Acoustic Samples: Listen to this
Heatsink!
With a 92mm Zalman PS92252H fan cooling the Thermalright Ultra 90 heatsink, noise
levels remain moderate. Of course, the beauty of this heatsink is that you can install the
fan of
your choice. With this fan the heatsink generates less than 57dBA at full tilt. Some users
may find this Zalman fan too loud for their taste, but it forms a good reference
point and you can always select a quieter fan yourself. To listen to this heatsink in
operation, be sure to click on the little headphones icon below and play the
sample MP3 files.
frostytech acoustic sampling chamber - full speed |
|
standard waveform view of a 10 second recording.
click on the headphones icon to
listen
to an mp3 recording of this
heatsink in operation. the fan is running at 2800rpm. |
|
frostytech acoustic sampling chamber
- low speed |
|
standard waveform view of a 10 second recording.
click on the headphones icon to listen to an mp3
recording of this heatsink in operation. |
|
Sound Level Measurements: Which Heatsink is
Quietest?
Listening to the actual noise a heatsink makes
allows you to hear what pure numbers alone cannot get across. To further
emphasize FrostyTech's reliance on cold hard facts when evaluating a heatsink,
we also take noise level measurements with a sound level meter.
FrostyTech Heatsink Noise
Level Measurements
Noise level Decibel measurements of each
heatsinks' fan in operation are taken with the aid of a sound level
meter and sound isolating enclosure. The values may be higher than
the mfgr's listed specs, but are directly comparable to one another.
Measurements are made on the dB (A) scale, lower values are best.
Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available
here. | |
|
manufacturer: |
model no.: |
fan* speed: |
noise level (dba): |
cpu** platform |
|
Arctic Cooling |
Silencer 64 Ultra TC |
low |
27.6 dB |
AMD |
Verax |
Helado |
|
36.3 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Thermalright |
Ultra-90 |
low |
40.0 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Intel |
Stock Pentium D |
low |
40.5 dB |
Intel |
Gigabyte |
NeonCooler 8-BL |
|
42.0 dB |
AMD |
Arctic Cooling |
Freezer 64 LP |
|
42.6 dB |
AMD |
Coolermaster |
Hyper48 |
|
43.6 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Arctic Cooling |
Alpine64 |
|
43.9 dB |
AMD |
Dynatron |
A22 |
|
44.5 dB |
AMD |
Zalman |
CNPS7000B-CU |
high |
44.9 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Zalman |
CNPS7000A-Cu |
high |
45.2 dB |
AMD |
Zalman |
CNPS7000-Cu |
high |
45.2 dB |
AMD |
Akasa |
AK-860SF |
|
45.2 dB |
AMD |
Noctua |
NH-U12 |
|
45.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Ajigo |
MF043-044 |
|
45.4 dB |
AMD |
Spire |
SP741B3 |
|
45.6 dB |
AMD |
Scythe |
Shogun |
high |
45.9 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Rosewill |
RCX-Z2-EX |
high |
45.9 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Intel |
Stock Pentium D |
high |
47.5 dB |
Intel |
Scythe |
Kama SCKK1000 |
|
47.5 dB |
AMD |
AVC |
Z7U7414001 (stock AM2) |
low |
48.1 dB |
AMD |
Apack |
CF900 |
high |
48.3 dB |
Intel |
Apack |
CF800 |
high |
48.4 dB |
Intel |
LS Cable |
SHS-T700 |
|
48.5 dB |
Intel |
Thermalfly |
I75DUH |
|
48.7 dB |
Intel |
Spire |
SP601B3 |
|
48.9 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Thermaltake |
Silentboost K8 |
|
49.7 dB |
AMD |
Zalman |
CNPS7700-Cu LED |
high |
49.8 dB |
Intel/AMD |
nPowertek |
NPH-775-1 |
|
50.1 dB |
Intel |
Zalman |
CNPS9500 LED |
high |
50.3 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Gigabyte |
3D-Rocket |
|
50.7 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Zalman |
CNPS7700-Cu |
high |
50.7 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Arctic Cooling |
Freezer 64 Pro |
|
50.9 dB |
AMD |
Evercool |
K802-715 |
|
51.5 dB |
AMD |
Alpha Novatech |
PRE9060M92P |
high |
51.5 db |
Intel |
OCZ |
Tempest |
|
51.6 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Scythe |
Samurai SCSM1000 |
high |
51.6 dB |
AMD |
Apack |
Zerotherm BTF80 |
|
51.9 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Apack |
Zerotherm BTF90 |
|
52.1 dB |
Intel/AMD |
nPowertek |
NPH K8-1 |
|
52.2 dB |
AMD |
Zalman |
CNPS9500 AM2 |
high |
53.2 dB |
AMD |
Zalman |
CNPS9500 AT |
|
53.3 dB |
Intel |
Jetart |
JAX801 |
|
53.5 dB |
AMD |
Thermalright |
Ultra 120 |
|
53.7 dB |
Intel/AMD |
nPowerTek |
NPH-Big K8 |
|
54.0 dB |
AMD |
Rosewill |
RCX-Z1 |
high |
54.1 dB |
AMD |
Coolermaster |
Hyper6 |
high |
54.7 dB |
AMD |
Xigmatek |
AIO-S80DP |
high |
55.0 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Verax |
Quattro 1 |
high |
55.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Arctic Cooling |
Silencer 64 Ultra TC |
high |
55.5 dB |
AMD |
Evercool |
Magic Cooler |
|
55.5 dB |
AMD |
Cooljag |
OAK-H2 |
high |
55.6 dB |
Intel |
Cooljag |
OAK-H |
high |
55.7 dB |
Intel |
Thermalright |
Ultra-90 |
high |
56.2 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Akasa |
AK-960E |
|
56.3 dB |
Intel |
Dynatron |
SK-V24 |
|
56.4 dB |
AMD |
Zalman |
CNPS9700 LED |
high |
56.5 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Zalman |
FS-C77 |
|
56.5 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Gigabyte |
3D Rocket-Pro |
high |
56.7 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Vantec |
Mach1 |
high |
56.9 dB |
AMD |
Zalman |
CNPS8000 |
high |
57.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
EKL |
V8 |
high |
57.5 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Sunon |
Watrubo |
|
57.5 dB |
Intel |
Antazone |
AS-C1000 |
|
57.6 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Noctua |
NH-U9 |
|
58.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Thermalright |
SLK-948U |
|
58.8 dB |
AMD |
Alpha |
PAL-8150 |
|
58.9 dB |
AMD |
Enzotech |
Ultra-X |
high |
59.2 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Akasa |
AK-920 |
high |
59.2 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Akasa |
AK-873 |
high |
59.2 dB |
AMD |
Coolermaster |
Aquagate Mini |
high |
59.2 dB |
Intel/AMD |
AVC |
Z7U3301001 |
high |
59.9 dB |
AMD |
Rosewill |
RCX-Z2 |
|
59.9 dB |
Intel |
Akasa |
AK-922 (EVObue) |
high |
60.3 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Ajigo |
MF064-074 |
high |
60.3 dB |
AMD |
Thermalfly |
F1-IACSHA |
high |
60.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Cooljag |
SFO-Q |
high |
60.6 dB |
AMD |
Cooljag |
SFO-H |
high |
60.6 dB |
AMD |
Akasa |
AK-961 |
|
60.7 dB |
Intel |
Thermaltake |
Jungle512 |
high |
60.8 dB |
Intel |
Gigabyte |
3D Cooler-Pro |
high |
62.5 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Gigabyte |
3D Cooler-Ultra |
high |
63.0 dB |
Intel/AMD |
AVC |
Z7U7414001 (stock AM2) |
high |
63.0 dB |
AMD |
Titan |
TTC-K8ATB/825/SC |
|
63.1 dB |
AMD |
Evercool |
PT02-9232CP |
|
63.3 dB |
Intel |
CoolJag |
SFO-D(18SC) |
|
64.0 dB |
AMD |
nPowertek |
SF 775-2 |
high |
64.6 dB |
Intel |
Gigabyte |
GH-PCU23-VE |
high |
65.6 dB |
Intel/AMD |
ASUS |
Starice |
high |
67.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
Thermaltake |
Polo 735 |
high |
68.0 dB |
AMD |
Thermaltake |
Venus 12 |
high |
68.1 dB |
AMD |
Thermalfly |
I75DUB |
high |
68.5 db |
Intel |
Gigabyte |
G-Power Pro |
high |
71.9 dB |
Intel/AMD |
|
|
|
noise level (dba) |
|
*unless noted, for reference heatsinks with
variable-speed fans only the 'high speed' (12V) fan noise measurement is
included in the comparison sheet; more detailed results for the low fan
speed (~5V) tests reside in each specific heatsink review. ** 'AMD'
denotes compatibility with socket 754/939/940 & AM2 processors where
applicable. 'Intel' denotes compatibility with socket 775
platform. |
With 92mm Zalman PS92252H fan installed, the Thermalright Ultra-90 heatsink falls
into position at about the middle of the pack with 56.2 dBA noise at full speed. Next we measured the sound levels with the fan at a lower impeller speed, and this time noise levels sat at 40.0 dBA - whisper quiet!
Surface Finish and Flatness
Surface finish is an important factor that we all
look for when holding a new heatsink. Flipping a cooler over to see how well the
base has been machined is a quick way to judge the attention to detail that was
put into making it. The following test involves the use of a Surface Roughness
Comparator, which offers a concise cross section common machine surface
finishes.
The Thermalright Ultra 90 heatsink has a surface roughness of approximately 8
microinches, which is considered very good. Now let's
see how this baby handles the heat compared to a selection of top of the line
AMD and Intel heatsinks!