Spire 5F271B1L3 Heatsink From All Angles
	The Fan: Rotating at just 2300RPM, the 80mm fan you see on top of the FalconRock II is equipped with a cast aluminum frame, and plastic impeller. Why aluminum was chosen is beyond me - there is no benefit to using that material for the fan casing except for added durability. The fan grill is a useful addition and protects the large intake from errant wires and power connectors. The fan draws power from a three-pin motherboard fan header.
	Heatsink Top: A single slice is cut through the center of the heatsink for the fan clip. There are four additional, smaller cuts to help with exhaust air escaping from the heatsink. Oddly, the peak in the center of the heatsink does not correspond with the location the heatsink mounts onto the processor core. A small spring retainer keeps the clip from floating up and out of the heatsink.
	Side A: An aluminum fan mounted to an aluminum heatsink is pretty unique. The large screws hold the fan firmly in place, and since it rotates at a relatively low RPM there isn't much noise at all. The fan is suspended a few millimeters above the tips of the fins to promote better airflow. The base is 6mm thick at the edges, and rises to 13mm thick at the center. The fins of the heatsink are 1mm thick and spaced 2mm apart.
	Side B: The upper portion of the Spire 5F271B1L3 measures 80mm in size, but to fit on the motherboard the manufacturer has had to squeeze the base down to 60mm is size. To do achieve this the base tapers in, and the fins are cut in a curved fashion. This makes the FalconRock II compatible with even the most crowded motherboard out there. The outside scalping of the fins is more for gripping than it is for any one thermal advantage.
	Heatsink Base: The base is excellently finished and machined perfectly flat. The small 30mm diameter copper disc is set into the base nicely, but we have no data on how thick the copper actually is. A small patch of white silicon thermal compound comes pre-applied to the base which means installation is a snap. Curiously, the copper is centered on the heatsink instead of being centered around where the processor will actually make contact with the metal.