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
Thermalright (high)	SLK-900U	20.0	31.6		40.5	none	1	very loud	easy
JMC	401100	19.5	35.1		47.4	grey	1	med	easy
Zalman	CNPS7000-Cu	21.0	35.1		48.7	none	1	low	easy
Taisol	CCP445172	20.2	37.7		50.9	none	1	med	easy
AVC	117140	22.6	37.8		50.4	none	1	med	med
Coolermaster	IHC-H71	23.0	37.0		51.1	none	1	loud	stiff
Arkua	8568	22.4	37.8		51.7	none	1	med	med
Thermal Integration (high)	TI-V7035TN	20.2	38.3		52.9	none	1	very loud	easy
Dynatron	DC1206BMY	19.5	38.1		53.1	none	1	med	easy
Dynatron	DC1207BMX	20.9	38.1		53.3	none	1	med	easy
Taisol	CEP447181	24.8	39.4		53.5	white	1	med	easy
Alpha	PAL8942	27.9	42.6		54.0	none	1	med	med
Arkua	Q85X-7J	24.6	41.3		56.5	none	1	med	easy
CoolJag	JVC661A	23.2	40.5		56.7	none	1	med	easy
Spire	SP411C5	25.2	42.5		56.9	white	1	loud	easy
Zalman	CNPS6500-AlCu	23.1	40.3		57.4	none	1	low	easy
Taisol	CEP426151A	24.3	43.7		59.7	none	1	med	easy
Intel	Socket 478	22.4	41.8		59.8	carbon	1	low	med
Arkua	838T-7G	23.3	42.0		60.0	none	1	med	easy
Dynatron	DC1207BMW	23.2	42.7		61.1	none	1	med	easy
Spire	SP420B8	25.3	42.7		61.5	none	1	low	easy
Dynatron	DC1206BM-S	22.4	43.2		62.0	none	1	med	med
AVC	117160	22.4	42.7		62.2	white pad	1	med	med
Evercool	NW9F715CA	23.8	42.9		62.3	none	1	med	easy
Zalman	CNPS5700D-Cu	25.7	44.6		64.0	none	1	med	easy
Globalwin	VA476	28.7	49.5		68.0	grey	1	med	easy
Dynatron	DC1206BMV	23.1	45.1		68.2	none	1	low	easy
Vantec	GSN-7015	22.4	47.5		69.0	none	1	loud	stiff
Verax	P16	21.8	49.2		75.8	none	1	none	med
Arkua	848X-6B	27.2	54.5		80.4	none	1	low	med
Dynatron	DC1U-B02	20.9	53.8		88.3	none	1	loud	stiff
			50W		100W

The initial results peg the Arkua Q85x-7J a little higher than we would have anticipated - perhaps this little heatpipe cooler has more cooling ability than we gave it credit for. Let's find out!

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
Alpha	PAL8942	14.7		26.1
Zalman	CNPS7000-Cu	14.1		27.7
AVC	117140	15.2		27.8
JMC	401100	15.6		27.9
Coolermaster	IHC-H71	14.0		28.1
Taisol	CEP447181	14.6		28.7
Arkua	8568	15.4		29.3
Spire	SP411C5	17.3		31.7
Taisol	CCP445172	17.5		30.7
Arkua	Q85X-7J	16.7		31.9
Dynatron	DC1207BMX	17.2		32.4
Thermal Integration (high)	TI-V7035TN	18.1		32.7
Cooljag	JVC661A	17.3		33.5
Dynatron	DC1206BMY	18.6		33.6
Zalman	CNPS6500-AlCu	17.2		34.3
Taisol	CEP426151A	19.4		35.4
Spire	SP420B8	17.4		36.2
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
Evercool	NW9F715CA	19.1		38.5
Globalwin	VA476	20.8		39.3
Dynatron	DC1206BM-S	20.8		39.6
AVC	117160	20.3		39.8
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

Alright, with the final test numbers spread out like this we can see a few things more clearly. First off, the Arkua Q85X-7J is more efficient than the stock intel m478 heatsink (sub 3GHz model).

The twin heatpipes kick in to provide very good cooling ability, at a remarkably low volume of just under 50 dBA.

Sure steps were cut when it came to finishing the base nicely; its obvious that little care was taken to ensure perfect flatness, or thought given to machine the base of this heatsink. Even with those shortcomings the heatsink performs, so we're left with the question "does a perfectly flat base really matter if the thermal compound is good enough?"

It's a difficult answer in this case because the thermal numbers remain pretty good despite a sanded base finish and relatively flat base surface. In our tests we use CoolingFlow ceramic-based compound which is hardly exotic, but does the trick.

Perhaps the real effectiveness of the Arkua Q85X-7J comes down to the fact that all joints; from the base to the heatpipes, and the heatpipes to the fins are properly soldered. With a lower thermal resistance at each interface the heat that the Q85X-7J absorbs is quickly and efficiently dispersed.

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