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 LGA2011-3 / 2011 /1366 compatible CPU heatsinks
manufacturer:	model no.:	*fan speed:	200w thermal test (°c)	noise level (dba)
Coolermaster	Nepton 280L	high	10.6	58.8
Coolermaster	Nepton 140XL	high	11.8	59.6
Arctic	Liquid Freezer 240	high	12.2	46.0
Coolermaster	Seidon 240M	high	13.4	55.6
Silverstone	Tundra TD02	high	13.6	53.0
DeepCool	Maelstrom 240	high	13.8	58.6
Coolermaster	Glacer 240L	high	14.1	52.5
NZXT	Kraken X60	high	14.5	60.7
Coolermaster	Nepton 240M	high	15.1	50.6
Noctua	NH-D15	high	15.8	49.8
Noctua	NH-U14S		17.0	47.3
Arctic	Liquid Freezer 120	high	17.3	46.0
Coolermaster	Seidon 120V	high	17.5	54.3
Alphacool	Eisbaer 240	high	17.7	52.1
NZXT	Kraken X40	high	18.2	59.4
Reeven	Okeanos RC-1402	high	18.3	54.2
Reeven	Ouranos RC-1401	high	18.4	52.5
Silverstone	Tundra TD03	high	18.7	58.1
Silverstone	Argon AR01	high	18.8	53.0
X2 Products	Eclipse IV	high	19.1	57.4
Coolermaster	Eisberg 240L	high	19.1	50.5
BeQuiet	Dark Rock TF		19.2	44.5
Reeven	Justice RC-1204	high	19.2	48.5
BeQuiet	Dark Rock Pro 3	high	19.5	43.7
Scythe	Fuma	high	19.6	49.1
Raijintek	Themis	high	19.7	52.8
Coolermaster	V8 GTS	high	20.0	59.7
BeQuiet	Dark Rock 3	high	20.9	41.8
Corsair	Hydro H80i	high	21.1	64.0
Noctua	NH-U12S		21.1	46.2
Raijintek	Ereboss	high	21.4	49.7
Zalman	Reserator 3 Max	high	21.6	58.9
Scythe	Mugen 4	high	21.7	41.9
Cryorig	H5 Ultimate	high	21.9	47.1
Zalman	LQ315	high	21.9	50.8
Silverstone	NT06-P	high	22.1	51.6
Raijintek	Pallas	high	22.2	43.2
Gelid	Tranquillo 4 (LGA1366)	high	22.4	46.9
Scythe	Ashura SCASR-1000	high	22.5	49.4
DeepCool	Gamer Storm Lucifer	high	23.0	52.5
Raijintek	Aidos	high	23.0	55.6
Reeven	Hans RC-1205	high	23.1	49.4
Gamerstorm	Lucifer K2	high	23.2	55.2
Silentium	Fera2 HE1224	high	23.4	37.6
Zalman	LQ310	high	23.8	52.7
Coolermaster	Hyper D92	high	24.1	53.4
Phanteks	PH-TC14S	high	24.2	47.4
Scythe	Ashura Shadow (SCASR-1000SE)	high	24.2	51.4
Raijintek	Tisis	high	24.6	47.8
BeQuiet	Shadow Rock Slim	high	24.7	40.4
BeQuiet	Shadow Rock 2	high	24.9	43.3
Scythe	Ninja 4	high	25.5	43.2
Zalman	LQ320	high	25.5	50.2
ID-Cooling	SE-214X	high	26.5	46.3
Gelid	Antarctica (LGA1366)	high	26.6	49.8
Noctua	NH-D9DXi4 3U (front +2nd Fan)		27.7	47.4
BeQuiet	Shadow Rock LP		27.9	42.6
BeQuiet	PureRock		27.9	42.9
npowertek	NPH-1366-115HC (LGA1366)	high	28.7	44.8
Dynatron	G556 (LGA1366/2U)		29.1	68.4
Noctua	NH-U9S		30.2	44.3
Dynatron	G555 (LGA1366/2U)		30.4	67.8
Dynatron	G666 (LGA1366/2U)		31.8	68.7
Noctua	NH-D9L		32.0	43.2
Scythe	Mugen Max SCMGD-1000	high	34.2	48.7
Noctua	NH-D9DXi4 3U		34.9	44.6
Silverstone	NT01-Pro	high	35.8	40.4
nPowerTek	NPH1366-140HC (LGA1366)	high	36.3	48.1
Phanteks	PH-TC12LS	high	36.4	43.4
Zalman	FX-100 (w/h ZM-F2 fan)		36.9	28.5
Arctic	Liquid Freezer 120	low	37.6	34.7
Noctua	NH-L9x65	high	44.8	46.1
Dynatron	G199 (LGA1366/1U)		47.6	62.6
Zalman	FX-100 (hor, ver)		63.0	0.0
			200w thermal test (°c)	noise level (dba)
*heatsinks are ranked according to the 200w 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.

frostytech's socket LGA2011 Intel synthetic thermal test platform stresses socket LGA2011/1366 compatible heatsinks with a 200W heat load. The AMD Integrated Heat Spreader and Intel LGA2011 Integrated Heat Spreader both measure ~38x38mm, so these test results can be extrapolated to AMD processor scenario's as well.

With a 200W heat load applied by the Intel LGA2011/1366 version of FrostyTech's synthetic thermal test platform, Arctic's Liquid Freezer 120 maintains a temperature result of 17.3°C over ambient at stock fan speed. Reducing the speed of the Liquid Freezer 120's twin 120mm PWM fans to 500RPM saw temperatures climb to a less satisfactory 37.6°C over ambient.

In the past Frostytech has tended to lump all self-contained CPU water coolers into one pile opposite the air coolers. With a mix of sizes and styles to contend with, this binary choice gave the best means to consider the pro-H2O or pro-Air question. In this review we're also comparing the Freezer 120 within the 120mm-sized heat exchanger subset, so you can see how it stacks up against Corsair's or Thermaltake's best units.

The chart below narrows the LGA2011 heatsink reference chart to just the liquid cooling systems Frostytech has thus far tested which utilize a ~120x120mm sized heat exchanger. In this subset, the Arctic Liquid Freezer 120 heatsink offers the best thermal performance to date, at stock fan speed. With its twin 120mm fans slowed down however, it offers the poorest relative thermal performance of the subset.

On the whole, Arctic's Liquid Freezer 120 heatsink offers pretty good thermal performance with both fans spinning at full speed. There are other liquid coolers which manage cooler results in the 120mm heat exchanger category, but with slightly higher noise output as well. Of course, if your computer chassis has space for a 240mm sized heat exchanger, there are a great many liquid coolers in that class which blow the Arctic Liquid Freezer 120 out of the water.

There's still a place in the world for small 120mm heat exchangers and if you have a small computer rig it's pretty much your only option. Bottom line, the Arctic Liquid Freezer 120 performs fine at stock fan speed, but falls way short of ideal thermal performance when its fans are slowed to the quietest operational mode.

Related Articles:

The Top 5 best heatsinks for low noise and low temperature are ranked here. For more reviews on the latest heatsinks and cooling solutions, rely on FrostyTech's inventory of 400+ heatsink reviews. Here are a few other articles that you might enjoy as well.

- Coolermaster TPC-812 Vapor Chamber/Heatpipe Heatsink Review
- DeepCool Ice Wind Pro Heatsink Review
- Corsair Hydro H80 Watercooling System Review
- Noctua NH-L12 Low Profile Heatsink Review
- Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo Heatsink Review
- Arctic CNPS11X Performa Heatsink Review
- Arctic CNPS8900 Extreme Low Profile Heatsink Review