow orientation would have been more efficient instead of blowing the heat back down towards other components.

However, disregarding the performance aspects, the cooler looks elegant albeit somewhat large, asymmetrical and unbalanced. The finish looks nice, installation is extremely easy, and even the fan wire is sleeved.

All things considered, given the choice between this and the Evercool Transformer 6, I would take the Titan Cool Idol because of its slightly better performance, more adjustable fan, and other minor details mentioned earlier in the review.

Advantages:

• Better-than-stock performance

• Easy installation
• Good overall package

Disadvantages:

[ul]

• Design could be improved for better performance[/list]

  Overclockers Online would like to thank Titan Technology for making this review possible.