Once common, it's now pretty rare to see an all-aluminum extruded K8 heatsink on store shelves. As consumers we've become accustomed to copper, heatpipes, complicated arrays of punched sheet metal fins and exotically designed thermal solutions. In the face of AMD's latest and greatest CPUs, we often overlook the flurry of 65W and 35W processors now being released. Though brand new, these ultra low power environmentally friendly processors emit significantly less heat so generic extruded aluminum heatsinks are one again satisfactory. Who'd have thought it?

Testing low power heatsinks is a bit challenging, since Frostytech's K8 test gear is configured to a 125W synthetic heat load. Given the range of heat outputs of AMD's Athlon64 and Sempron processors, I suppose it is better to test for the worst case scenario than not. The heatsink review should be an interesting exercise; will a simple extruded aluminum heatsink like the Glacialtech Igloo 7222 Light hold its own?

Glacialtech are a Taiwanese thermal solutions manufacturer that has been in business since mid-2001. The company previously focused on OEM clients, but is now getting into retail and setting its sights on the likes of Thermaltake and Coolermaster. In fact, Glacialtech recently launched a line of specialized low profile aluminum chassis for ultra-quiet HTPC applications.

Glacialtech Igloo 7222 Light Heatsink
	heatsink specsheet manufacturer: glacialtech model no.: igloo 7222 light materials: extruded aluminum fan mfg: power logic pla07015s12m fan spec: 2600rpm, 12v, 0.1a fan dim: 15x70x70mm heatsink & fan dim: 52x78x67mm weight: 282 grams includes: pre-applied thermal compound Compatible with Sockets: 754/939/940/AM2 Est. Pricing: $15USD ($15CDN)

The Igloo 7222 Light heatsink is ideal for energy efficient Socket AM2 AMD processors, or older socket 754/939/940 CPUs. Its 15x70x70mm fan operates at a single speed, and is not temperature responsive. The Igloo 7222 Light has a nice tool free clip mechanism, making a reassuring positive "clip" as it locks down on the central lug of the AMD heatsink retention frame. The unit ships with a pre-applied patch of thermal compound, so installation is a breeze.

FrostyTech's Test Methodologies are outlined in detail here if you care to know what equipment is used, and the parameters under which the tests are conducted. Now let's move forward and take a closer look at this heatsink, its acoustic characteristics, and of course it performance in the thermal tests!

360° View - Glacialtech Igloo 7222 Light Heatsink Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available here.
	The Heatsink Fan: The 15x70x70mm fan spins at 2600RPM, drawing power from a standard 3-pin motherboard fan header. It supports RPM monitoring but no PWM. The fan's nine-bladed is not protected by a fan grill.
	Heatsink Top: With the fan removed from the body of the Glacialtech Igloo 7222 Light heatsink, it's obvious that this is a very basic heatsink. The extruded fins are 0.6mm thick, and spaced 1.3mm apart. The steel clip fits in between two spaces, so it does not prevent air from flowing smoothly through the body of the heatsink (as a large central clip body might).
	Heatsink Side A: Just 51.5mm tall, the Glacialtech Igloo 7222 Light will accommodate a 2U server sized chassis. The clipping system is tool free, and works off the central retention lug so both AM2 and 939 motherboards are compatible. The outside of the extruded aluminum body is scalloped, this improves grip and surface area to some extent. Inner fins are smooth.
	Heatsink Edge A: The extruded aluminum base is just under 3mm thick, which is cutting it kind of thin... until we consider the Integrated Heatspreader on all AMD processors does most of the heatspreading. A thin base on a heatsink such as the Igloo 7222 Light is sufficient. Note the tool free clip, which in one operation clips and toggles down to apply clamping force.
	Heatsink Edge B: The extruded fins stand 30mm tall, and are closely packed. The fan screws directly into the aluminum heatsink, a common attachment method for inexpensive thermal solutions. A plenum of 3mm is created above the tips of the fins which vary in height.
	Heatsink Base: The base of the Igloo 7222 Light heatsink is machined with a obvious ridge over the entire surface. A patch of thermal compound is applied by the manufacturer, and this works in conjunction with the base surface finish. The entire aluminum base is 77x60mm in area. Surface roughness is equivalent to ~125 microinches, which is satisfactory for this application.