ARCTIC COOLING FREEZER 7 LGA775 RADIATOR INTEL P4 COOLER

[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

Please feel free to post your qustions here.

Review can be found here:

http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/freezer/

Pricing on this cooler can be found here:

http://tweaknews.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php?masterid=6022169&search=freezer+7
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Ham_fisT · Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2005 10:35 pm Post subject:

Nice review, Nate

I'm with you, ...not impressed with the finish on the CPU contact area, and I don't think many will want to sacrifice 8*c for a slightly quieter setup.
But, I guess if you buy an OEM processor, and didn't get the Intel reference cooler, it might do ok...after a little lapping.

Bigger is not always Better.
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LordPaludis · TweakNOOB Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 22

I've got a 775 p4 and to be honest the racket it makes drives me mad, so I would be happy enough to spend some money on a quieter solution, although I do go to a lot of LANs so I don't really want the cooler falling off whenever I move my computer :)

[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

daffy · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 5:00 pm Post subject:

Apologies folks but i have to comment on this review as i got the opposite results using this HSF.

I also have an 3.46EE CPU and with the supplied Intel HSF it always thermally throttled and would not achieve a stable overclock any higher than 3.6 Ghz, and that was on a cool day.

Recently i purchased this unit, and using Shin Etsu thermal compound i have a stable overclock of 3750 Ghz and no thermal throttling.
My temps. went down consideralby too and i have run Sandra Burn In, F@H 24/7 (when not benching) plus whatever else i throw at the CPU and system.

Maybe it's my case cooling or something, but since this HSF is doing better than expecyed i have held off my XP120 purchase. :)

[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

daffy · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 5:22 pm Post subject:

Did you at anytime check the contact patch that was left in the thermal paste after mounting the HSF?
I've found that an easy way to see if proper contact is being made with the IHS, sometimes those push pins are not always locked in peoperly and while the HSF may appear to be secure it might not be sitting totally flush. :)

[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

daffy · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 5:45 pm Post subject:

Fair enough, i'm not here to argue it's just that i got a different result.
Let's see if any other reviews get similar, or different, results.

[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

daffy · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 5:54 pm Post subject:

I never came here to discredit your results, but one review does not a label this product a lame duck or failure.
Nor do my results make it a product success either, there are just too many variables in this type of review.

2old2care · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 5:55 pm Post subject:

2¢

I think it looks cool...worth 2 points

BUT...looking at it, it has plates that will restrict (natural rising) air flow when horizontal...I bet it works better when mounted in an ATX case where the fins are vertical.
Just a thought I had...
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daffy · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 5:58 pm Post subject:

Good point, mine IS mounted in a case, with fan pointing up to exhaust the hot air up (hot air rises after all).
AND the instructions that come with this unit do state to mount it this way.

Spiegel · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 5:59 pm Post subject:

Exellent idea 2o...2 points for creativeness, lol. That definitely sounds like it could play a role in the cooling unit,
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daffy · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 6:01 pm Post subject:

Also on the test bed specs you mention the AA8 Duramax yet all the pics show the Intel board, on my AA8XE i had to remove the northbridge fan as it obstructed the fan on the Freezer.

[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

My results stand firm.

There is no flaws in my testing methods. I testing both exactly the same with maximum airflow in an open testbed.

There was fresh air flow throughout the board and their is no reason why I need to retest the heatsink.

The results are what I saw with my testing and no one has the right to question my ethical testing practises.

If someone has different results, so be it, that is fine, but DO NOT start nitpicking my review for things to point out that I did wrong.

I have tested heatsinks for years and I know what I am talking about.
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Ham_fisT · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 9:00 pm Post subject:

No worries Nate

As for the orientation, heatpipes are actually more efficient when they point straight up, and the heat rising theory would be negligible due to the fan blowing directly through the fins of the 'sink.

I know, it's scary that the Intel unit beat the pants off that aftermarket monster, but you can't dispute Nate's findings, it was a very thorough, and objective review.
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daffy · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 9:07 pm Post subject:

Of course you are the ultimate authority on HSF testing, and far be it for us mere mortals to question your methods or results.

2old2care · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 9:19 pm Post subject:

The other side of the coin.....How do we know you aren't affiliated with Artic Cooling? Did you not get the review you wanted?

Nathan always has called them the way he sees them....like it or not.

His test was his test....that's all he has claimed.
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[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

Sally · UberTweaker Joined: 31 Mar 2004 Posts: 1158 Location: WA

Its about time for a stress-ball review....

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Michael_qrt · TweakNOOB Joined: 18 Jan 2005 Posts: 5

Hi, I just thought I'd register here to comment on this article. Firstly I'd like to say that I'm not doubting your testing methods or results. But at the same time it's not just daffy that has achieved different results with this cooler. Here are two other reviews of the freezer 7 (and it's nearly identical brothers the freezer 4 and 64)

http://www.pcmoddingmy.com/content.php?review.160.0
http://www.techniz.co.uk/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=177

These reviewers got results that show the freezer 7 soundly beating the stock intel cooler. Also in the PC modding Malaysia review the socket 476 version maches a thermalright XP90, while the XP90 uses a higher airflow fan and the athlon64 version beats a gigabyte 3D rocket cooler (silent version).

As to why there is such a large discrepancy between your results and the results of others, I don't know. Perhaps you got a dud unit of something. Certainly I trust that you can install a CPU cooler properly. However I just thought that the cooler deserved a fair run around here by posting of other results.

[TN] Nathan · ALMIGHTY PWNER! Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 7406

Also realise, I am using a 3.46Ghz 1066FSB Intel P4.

Very hot running processor and one of the hottest P4's on the market, if not THE hottest.

My results were checked and rechecked and rechecked.

There is no way a heatpipe setup like this will beat a stock copper core Intel cooler active cooler with the heatsink directly mounted on the heatspreader.

Thermodynamics and physics back that theory.

Both sites state a 10c difference from stock to this cooler???!!!!!

Although I am no one to judge, I will firmly state that I don't find there results correct or legit. There is NO WAY this cooler will outperform the already good performing stock cooler by that margin.

No way whatsoever.
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Ham_fisT · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 9:44 pm Post subject:

I noticed that one of those reviews states that the intel unit was tested with "Stock thermal compound", and the other test didn't even specify, so I assume it used that stock stuff as well.

the stuff Intel calls "Thermal Compound" is about as effective as a stick of bubble-gum.

they really should not be posting results obtained using dissimiliar testing methods.
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