Date: August 22nd, 2006
Article by: Joe Anderson (Hardware Reviewer)
Edited by: Nathan Glentworth (Owner / Head Editor)
Product was submitted by: APACK
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PRODUCT INSTALLATION AND TESTING
With the manual and mounting accessories at hand, all you'll need to supply is a screwdriver and installation can proceed. Choose the appropriate bracket for your application (AMD 939 in this case), determine optimal orientation, and…
…secure the bracket with the four screws. With the protective plastic out of the way, the thermal compound can be applied and the cooler installed onto the retention bracket.
I'm impressed with how easily and securely the BTF-90 is installed. Anyone that has installed an OEM AMD cooler will find this cooler a snap to use.
For Intel 775 applications, the installation procedure is more involved. First, the fan assembly must be removed by gently prying up on the wedge-shaped diverter.
Sliding the fan assembly up and out of the cooler will give access to the two “front” captive retaining screws on the mount.
The cooler can then be secured, via the backplate, to the motherboard. With the screws snugged up, springs provide uniform pressure on the CPU insuring good contact.
Sliding the fan assembly back into place completes installation. Installation of the BTF-90 onto an Intel 775 motherboard requires a bit more time and effort, and the board must be removed from the case, but this is not really surprising and a common occurrence with this platform.
I test all coolers in the bare frame pictured above. This eliminates any effects that a case might introduce. Keep in mind that temps inside your case will be higher; how much higher depends on the case and airflow. My friend and colleague, Mr. Bones has graciously volunteered to monitor the testing phase of this review. His reputation, like his wardrobe, is impeccable.
