(Socket A - AthlonXP) Rise Above Ambient Temp. (c)
Mfg.	Model	15mm small copper block		15mm small copper block
		50W		100W
Thermalright	SLK800	15.8		29.9
Thermalright	AX-7	15.4		30.4
Tocools	Novasonic-AlCu	17.8		32.9
Coolink	U1P2	19.8		36.1
Tocools	Novasonic	17.0		36.5
Coolermaster (high)	ASBV73U1	18.1		36.7
Thermal Integration	TI-V77L	17.9		37.1
Arkua	628	18.2		38.4
Gigabyte (high)	3DCooler-pro	20.5		39.4
Sibak	AC02625B	35.8		41.5
Gigabyte (high)	PCU31-VH	20.4		41.9
Thermalright	SLK-900A	23.4		44.9
Sibak	AC06725TH	23.7		45.2
Coolermaster	HHC-001	23.1		46.4
Jetart	JAKS29	25.2		46.8
Thermal Integration	TI-A8641L	22.1		47.7
AVC	Tundra2	26.5		49.1
Gigabyte (low)	3DCooler-pro	26.4		49.1
Thermaltake	Silent Boost	24.6		50.3
Gigabyte (low)	PCU31-VH	26.0		50.3
Evercool	CUF715	25.0		51.1
Aopen	ACK7L	26.0		51.8
Thermalright	SK-7	22.8		52.1
Coolermaster	HSC-V62	31.4		53.1
Zalman	CNPS6000-Cu	29.0		53.4
Scythe	Kamakaze	27.2		53.6
Spire	5F263	29.2		53.6
Taisol	CGK760092	37.8		54.1
AVC	112AM1	28.1		54.8
Arkua	728M-7N01	27.0		55.0
Titan	TTC-CU9TB/SC	28.6		57.5
Thermalright	SK6+	30.7		58.7
Taisol	CEK787172	32.0		60.5
Titan	D9TBCu35R1	31.7		61.5
nPowertek	TTIC NPH-2	30.0		61.9
Verax	P14Cu	31.9		63.2
Spire	5U213C1H3G	34.6		63.5
Spire	SPA04B4	33.6		65.1
ArcticCooling	CuSilent2	37.0		66.6
Akasa	AK821	34.5		70.5
Verax	P11T	43.6		76.6
		50W		100W

The AthlonXP does not use a heatspreader, and so a significantly smaller surface area is in direct contact with the base of any heatsink. In this example, the 3Dcooler-Ultra really seems to be limited by the surface area it is in contact with. There is virutally no benefit between the copper-based Gigabyte 3Dcooler-Ultra heatsink, and aluminum 3Dcooler-pro model. While the results show the 3Dcooler-pro running a little cooler, the difference is so small, that the two heatsinks are basically performing identically.

The Gigabyte 3DCooler-Ultra really is best suited to the Pentium 4 or Athlon64 processor, but should you be running the K7, I think you'll find this heatsink makes for a respectable low noise heatsink - assuming of course the fan is running at the quietest minimum speed (2000RPM).

( Socket 478 - Pentium4 ) Rise Above Ambient Temp. (c)
Mfg.	Model	27mm large copper block		27mm large copper block
		50W		100W
Thermalright (high)	SLK-900U	11.6		20.5
Cooljag (high)	CJC66IC-A	10.4		21.3
Gigabyte (high)	PCU31-VH	12.5		22.3
Zalman	CNPS7000A-Cu	12.4		24.9
Thermal Integration	TI-RV104N	14.4		25.4
Alpha	PAL8942	14.7		26.1
Gigabyte (high)	3DCooler-pro	15.6		26.6
Zalman	CNPS7000-Cu	14.1		27.7
AVC	117140	15.2		27.8
JMC	401100	15.6		27.9
Coolermaster (high)	Jet4	12.6		28.1
Coolermaster	IHC-H71	14.0		28.1
Taisol	CEP447181	14.6		28.7
Jetart	JAP416A	11.8		29.1
Thermal Integration	TI-A8736N	12.4		29.1
Arkua	8568	15.4		29.3
Intel	Stock 3.06GHz	15.0		30.1
Jetart	JAP407A	13.8		30.2
Taisol	CCP445172	17.5		30.7
Thermal Integration	TI-RV108N	15.9		31.7
Spire	SP411C5	17.3		31.7
Arkua	Q85X-7J	16.7		31.9
Dynatron	DC1207BMX	17.2		32.4
Thermal Integration (high)	TI-V7035TN	18.1		32.7
Coolermaster (low)	Jet4	16.6		33.2
Cooljag	JVC661A	17.3		33.5
TS Heatronics (6" fan dist)	NCU-1000	15.6		33.6
Dynatron	DC1206BMY	18.6		33.6
Scythe	Kamakaze	18.9		34.1
Zalman	CNPS6500-AlCu	17.2		34.3
Taisol	CEP426151A	19.4		35.4
Spire	SP420B8	17.4		36.2
Arkua	8456X-8T	18.6		36.3
Arkua	838T-7G	18.7		36.7
Intel	Socket 478	19.4		37.4
Dynatron	DC1207BMW	19.5		37.9
Zalman	CNPS5700D-Cu	18.9		38.3
Titan	CW9TB/SC	18.9		38.3
Evercool	NW9F715CA	19.1		38.5
Gigabyte (low)	PCU31-VH	19.1		38.7
Aopen	ACP4LC	17.9		38.8
Globalwin	VA476	20.8		39.3
Dynatron	DC1206BM-S	20.8		39.6
AVC	117160	20.3		39.8
Evercool	CUW8-715	21.8		40.8
Gigabyte (low)	3DCooler-pro	21.8		41.5
Arctic Cooling	SuperSilent4 Pro	21.7		43.0
Dynatron	DC1206BMV	22.0		45.1
Vantec	GSN-7105	25.1		46.6
Arkua	848X-6B	27.3		53.2
Verax	P16	27.4		54.0
Dynatron	DC1U-B02	32.9		67.4
		50W		100W

On the Intel Pentium 4 socket 478 synthetic temperature test platform the final rise above ambient temperature results really speak for themselves; with the fan speed turned up, the Gigabyte 3Dcooler-Ultra PCU31-VH simply excels! Obviously, the design of this heatsink is geared towards larger heatspreader-capped processors, and in the case of the Pentium 4, the 3Dcooler-Ultra is able to outperform the 3Dcooler-Pro, and still come within the top five heatsinks of this reference list.

There are very few heatsinks which can mange such impressive cooling results, and given that Gigabyte are a brand new heatsink manufacturer, that certainly says plenty. The price for the 3Dcooler-pro model is about $50USD right now, so I would expect the 3Dcooler-Ultra to run in the $60USD region.

Silent cooling is still more popular than ever, and in that respect the 3Dcooler-Ultra again manages to increase its thermal performance over that of the aluminum-finned 3Dcooler-pro. The PCU31-VH is not the best low noise heatsink, Zalman's CNPS7000A-Cu currently holds that distinction, but it isn't all that bad either. Obviously, adjusting the 3Dcooler-Ultra's fan speed will net you results somewhere in between those we have illustrated.

One thing I can't over state is that the Gigabyte 3DCooler-Ultra is really best suited to the larger heatspreader-capped processors like the Athlon64 and Pentium4. It will still work nicely with an AthlonXP, but it won't deliver the same calibre of thermal performance.

If you are looking to upgrade from one platform in the near future, an all-in-one heatsink such as the 3Dcooler-Ultra is a good option for obvious reasons. Remembering the performance highs and lows of the Gigabyte 3DCooler-Ultra PCU31-VH heatsink, I think it is safe to end off on this point; the PCU31-VH is a damn fine high performance Pentium 4 heatsink when running at ear shattering RPM! Overclockers... start your computers!

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Here are a few other articles that you might enjoy as well...

1. Thermaltake Silent Boost A1889-01 Copper Heatsink
2. Tocools Novasonic-AlCu Heatsink Review
3. Thermalright SLK-900A Copper Heatsink Review
4. Scythe Kamakaze AthlonXP / Pentium 4 Heatsink Review
5. Thermal Integration TI-RV108N Pentium 4 Heatsink
6. Cooljag CJC66IC-A Copper Pentium 4 Heatsink Review
7. Thermal Integration TI-A8641L Heatsink Review