Intel Core i7 CPU Cooler Roundup - PAGE 9

None of the coolers in this roundup managed to be a standout product, as they all had only decent cooling performance and came with a price that places them next to some heavy competition. This makes it hard to recommend these coolers in terms of performance or price. However, one area where there were all exceptional was the installation process. All came with kits that allowed them to be easily installed on the tested i7 system, and there was not a single tested cooler that took more than just a few minutes to setup.

By far the best performer in the roundup was the Evercool Transformer 4. This cooler has four large 8mm thick heatpipes that make direct contact with the CPU. So, this cooler has a decent design, and when the dual 120mm fans were added to the mix it excelled where the Gelid Tranquillo and Evercool Buffalo did not. Still, the performance was only okay, and during the testing it was beat out by multiple single fan cooling solutions. While it was ahead of the two other coolers in the roundup, it was behind many other available options. The performance issue seems to be tied to the fans though, which means switching them out for higher CFM models could improve the cooling efficiency.

In terms of value, the Evercool Buffalo walks away the victor. This cooler retails for a mere $18.99, so it is a great option for anyone purchasing an OEM processor or looking heatsink that is quieter than stock. However, even with the low price, the Buffalo's horns were more like Nerf swords in terms of performance. So, I wouldn't recommend this cooler be used for overclocking, but since it retails for under $20 it is a good value.

The Gelid Tranquillo was kind of the odd man out when it came to performance and price, but it was without a doubt the quietest cooler in the roundup. This was quite nice, and even though the cooler isn’t going to be the best option to cool an overclocked Intel i7 965, it will get the job done, and do so with minimal noise. The Tranquillo is marketed as a quiet cooler, so it works as advertised.

While none of these coolers are exactly the cream of the crop, they do offer benefits to the consumer and could be decent options if you are not into overclocking. Also, all the heatsinks should perform better on a processor with a lower TDP.