FrostyTech Mk.II Synthetic Thermal Heatsink Test Results AMD Athlon64 / FX / X2 & Sempron class heatsinks Results based on readings from a 38x38mm copper interface die with 125W heat load on the K8 version of the Mk.II Test Platform. Temperature results listed for each heatsink were calculated by determining the rise over ambient temperatures at time of test. Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available here. Socket 939/940/754 & AM2 compatible CPU heatsinks
manufacturer:	model no.:	*fan speed:	125w thermal test (°c)	noise level (dba)
Thermalright	Ultra-120		12.4	53.7
Zalman	CNPS9700 LED	high	16.5	56.5
AVC	Z7U7414001 (stock AM2)	high	17.0	63.0
Noctua	NH-U12		17.5	45.4
Gigabyte	GH-PCU23-VE	high	17.5	65.6
Thermalright	Ultra-90	high	18.2	56.2
Gigabyte	G-Power Pro	high	18.6	71.9
Enzotech	Ultra-X	high	18.7	59.1
Noctua	NH-U9		18.8	58.4
Evercool	Buffalo HPEA-10025		19.5	50.2
Cooljag	Falcon 92-AL	high	19.8	52.1
Akasa	AK-876	high	20.0	48.2
Xigmatek	HDT-S963	high	20.1	50.2
Akasa	AK-920	high	20.2	52.9
Scythe	Mine Rev.B		20.4	36.8
Cooljag	Falcon 92-Cu	high	20.4	52.8
Apack	Zerotherm BTF90		20.5	52.1
Coolermaster	Hyper6	high	20.5	54.7
Asus	Arctic Square	high	20.9	38.3
Apack	Zerotherm BTF80		21.3	51.9
Thermaltake	Venus 12	high	21.7	68.1
Cooljag	SFO-Q	high	22.2	60.6
ASUS	Starice	high	22.8	67.4
Zalman	CNPS9500 AM2	high	23.0	53.2
Arctic Cooling	Freezer 64 Pro		23.2	50.9
Coolermaster	Aquagate Mini	high	23.2	59.2
Thermaltake	Polo 735	high	23.4	68.0
Cooljag	SFO-H	high	23.6	60.6
Alpha	PAL-8150		23.7	58.9
Zalman	CNPS9500 LED	high	23.8	50.3
Verax	Helado		24.3	36.3
AVC	Z7U3301001 (stock 939)	high	24.6	59.9
Zalman	CNPS8000	high	24.8	57.4
Gigabyte	3D Cooler-Ultra	high	24.8	63.0
Scythe	Kama Cross		25.1	40.0
OCZ	Tempest		26.0	51.6
Scythe	Shogun	high	26.0	45.9
Rosewill	RCX-Z2-EX	high	26.3	45.9
EKL	V8	high	26.3	57.5
Rosewill	RCX-Z3	high	26.5	58.6
Thermalfly	F1-IACSHA	high	26.6	60.4
Zalman	FS-C77		26.7	56.5
Gigabyte	3D Rocket-Pro	high	26.9	56.7
Zalman	CNPS7700-Cu	high	27.0	50.7
Gigabyte	3D Cooler-Pro	high	27.0	62.5
nPowerTek	NPH-Big K8		27.8	54.0
Akasa	AK-922 (EVObue)	high	27.9	60.3
Zalman	CNPS7700-Cu LED	high	28.1	49.8
Akasa	AK-873	high	28.2	59.2
Scythe	Katana II		28.3	37.9
Spire	SP601B3		28.3	48.9
Ajigo	MF064-074	high	28.8	60.3
Gigabyte	3D-Rocket		28.9	50.7
Vantec	Mach1	high	29.2	56.9
Thermalright	SLK-948U		29.4	58.8
CoolJag	SFO-D(18SC)		29.6	64.0
Antazone	AS-C1000		30.2	57.6
Arctic Cooling	Alpine 64		30.5	43.9
Zalman	CNPS7000A-Cu	high	30.3	45.2
Dynatron	SK-V24		30.3	56.4
Verax	Quattro 1	high	30.7	55.4
Xigmatek	AIO-S80DP	high	30.7	55.0
Zalman	CNPS7000-Cu	high	31.0	45.2
Coolermaster	Hyper48		31.7	43.6
Rosewill	RCX-Z1	high	31.9	54.1
Scythe	Kama SCKK1000		31.9	47.5
Scythe	Samurai SCSM1000	high	32.1	51.6
Zalman	CNPS7000B-CU	high	32.3	44.9
Thermaltake	Silentboost K8		32.3	49.7
Jetart	JAX801		33.2	53.5
Dynatron	A22		34.5	44.5
nPowertek	NPH K8-1		34.6	52.2
Ajigo	MF043-044 (stock 754)		35.0	45.4
Arctic Cooling	Silencer 64 Ultra TC		37.5	55.5
Gigabyte	NeonCooler 8-BL		37.7	42.0
Spire	Fourier IV SP607B3-C		38.4	60.2
Titan	TTC-K8ATB/825/SC		38.7	63.1
Akasa	AK-860SF		39.4	45.2
Evercool	K802-715		42.1	51.5
Spire	SP741B3		43.2	45.6
Arctic Cooling	Freezer 64 LP		45.3	42.6
Evercool	Magic Cooler		46.6	55.5
ASUS	Starice	low	92.4+	34.4
			125w thermal test (°c)	noise level (dba)
*heatsinks are ranked according to the 125w thermal test results column (rise over ambient temp.). low temperatures with low noise levels are considered best. for reference heatsinks with variable-speed fans, only the high speed (12v) fan test result is included in the comparison sheet; more detailed results reside in each specific heatsink review.

With a 125W heat load applied by the FrostyTech synthetic thermal test platform, the Thermalright Ultra-120 heatsink yields a rise above ambient temperature of just 12.4°C, with 53.7 dBA noise generated. The results shown here are valid only if a 120mm Martech D712025125Z2N fan is used.

The thermal performance of the Thermalright Ultra-120 heatsink is slightly better than the stock AM2 AVC Z7U7414001 heatsink (a difference of 4.6°C) and dramatically better than the stock 939 AVC Z7U3301001 heatsink (a difference of 17.2°C).

FrostyTech Mk.II Synthetic Thermal Heatsink Test Results Intel Pentium D / Extreme Edition & Quad Core class heatsinks tested at 150W Intel Core 2 Duo / Pentium 4 / Celeron class heatsinks tested at 85W Results based on readings from a 30x30mm copper interface die with 150W and 85W heat loads applied on the LGA775 version of the Mk.II Test Platform. Temperature results listed for each heatsink were calculated by determining the rise over ambient temperatures at time of test. Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available here. Socket 775 compatible CPU heatsinks
manufacturer:	model no.:	fan speed:	150w thermal test* (°c)	85w thermal test (°c)	noise level (dba)
Thermalright	Ultra 120		17.8	10.6	53.7
Zalman	CNPS9700 LED	high	19.0	10.4	56.5
Thermalright	Ultra-90	high	19.6	13.0	56.2
Enzotech	Ultra-X	high	20.0	8.5	59.1
Apack	Zerotherm BTF90		21.8	12.7	52.1
Xigmatek	HDT-S963	high	21.9	13.7	50.2
Akasa	AK-965	high	22.2	13.8	48.1
Apack	Zerotherm BTF80		22.8	13.9	51.9
Cooljag	Falcon 92-AL	high	23.2	14.2	52.1
Rosewill	RCX-Z3	high	23.3	14.0	58.6
Scythe	Mine Rev. B		23.6	15.0	36.8
Cooljag	Falcon 92-Cu	high	23.6	14.8	52.8
Akasa	AK-920	high	24.3	14.1	52.9
Asus	Arctic Square	high	24.9	14.9	44.9
Akasa	AK-922 (EVObue)	high	25.5	15.4	60.3
Thermalfly	F1-IACSHA	high	29.0	18.3	60.4
Thermalfly	I75DUB	high	29.5	16.8	68.5
Zalman	CNPS9500 AT		29.6	17.3	53.3
Alpha Novatech	PRE9060M92P	high	29.9	18.5	51.5
Scythe	Kama Cross		30.0	18.8	40.0
Akasa	AK-961		30.0	18.7	60.7
Rosewill	RCX-Z2-EX	high	30.1	18.7	45.9
nPowertek	NPH-775-1		30.1	18.8	50.1
Sunon	Waturbo		30.6	18.3	57.5
Apack	CF800	high	31.4	20.7	48.4
Thermaltake	Jungle512	high	31.6	20.4	60.8
Coolage	Frozen Orb F0-Z924AL	high	32.0	19.9	48.9
Xigmatek	AIO-S80DP	high	32.4	21.4	55.0
Scythe	Katana II		32.5	18.6	37.9
Rosewill	RCX-Z2		32.6	19.3	59.9
Zalman	CNPS7700-Cu	high	32.9	19.7	50.7
Apack	CF900	high	32.9	20.3	48.3
Evercool	PT02-9232CP		33.3	19.9	63.3
Zalman	CNPS7700-Cu LED	high	33.5	20.6	49.8
Intel	Stock Pentium D	high	33.8	20.7	47.5
nPowerTek	SF775-2	high	34.7	21.1	64.6
Akasa	AK-960E		36.1	21.4	56.3
Thermalfly	I75DUH		37.8	22.8	48.7
Cooljag	OAK-H	high	38.5	22.9	55.7
Cooljag	OAK-H2	high	38.6	24.1	55.6
LS Cable	SHS-T700		38.7	22.8	48.5
Intel	Stock Core 2 Duo		49.2	29.0	36.7
Spire	Fourier IV SP607B3-C		63.6	18.7	60.2
Cooljag	OAK-H	low	95.3	54.5	29.5
			150w thermal test (°c)	85w thermal test (°c)	noise level (dba)
*heatsinks are ranked according to the 150w thermal test results column (rise over ambient temp.). low temperatures with low noise levels are considered best. for reference heatsinks with variable-speed fans, only the high speed (12v) fan test result is included in the comparison sheet; more detailed results reside in each specific heatsink review.

the heat output from intel processors varies widely between single and multi-core processors, so frostytech tests heatsinks with two thermal values that represent the upper limits of both existing cpu families; 150w and 85w. with a 150w heat load applied by the intel lga775 version of frostytech's synthetic thermal test platform, the Thermalright Ultra-120 heatsink yielded a spectacularly low rise above ambient temperature of just 17.8°C (53.7dBA)!

Next, the Thermalright Ultra-120 heatsink was tested with an 85W heat load; akin to a Core 2 Duo processor. This resulted in a very low 10.6°C over ambient at default fan speed. Once again, the Ultra-120 heatsink posts the lowest results to date on the Intel LGA775 thermal test platform!

Ultimately this makes the Thermalright Ultra-120 heatsink the best performing AMD socket 939/AM2 & Intel socket 775 model tested to date.

However, if there is one point to remember, it is that there is no such thing as "best" when it comes to heatsink's, there is always a better solution on the horizon. Always. The Thermalright Ultra-120 retails without a fan for about $48USD ($55CDN) through such online retailers as Newegg.com.

For comparison's sake, next to the Thermalright Ultra-120 heatsink the Noctua NH-U12 heatsink is its' best competitor. The NH-U12 has a rise above ambient temperature of 17.5°C, with only 45.4 dBA noise generated. With alternative fans it is possible that we could have reduced the noise output of the Thermalright Ultra-120 heatsink further still, but obviously this would have impacted its thermal performance in tandem.

The open framework of the Thermalright Ultra-120 heatsink allows users to endlessly try different combinations of 120 mm fans with the cooler, and in this respect the Ultra-120 provides a solid thermal foundation. The Ultra-120 provides performance cooling with reasonable noise levels, and so long as your computer system can accommodate the large 160mm tall frame, you should find the Thermalright Ultra-120 heatsink an excellent choice for Intel or AMD processors.

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