FrostyTech Mk.III Synthetic Thermal Heatsink Test Results Intel Core i7, Extreme Edition class heatsinks tested at a 200W heat load. Results based on readings from a 38x38mm copper interface die with 200W heat load on the Intel version of the Mk.III 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 LGA2011/1366 compatible CPU heatsinks
manufacturer:	model no.:	*fan speed:	200w thermal test (°c)	noise level (dba)
Noctua	NH-U14S		17.0	47.3
Silverstone	Argon AR01	high	18.8	53.0
Raijintek	Themis	high	19.7	52.8
Coolermaster	V8 GTS	high	20.0	59.7
Noctua	NH-U12S		21.1	46.2
Raijintek	Ereboss	high	21.4	49.7
Zalman	Reserator 3 Max	high	21.6	58.9
Silverstone	NT06-P	high	22.1	51.6
Raijintek	Aidos	high	23.0	55.6
Silverstone	Argon AR01	low	27.1	33.0
Silverstone	NT01-P	high	35.8	40.4
			200w thermal test (°c)	noise level (dba)
*heatsinks are ranked according to the 125w 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.

[ this is the first review to include frostytech's 200W Intel socket LGA2011 synthetic thermal test platform results. The Intel LGA2011 processor family has a listed thermal output of 130W TDP, yet because overclocking will boost heat output significantly further than this Frostytech has chosen to stress socket LGA2011/1366 compatible heatsinks with a 200W heat load. Furthermore, given that the AMD IHS and Intel LGA2011 IHS both measure ~38x38mm, there's no point in a moving a marginal 25W or 50W beyond Frostytech's 125W AMD synthetic thermal test platform is there? Enjoy! ]

With a 200W heat load applied by the Intel LGA2011/1366 version of FrostyTech's synthetic thermal test platform, the Silverstone Argon AR01 heatsink is able to maintain the copper CPU-die at a temperature of 18.8°C over ambient at stock fan speed (2200RPM).

After decreasing the speed of the Argon AR01's nine whizzing impeller blades from 2200RPM to 1000RPM, test temperatures increased a good 10°C, to 27.1°C over ambient. The lower fan speed dropped heatsink noise output from a clearly audible 53 dBA, to a whisper quiet 33.0 dBA.

Is this heatsink good, or bad?

To sum up, we've seen quite a few variations of this heatsink frame from different OEM manufacturers... as tower heatsinks go, it is quite popular and thermally, performs very well.

If your computer case can stomach the 159mm tall stature of the Silverstone Argon AR01 heatsink, you should be happy with the thermal performance we've witnessed across our three synthetic thermal test platforms. That being said, we're not at all satisfied by the rubber fan brackets used here. The white wrap-around rubber fan mounts do install more easily than threaded type we're used to seeing with this heatsink frame, but I don't trust them to stay put. The 90-degree turn in the elastic material puts it under tension; with continuous heating and cooling cycles I would expect the mounts to rapidly spring free, resulting in the fan separating from the aluminum fin tower. Silverstone ought to use wire fan clips.

Bearing this in mind, the Silverstone Argon AR01 did display excellent thermal performance at moderate noise levels. Keep an eye on the fan, particularly if the CPU cooler is oriented in your PC case such that the fan hangs down from the heatsink. Gravity is unrelenting, as they say.

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