The Heatsink Fan:
The Akasa AK-960E's 97x97x25mm PWM fan spins at a speed of 500-3000RPM when controlled by the computer's BIOS, producing as much as 56.3 dBA according to our measurements. The lack of any fan guard presents a challenge for systems with many loose wires dangling around inside the case. The fan draws power from a 4-pin PWM fan header, but is also compatible with 3-pin power connectors. The fan defaults to 3000RPM if the PWM signal is absent.

Heatsink Top:
With the fan removed from the center of the Akasa AK-960E heatsink, the construction of this heatsink becomes clear. The three 6mm diameter heatpipes overlap the base of the cooler completely so as much heat as possible is absorbed at the source. The heatpipes fan out to transfer the heat to different sections of the 0.3mm thin aluminum fins. The two outer heatpipes overlap areas which generally get the most airflow from the fan itself. The center heatpipe is half covered and half exposed to airflow from the fan. Each fin is spaced 1.2mm from the next, for what is a very wide fin pitch. The copper heatpipes are soldered directly to the forged copper base, but not the fins.

Heatsink Side A:
The body of the Akasa AK-960E heatsink stands 40mm tall, and the heatsink has an overall height of ~70mm. The copper base appears to be ~3mm thick, and it is soldered to each of the three copper heatpipes. Note the side vents in the fan's impeller housing - these have been said to help reduce fan turbulence and noise production.

Heatsink Side B:
From the side we can see the Akasa AK-960E heatsink is composed of aluminum fins measuring 93x38mm on average. The three heatpipes reach out from the base where they are closely located, and spread out through the body of the cooling fins to evenly distribute the heat. The sides of the plastic fan frame are set at an angle, and are vented. Joints between the copper heatpipes and aluminum fins do not appear to be soldered, or have any thermal joint enhancing compounds applied. The plastic clips lock directly into the 4mm motherboard mounting holes which surround the LGA775 processor socket. To release the heatsink from the board, the black portion of the clip is rotated 90 degrees and pulled upwards. The heatsink then pulls free of the board.

Heatsink Base:
The copper base of the Akasa AK-960E heatsink measures 35 x 35mm in size. The heatsink comes with a pre-applied swatch of "hi-grade" Akasa AK-460 thermal compound already on it, so installation can progress quickly. The copper base plate is pretty flat, and has a sanded finish. Surface roughness is on the order of ~63 microinches, which is considered satisfactory. The three 6mm diameter copper heatpipes are soldered to the base, but there are only compression joints between the heatpipes and aluminum fins.