360° View - Asus Triton 85 Heatsink Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available here.
The Asus Triton 85 heatsink ships with a 120mm fan which is held in place with two wire clips. Four 6mm diameter copper heatpipes connect the copper base to the aluminum fins above. The Asus Triton 85 stands 123mm high, with the bulk of the heatsink is elevated 55mm above the base so there is good clearance for adjacent capacitors. Each aluminum fin is 0.3mm thick and spaced 1.75mm apart.
The 6mm diameter copper heat pipes are positioned side to side at the base where the Triton 85 makes contact with the processor. The heatpipes make a 180 degree turn before meeting the fins. The design concept is ineffective with high heat loads, in our tests the heatpipes seem to 'stall'. The two cuts in the aluminum base cap are for the AMD K8 mounting clip to lock into.
The copper base is 30x30mm in size and nickel plated. A light sanding gives the total surface a smooth consistent texture. Note the screws holes at each corner for attaching the two metal mounting brackets.

Base Finish and Flatness

Flipping a heatsink over to inspect the business end is often a simple indicator of overall cooler quality. More practically speaking, a heatsink is in many ways only as effective as the contact it makes with the processor - the flatter and smoother the better. Base finish is one of the criteria that Frostytech measure in the course of evaluating heatsinks, and it involves two distinct aspects. Surface Finish is the first; this is calculated with the aid of Surface Roughness Comparator that has a cross section of common machine surface finishes and their numerical surface roughness equivalents in microinches. The second is Surface Flatness. This is tested with an engineers straight edge or proven flat surface, in two axis.

The Asus Triton 85 heatsink has a nickel-plated copper base with a surface roughness of approximately ~32 microinches. The surface is has a sanded finish and is generally flat in both axis. Next, let's see how this heatsink handles the heat compared to a selection of other heatsinks!