FrostyTech Mk.II Synthetic Thermal Heatsink Test Results Intel Core Extreme / Pentium D & Quad Core class heatsinks tested at 150W Intel Core i5 / Core i3 / 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 LGA775/1156 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 775/1155/1156 compatible CPU heatsinks
manufacturer:	model no.:	fan speed:	150w thermal test* (°c)	85w thermal test (°c)	noise level (dba)
ECT	Prometeia Mach2 GT		-48.2	-55.9	49.1
Noctua	NH-C14	high	14.1	8.9	46.6
Tuniq	Tower 120 Extreme	high	14.1	8.4	43.5
Noctua	NH-D14	high	14.5	8.7	48.1
Spire	Thermax Eclipse II		14.5	8.7	51.3
Thermaltake	Frio	high	14.5	8.8	62.6
Zalman	CNPS9900 Max	high	15.0	9.0	54.5
Prolimatech	Megahalems (80CFM)	high	15.0	9.2	53.0
3Rsystem	iceage 120 Boss II	high	15.4	9.8	49.9
Titan	TTC-NK85TZ	high	15.5	8.8	58.6
Zaward	Vapor 120	high	15.6	9.7	51.6
Coolink	Corator DS	high	15.9	9.7	54.9
Thermalright	Silver Arrow	high	16.0	9.7	43.4
Thermolab	BADA	high	16.0	9.6	54.0
Sunbeamtech	Core-Contact Freezer	high	16.1	10.0	51.3
Danamics	LMX Extreme	high	16.3	9.5	55.4
Zalman	CNPS10X Quiet	high	16.5	10.4	46.8
Zalman	CNPS10X Flex (80CFM)		16.5	10.6	51.2
Zalman	CNPS10X Performa	high	16.6	10.0	58.7
Zerotherm	ZT-10D Premium	high	16.7	10.1	45.3
Spire	Thermax II (SP67951)	high	16.7	9.5	57.8
Prolimatech	Megahalems (50CFM)	high	16.8	10.2	45.1
Xigmatek	HDT-S1283	high	16.8	10.7	50.7
Coolermaster	Hyper 212 Plus	high	16.9	10.9	50.1
Titan	TTC-NC15TZ	high	17.0	9.7	50.0
Scythe	SCRT-1000 Rasetsu	high	17.2	10.8	59.5
Kingwin	XT-1264	high	17.2	10.5	45.5
Thermolab	BARAM		17.3	10.5	53.0
Glacialtech	Alaska	high	17.4	10.7	48.3
Zalman	CNPS10X Extreme	high	17.6	10.1	58.2
Zalman	CNPS10X Flex (50CFM)		17.6	10.9	45.4
CoolIT	Domino ALC	high	17.8	10.6	60.2
Thermalright	Ultra 120		17.8	10.6	53.7
DeepCool	GamerStorm	high	17.9	11.6	44.5
Akasa	Nero AK967	high	17.9	10.8	39.3
Xigmatek	DK-S1283	high	17.9	11.0	49.6
Thermolab	BARAM 2010 (80 CFM)	high	18.0	10.8	51.3
Thermaltake	Contac 29	high	18.0	11.4	48.0
Zerotherm	Nirvana NV 120 PWM	high	18.0	11.0	44.9
Ibuypower	IBP-Z001	high	18.0	11.6	61.7
Coolermaster	Hyper Z600		18.0	11.6	47.7
DeepCool	Killer Whale Premium	high	18.1	11.7	52.5
Xigmatek	HDT-S1284EE	high	18.1	9.4	44.2
Zerotherm	FZ120	high	18.2	11.4	47.6
3Rsystem	Iceage 120	high	18.2	12.1	47.9
Akasa	Venom Nano	high	18.3	10.9	57.5
Coolage	X120TF		18.3	11.0	53.0
Vantec	VAF-1225 Aeroflow FX 120	high	18.3	11.8	54.2
nPowerTek	Hurricane NPH-105 (NB fan)	high	18.3	11.2	47.7
Glacialtech	F101 PWM	high	18.4	11.4	47.5
Zerotherm	Core 92	high	18.4	11.5	53.4
Coolermaster	V8	high	18.4	11.2	52.6
Thermalright	Ultra 120 Extreme		18.4	11.4	44.5
DeepCool	Killer Whale	high	18.7	12.6	53.5
XtremeGear	HP-1216B	high	18.8	13.8	54.0
Thermaltake	BigTyp 14Pro	high	18.8	11.6	59.7
Xigmatek	HDT-SD964	high	18.8	11.6	57.2
SilenX	iXtrema IXC-120HA2	high	18.9	11.2	52.9
Coolermaster	Hyper 212		19.0	11.8	45.9
Apack	Zerotherm BTF92 OC Ed	high	19.0	11.2	53.6
Zalman	CNPS9700 LED	high	19.0	10.4	56.5
Akasa	Venom	high	19.4	11.4	54.1
Xigmatek	HDT-S983	high	19.5	11.8	52.7
Scythe	Mugen		19.5	11.4	46.0
DeepCool	Ice Matrix 600	high	19.6	11.8	49.3
Thermolab	BADA2010	high	19.6	12.7	44.3
Xigmatek	S1284 Achilles	high	19.6	11.6	42.7
Tuniq	Tower 120	high	19.6	12.2	51.6
Thermalright	Ultra-90	high	19.6	13.0	56.2
DeepCool	Ice Blade Pro	high	19.8	13.1	46.1
Apack	Zerotherm Nirvana 120	high	19.8	12.3	49.2
Enzotech	Ultra-X	high	20.0	8.5	59.1
Scythe	KAMA Angle	high	20.1	21.0	43.3
Zalman	CNPS9900 LED	high	20.2	13.3	57.5
SilenX	EFZ-120HA4	high	20.3	12.5	48.7
Zalman	CNPS9700NT	high	20.3	12.4	52.2
Scythe	Infinity SCINF-1000		20.3	12.6	37.8
Cooler Master	Hyper Z600 Black Label	high	20.5	12.4	49.2
OCZ	Vendetta 2	high	20.5	12.5	41.9
DeepCool	Ice Warrior	high	20.6	15.2	45.5
Dynatron	Genius	high	20.6	13.0	47.2
Corsair	Hydro H50	high	20.7	13.7	45.6
OCZ	Gladiator Max	high	20.7	12.6	42.9
EKL	GroB Clock'ner		20.8	13.2	40.6
EKL	GroB Clock'ner Blue Ed.	high	21.0	12.9	42.4
Glacialtech	Siberia	high	21.2	13.6	47.6
Vantec	VAF-9225 Aeroflow FX92	high	21.2	14.0	57.9
Noctua	NH-C12P	high	21.2	13.1	40.4
Coolermaster	GeminII S	high	21.3	13.4	49.6
OCZ	Vendetta	high	21.3	13.5	52.8
Noctua	NH-U12P	high	21.3	13.4	40.7
Thermaltake	SpinQ VT	high	21.6	12.7	50.1
Akasa	Blue Aurora AK966BL	high	21.6	14.0	44.4
Thermaltake	ISGC-300	high	21.7	12.9	44.0
Xigmatek	Thors Hammer S126384		21.8	13.2	46.4
Apack	Zerotherm BTF90		21.8	12.7	52.1
Xigmatek	HDT-S963	high	21.9	13.7	50.2
AVC	Black Samurai	high	22.2	11.5	56.7
Akasa	AK-965	high	22.2	13.8	48.1
Gelid	Tranquillo	high	22.4	13.9	41.3
Coolermaster	Hyper N520		22.4	14.1	49.0
SilenX	EFZ-120HA3	high	22.7	11.9	41.7
DeepCool	Ice Matrix 400	high	22.8	14.4	45.0
Scythe	Grand Kama Cross	high	22.8	14.0	45.9
Apack	Zerotherm BTF80		22.8	13.9	51.9
Thermaltake	MaxOrb	high	22.9	13.1	57.4
DeepCool	IceWing 5 Pro	high	23.1	12.3	53.2
Scythe	Zipang 2		23.2	14.0	37.7
Coolermaster	Hyper TX3	high	23.2	14.0	56.0
Zalman	CNPS8700 LED	high	23.2	14.1	48.1
Cooljag	Falcon 92-AL	high	23.2	14.2	52.1
Rosewill	RCX-Z3	high	23.3	14.0	58.6
Coolink	Silentator	high	23.5	16.4	41.2
Nexus	HOC-9000	high	23.6	14.6	43.0
Scythe	Mine Rev. B		23.6	15.0	36.8
Cooljag	Falcon 92-Cu	high	23.6	14.8	52.8
Thermaltake	MaxOrb EX	high	24.0	13.9	56.5
nPowertek	NPH-775-115HC		24.2	15.3	55.0
Akasa	AK-920	high	24.3	14.1	52.9
Thermaltake	V1	high	24.4	12.3	59.6
Intel	FCLGA4-S Reference (P mode)	high	24.5	15.2	61.1
Scythe	Zipang		24.7	15.2	33.1
Arctic Cooling	Freezer 13	high	24.8	14.5	48.5
Evercool	HPK-10025EA		24.8	13.8	50.9
Glacialtech	Igloo 5750 PWM	high	24.9	14.6	52.3
Asus	Arctic Square	high	24.9	14.9	44.9
Sunbeamtech	Core-Contact Freezer 92mm Ed.	high	25.3	15.6	50.2
AMA	Serac 770		25.4	15.7	42.1
Glacialtech	Igloo 5751PWM	high	25.5	14.2	50.6
Evercool	HPJ-12025 Transformer 4		25.5	15.3	38.9
Akasa	AK-922 (EVObue)	high	25.5	15.4	60.3
Corsair	Hydro H50	low	25.6	15.5	37.5
Thermaltake	SpinQ	high	25.7	15.6	50.9
Asus	Lionsquare	high	25.7	15.3	44.7
Coolermaster	Aquagate Mini R80	high	25.7	16.2	59.2
Asus	Silent Square EVO	high	25.8	15.6	42.8
Glacialtech	Igloo 5610 PWM	high	25.9	15.9	59.5
Thermalright	SI-128SE		26.5	15.2	44.5
Thermaltake	DuOrb		26.7	16.1	49.5
Scythe	Andy Samuri Master SCASM-1000		26.7	14.2	38.4
Dynatron	Evo-11	high	26.8	16.4	54.1
Titan	Cool Idol TTC-NK75TZ	high	26.9	15.1	56.3
Gelid	Silent Spirit	high	27.0	17.1	48.5
Zalman	CNPS9300AT	high	27.1	18.2	55.5
Noctua	NH-U9B	high	27.1	17.2	41.9
Thermaltake	ISGC-400	high	27.2	16.3	45.4
Asus	Triton 79 Amazing		27.7	17.0	44.3
ASUS	Triton 77	high	27.7	17.6	41.2
Auras	SLC-747	high	27.9	25.7	52.2
Thermaltake	ISGC-200	high	28.1	16.5	48.7
Glacialtech	Igloo 5760 PWM	high	28.3	17.4	50.3
Coolermaster	Vortex Plus	high	28.3	16.8	54.6
Auras	LPT-700		28.3	16.9	52.2
Thermalfly	F1-IACSHA	high	29.0	18.3	60.4
Coolage	Frozen Orb 2924HDC	high	29.2	18.7	56.0
Evercool	Transformer 6	high	29.2	14.6	51.6
Cooljag	JYC 8A03A	high	29.3	19.8	50.6
nPowertek	TTIC NPH1000		29.3	16.8	47.5
3Rsystem	Iceage 90		29.4	18.0	47.2
Glacialtech	Igloo 5710 Silent		29.4	18.0	43.4
Thermalfly	I75DUB	high	29.5	16.8	68.5
Zalman	CNPS9500 AT		29.6	17.3	53.3
Glacialtech	Igloo 5750 Silent		29.8	18.5	35.5
Coolermaster	Hyper TX2		29.9	18.8	53.7
Alpha Novatech	PRE9060M92P	high	29.9	18.5	51.5
Scythe	Kama Cross		30.0	18.8	40.0
Akasa	AK-961		30.0	18.7	60.7
Auras	LPT-709		30.1	18.6	43.9
Rosewill	RCX-Z2-EX	high	30.1	18.7	45.9
nPowertek	NPH-775-1		30.1	18.8	50.1
SilenX	EFZ-80HA2	high	30.2	22.4	40.6
Glacialtech	Igloo 5710 Plus Silent		30.2	18.5	39.3
Glacialtech	Igloo 5610 Silent		30.4	17.1	44.7
Sunon	Waturbo		30.6	18.3	57.5
Auras	CTC-868 (closed)		31.0	18.6	48.7
Akasa	Revo (horizontal)	high	31.0	20.3	44.5
Scythe	Shuriken	high	31.4	18.8	38.2
Apack	CF800	high	31.4	20.7	48.4
Thermaltake	Jungle512	high	31.6	20.4	60.8
Glacialtech	UFO V51 Silent		32.0	18.7	42.4
Coolage	Frozen Orb F0-Z924AL	high	32.0	19.9	48.9
Xigmatek	AIO-S80DP	high	32.4	21.4	55.0
Scythe	Katana II		32.5	18.6	37.9
Rosewill	RCX-Z2		32.6	19.3	59.9
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
Scythe	Ninja Mini		33.7	19.9	41.7
Thermalright	MST-977SLE		33.8	20.0	46.5
Intel	Stock Pentium D	high	33.8	20.7	47.5
Scythe	Orochi SCORC-1000		34.0	20.8	27.8
Zaward	Gyre ZCJ010	high	34.4	21.3	52.7
Arctic Cooling	Freezer 11 LP	high	34.5	20.3	45.3
Scythe	Big Shuriken	high	34.6	22.1	39.6
Thermolab	TLI-S Micro Silencer		34.7	19.2	52.0
nPowerTek	SF775-2	high	34.7	21.1	64.6
Asus	Silent Knight 2	high	34.9	21.4	46.2
Glacialtech	Igloo 5610 Plus Silent		36.1	20.9	38.0
Akasa	AK-960E		36.1	21.4	56.3
Gigabyte	Volar GH-PSV21-FB	high	36.3	22.1	56.1
Auras	SMF-660		36.4	23.0	43.4
Zalman	CNPS7500-Cu LED	high	36.4	22.9	50.9
Thermalfly	I75DUH		37.8	22.8	48.7
Nexus	VCT-9000	high	38.4	24.4	42.9
Akasa	AK-975CU	high	38.4	23.0	47.7
Cooljag	OAK-H	high	38.5	22.9	55.7
Cooljag	OAK-H2	high	38.6	24.1	55.6
LS Cable	SHS-T700		38.7	22.8	48.5
3Rsystem	Iceage 80 Prima Mini		38.8	24.5	35.4
Thermaltake	ISGC-100	high	39.5	24.6	45.5
Arctic Cooling	Alpine 11 Pro	high	40.0	24.7	46.1
nPowertek	NPH-775-140HC	high	40.2	24.8	56.7
SilenX	EFZ-100HA1	high	40.5	25.3	38.0
Arctic Cooling	Alpine 7 Pro	high	40.5	23.8	44.1
Intel	Stock Core 2 Duo E4400		41.5	25.2	41.6
Intel	Stock Core 2 Duo		49.2	29.0	36.7
Thermolab	TLI-U Nano Silencer		50.4	28.8	48.3
Glacialtech	Igloo 5062 Cu Light		50.6	29.7	45.2
Arctic Cooling	Freezer 7LP	high	53.1	31.2	46.1
Silverstone	NT07-775	high	55.2	32.9	36.5
Glacialtech	Igloo 5063 Light E		56.5	32.1	51.5
Glacialtech	Igloo 5063 Cu Silent E		57.3	34.4	41.0
Glacialtech	Igloo 5057 E		58.5	36.1	53.4
Asus	Triton 75		58.6	16.1	49.6
Spire	Fourier IV SP607B3-C		63.6	18.7	60.2
Asus	Triton 85	high	71.5+	16.2	41.1
Glacialtech	Igloo 5058 Light E		73.8	39.9	48.5
			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 socket 775 processors vary in power output between single and multi-core models, so frostytech tests heatsinks with two thermal loads that represent the upper limit of each cpu family. with a 150w heat load applied by the intel lga775 version of frostytech's synthetic thermal test platform, the Corsair Hydro H50 liquid cooling system maintains a good temperature result of 20.7°C over ambient at full fan speed (45.6 dBA noise). With the 120mm fan on the heat exchanger slowed down from 1700RPM to a quiet 1000RPM, the Hydro H50 is able to maintain a temperature of 25.6°C over ambient with only 37.5 dBA noise.

The Corsair Hydro H50 liquid cooling system was then tested with an 85W heat load on the LGA775 test platform. Under these test conditions the Hydro H50 managed a result of 13.7°C over ambient at full fan speed and 15.5°C at reduced fan speed.

Corsair's Hydro H50 is clearly a good-to-above average thermal solution in its own right. However, just because it's a water cooling thermal solution does not prevent it from being out performed by several dozen regular heatsinks in the Frostytech reference charts; in terms of pure thermal performance and to a lesser extent by quieter heatsinks that offer better thermal performance.

Given the Hydro H50's $80 sticker price and its restrictions in use (it requires a computer chassis that accepts a 120mm fan above the motherboard I/O ports), it's hard to recommend this heatsink to users looking a quiet CPU thermal solution. Regular air cooled heatsinks like the Scythe Infinity SCINF-1000, for one example, provide nearly identical thermal performance on both Intel and AMD processors without any of the limiting PC case requirements.

When compared directly against the Ibuypower IBP-Z001 (aka AVC Hercules) and CoolIT Domino ALC self-contained liquid cooling systems, the Corsair Hydro H50 comes in 3°C warmer the front runner on the 150W Intel test with all systems operating at full fan speed. The Ibuypower and Coolit systems are also significantly louder (61.7dBA and 60.2dBAy) than the Hydro H50's moderate 45.6dBA noise output...

The tables turn when fan speeds are dialed down to the quietest operating mode for each liquid cooled heatsink. Under these conditions the Corsair Hydro H50 offers thermal results 6.9°C cooler than the IBP-Z001 unit and 1.5°C cooler than the Domino ALC. In other words, the Hydro H50 is a better when operating as a lower noise liquid cooling thermal solution.

Unfortunately for Corsair, regardless of how the numbers are broken down a performance oriented heatpipe heatsink still wins hands down at the end of the day.

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