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
Apack	Zerotherm BTF90		21.8	12.7	52.1
Apack	Zerotherm BTF80		22.8	13.9	51.9
Akasa	AK-920	high	24.3	14.1	52.9
Thermalfly	F1-IACSHA	high	29.0	18.3	60.4
Zalman	CNPS9500 AT		29.6	17.3	53.3
Alpha Novatech	PRE9060M92P	high	29.9	18.5	51.5
Akasa	AK-961		30.0	18.7	60.7
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
Xigmatek	AIO-S80DP	high	32.4	21.4	55.0
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
Xigmatek	AIO-S80DP	low	44.3	28.0	46.9
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.

intel processors vary widely in heat output between single and multi-core processors, so we rely on two values which represent the upper limit of both existing cpu families to test thermal solutions. with a 150w heat load applied by the intel lga775 version of frostytech's synthetic thermal test platform, the Xigmatek AIO-S80DP self-contained watercooling heatsink yields a rise above ambient temperature of 32.4°C, with 55.0dBA noise. That's about middle of the road from what we've tested of socket 775 air cooled heatsinks...

When internal 80mm PWM fan speed is dropped down to about 1800RPM, temperatures rise to 44.3°C over ambient, while noise levels drop a small amount, to 46.9 dBA. When faced with a 150W heat load, the Xigmatek AIO-S80DP heatsink handles the task well at full fan speed, but the results are certainly not top of the class, nor anything more than satisfactory at the lower fan speed.

The Xigmatek AIO-S80DP heatsink was also tested with an 85W heat load. In this situation, the heatsink maintains a good 21.4°C temperature over ambient. When fan speed was reduced to test the low noise mode, the heatsink reacted in a predictable manner and CPU die temperatures rose to 28.0°C. This is a somewhat better result than what we witnessed with the 150W heat load, so perhaps that amount of heat is a bit beyond the design limits of the AIO-S80DP thermal solution?

Final thoughts: new company, new heatsink

Xigmatek have released a very well made, self-contained watercooling solution. It handles all current Intel and AMD processor sockets, it installs with custom brackets easily, it's compact, and it's easy to hook up and work with - if only more thermal solutions companies would follow this path. Noise levels from the Xigmatek AIO-S80DP are a little higher than we would have liked to have heard for a watercooling solution, but the AIO-S80DP's PWM fan should work with the motherboard BIOS to keep things in check.

Thermally, the Xigmatek AIO-S80DP heatsink is better than the stock Intel Pentium D heatsink by 1.4°C, and with a good 7 dBA more noise for its troubles. The AIO-S80DP operates best with an 85W heat load, so perhaps the heatsink is most ideally suited to Intel Core 2 Duo processors, and not those hot Core 2 Quad chips. Either way, the size of the radiators are the limiting factor here, and Xigamtek would do well to increase them to 120mm in the future.

Examining the synthetic test results on the AMD K8 front show us similiarly average thermal results; the Xigmatek AIO-S80DP is middle of the road, and stock socket 939 and AM2 heatsinks all outmatch it dramatically.

Xigmatek have a laid down a good foundation with the AIO-S80DP self-contained watercooling heatsink, but given the high MSPR and average thermal performance, there is no incentive to switch from either AMD's or Intel's stock heatsink.

Related Articles:

For more reviews on the latest heatsinks and cooling solutions, rely on FrostyTech's inventory of 350+ heatsink reviews. Here are a few other articles that you might enjoy as well...

- Cooljag OAK-H2 (JAC84MC) Radial Skived Fin Heatsink Review
- TTIC nPowerTek NPH-K8 Big Heatsink Review
- Cooljag OAK-H Radial Skived Copper Fin Heatsink Review
- TTIC nPowerTek NPH-K8 Big Heatsink Review
- Thermaltake Jungle 512 Bifurcated Fin Heatsink Review
- Akasa EVO 120 AK-920 Low Noise Heatsink Review
- Akasa AK-960E Socket 775 Heatsink Review
- Apack Zerotherm CF900 Socket 775 Heatsink Review
- Alpha Novatech PRE9060M92P Socket 775 Core 2 Duo Heatsink Review
- Zalman CNPS7700-Cu LED Low Noise Heatsink Review
- Zalman CNPS9700 LED Low Noise Heatsink Review
- nPowerTek NPH SF775-2 Radial Fin Socket 775 Heatsink Review