Synthetic Temperature Test Results: *Ranked according to 100W interface die test results.

FrostyTech Synthetic Temperature Test Platform Results
	Mfg.	Model	Ambient Temp.	27mm large copper block		27mm large copper block	Thermal pad	No. Fans	Fan Noise	Clip force
				50W		100W
1	AVC	117140	22.6	37.8		50.4	none	1	med	med
2	Coolermaster	IHC-H71	23.0	37.0		51.1	none	1	loud	stiff
3	Arkua	8568	22.4	37.8		51.7	none	1	med	med
4	NengTyi	XPC5000	23.8	38.4		53.9	none	1	med	loud
5	Zalman	CNPS6500-AlCu	23.1	40.3		57.4	none	1	low	easy
6	Swiftech	MCX4000	28.5	43.2		57.8	none	1	med	complex
7	Vantec	GSN-7025	22.5	41.7		58.5	none	1	med	med
8	Chauh Choung	DTA-478	22.4	42.1		59.0	carbon	1	low	med
9	Taisol	CEP426151A	24.3	43.7		59.7	none	1	med	easy
10	Intel	Socket 478	22.4	41.8		59.8	carbon	1	low	med
11	Dynatron	DC1207BMW	23.2	42.7		61.1	none	1	med	easy
12	Titan	TTC-MT3AB	22.8	41.5		61.2	none	2	loud	stiff
13	Dynatron	DC1206BM-S	22.4	43.2		62.0	none	1	med	med
14	AVC	117160	22.4	42.7		62.2	white pad	1	med	med
15	Cho-Liang	CL-CB00881	23.6	41.2		65.0	none	1	med	easy
16	Cho-Liang	CL-CB0094-1A	23.2	39.5		67.9	none	1	med	easy
17	Dynatron	DC1206BMV	23.1	45.1		68.2	none	1	low	easy
18	ChoLiang	CB0309Z17	24.3	46.7		68.6	none	1	med	stiff
19	Vantec	GSN-7015	22.4	47.5		69.0	none	1	loud	stiff
				50W		100W

Ouch. The Cho-Liang CB0309Z17 does not enter the list of reference heatsinks with any grace, coming in pretty low on the list. We will have to look at the rise above ambient temperatures to see just how this heatsink performs.

Rise Above Ambient Temp. (c)
	Mfg.	Model	27mm large copper block		27mm large copper block
			50W		100W
1	AVC	117140	15.2		27.8
2	Coolermaster	IHC-H71	14.0		28.1
3	Swiftech	MCX4000	14.7		29.3
4	Arkua	8568	15.4		29.3
5	NengTyi	XPC5000	14.6		30.1
6	Zalman	CNPS6500-AlCu	17.2		34.3
7	Taisol	CEP426151A	19.4		35.4
8	Vantec	GSN-7025	19.2		36.0
9	chauh Choung	DTA-478	19.7		36.6
10	Intel	Socket 478	19.4		37.4
11	Dynatron	DC1207BMW	19.5		37.9
12	Titan	TTC-MT3AB	18.7		38.4
13	Dynatron	DC1206BM-S	20.8		39.6
14	AVC	117160	20.3		39.8
15	Cho-Liang	CL-CB00881	18.2		41.4
16	Cho-Liang	CL-CB0309Z17	22.4		44.3
17	Cho-Liang	CL-CB0094-1A	16.3		44.7
18	Dynatron	DC1206BMV	22.0		45.1
19	Vantec	GSN-7105	25.1		46.6
			50W		100W

Compared to previous Cho-Liang heatsinks there appear to be better options than the CB0309Z17. I think the heatsink looks amazing, but the two-part design is undoubtedly playing a big part in its poor performance. The CB0309Z17 has potential, but manufacturing improvements will have to be made before its true performance can be realized. Perhaps these changes could be as simple as replacing the current anodized aluminum core with a copper cylinder, or simply assembling the entire heatsink before anodizing.

Whatever the changes, something needs to be done to improve the thermal interface between the two sections, or it needs to be removed completely. The low-to-average performance that the CB0309Z17 is currently able to produce doesn't quite seem representative of the radial design so hopefully Cho-Liang can fiddle around with things and devise a fix. For the moment however, users would be better off sticking to their current stock Intel socket 478 heatsinks.