Date: January 17th, 2006
Article by: Joe Anderson (Hardware Reviewer)
Edited by: Nathan Glentworth (Owner / Head Editor)
Product was submitted by: Spire <--SHOP FOR COMPUTER COOLING PRODUCTS HERE
CONCLUSIONS AND AFTERTHOUGHTS
Spire has done a great job with the VertiCool III in regards to its cooling ability. It holds up well against some pretty good competition while bringing a bit of its own individuality to the table. The addition of a fan speed control device will allow the user to dial in just the right noise-to-performance ratio for their particular hardware and environment. It doesn't have any fancy lighting or other visual enhancements, just great performance.
There are, however, a few niggling issues I have with the VertiCool III. Some tweaking of the packaging could prevent the bent shroud, and I don't care for the fact that the mounting screws must be installed from the back of the mobo. While seeing Intel 478 support is refreshing, lack of AM2 support is a minus. I suspect a newer version with AM2 support is forthcoming, but don't look for it here. You won't find it. Availability is spotty around the net, but where you do find the VertiCool III for sale, the price is pretty reasonable. At around $46 US, I would consider this product to be a good value
Pros:
Excellent cooling performance
Nearly silent on low
Heatpipe design
All copper construction
Slot mount fan speed controller
Reasonable price
Good value
Cons:
Bent shroud (purely cosmetic issue)
Motherboard removal necessary
Slightly quirky installation
Loud on high
Manual incomplete
Please feel free to post any questions you have in our forums HERE.
