360° View - DeepCool IceBlade Pro V2.0 Heatsink Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available here.
DeepCool's IceBlade Pro V2.0 heatsink ships with a 9-blade 120mm PWM fan that rotates at 900-1500RPM. An extra set of fan brackets is included so a second fan can be attached to the rear of the heatsink. The 161mm tall heatsink is built around four 8mm diameter copper heatpipes which are exposed at the base. Each nickel plated aluminum fin measures 0.4mm thick and is spaced 2.0mm from the next. The bottom-most fin is elevated 45mm above the base for motherboard clearance.
From this angle you can see the subtle bends pressed into the leading and trailing surfaces of each fin; it creates a wavy pattern which may (or may not) improve airflow through the fin stack. The four 8mm diameter copper heat pipes are nickel plated, yet apparently the fin/pipe joints are not soldered? The heatpipes are set into a 10mm thick aluminum base plate and exposed at the base. Each wire fan clip has a set of thumb tabs to make fan removal easier -- very handy, that.
The exposed heatpipe base of Deepcool's IceBlade Pro V2.0 creates a usable surface area of 50x45mm. At the top of the heatsink is a cover plate to hide the tips of the heatpipes from view. An exhaust fan can be attached to the aluminum fin tower if you wish, extra wire brackets are included for this but only one fan is supplied.

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 engineer's straight edge or proven flat surface, in two axes.

The exposed heatpipe base of DeepCool's IceBlade Pro V2.0 heatsink has been machined perfectly flat in both axes, with a surface roughness of approximately ~32 microinches. The base has a machined surface finish.

Up next, heatsink sound level comparisons....