FrostyTech.com Mk.II Synthetic Thermal Heatsink Test Results Results based on readings from a 38x38mm copper interface die with 125W heat load on the Mk.II Test Platform. Thermal Test values for each heatsink were calculated by determining the rise over ambient temperature at time of test. Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available here. Socket 939/940/754 compatible CPU heatsinks
Manufacturer:	Model No.:	*Fan Speed:	125W Thermal Test (°C)	Noise Level (dBA)
Thermalright	Ultra-120		12.4	53.7
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
Gigabyte	G-Power Pro	high	18.6	71.9
Noctua	NH-U9		18.8	58.4
Apack	Zerotherm BTF90		20.5	52.1
Coolermaster	Hyper6	high	20.5	54.7
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
Gigabyte	G-Power Pro	low	23.5	50.9
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
OCZ	Tempest		26.0	51.6
Scythe	Shogun	high	26.0	45.9
EKL	V8	high	26.3	57.5
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
Gigabyte	GH-PCU23-VE	low	28.3	44.9
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
AVC	Z7U7414001 (stock AM2)	low	29.6	48.1
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
Zalman	CNPS7000-Cu	high	31.0	45.2
Coolermaster	Hyper48		31.7	43.6
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
Gigabyte	3D Cooler-Ultra	low	35.2	42.8
Gigabyte	3D Rocket-Pro	low	36.6	43.8
Arctic Cooling	Silencer 64 Ultra TC		37.5	55.5
Gigabyte	NeonCooler 8-BL		37.7	42.0
Titan	TTC-K8ATB/825/SC		38.7	63.1
Evercool	K802-715		42.1	51.5
Gigabyte	3D Cooler-Pro	low	42.4	38.8
Spire	SP741B3		43.2	45.6
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 Gigabyte 3D Rocket II GH-PCU23-VE heatsink yields a nice rise above ambient temperature at the slowest fan speed of 28.32°C, with 44.9 dBA noise. When the 3D Rocket II's fan speed is kicked into full gear (3000RPM), the unit posts excellent thermal results tempered only by a staggering 65.6 dBA noise level... While this amount of noise is certainly going to be hard to accept with the fan at full speed, the rise above ambient temperature of 17.5°C is impressive.

Compared the reference socket 939 and socket AM2 AMD heatsinks, like the AVC Z7U7414001, the Gigabyte 3D Rocket II GH-PCU23-VE heatsink offers very similar performance qualities at full speed.Where noise becomes the limiting factor, the stock AMD cooler isn't quite up to the same level as the GH-PCU23-VE with its fan spinning at a more conservative 1500RPM. The difference in rise above ambient temperature between the two is on the order of a degree, noise about 4 dBA according to our real world measurements.

While Gigabyte has improved on its past family of 3D Rocket heatsinks, the 3D Rocket II heatsink faces some stiff competition from large coolers like the Thermalright Ultra 120 and Noctua NH-U12 - both of which perform at essentially the same upper thermal level, but significantly quieter.

The included glowy rubber bands are entirely superfluous accessories for the Gigabyte GH-PCU23-VE 3D Rocket II heatsink, but in many other respects it is reassuring to see Gigabyte refine this design with each successive generation. As an overclockers heatsink the 3D Rocket II GH-PCU23-VE handles the task very well, so long as 65 dBA noise levels are acceptable. As a low noise cooler the 3D Rocket II operates with among the lowest temperature result for an output of 44.9 dBA, save for the Scythe Shogun and in particular the Noctua NH-U12 heatsink which posts a rise above ambient temperature of 17.5°C, for 45.4 dBA noise.

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