Acoustic Samples: Listen to this
Heatsink!
The
Enzotech Ultra-X heatsink is moderately audible under power. The 120mm fan
rotates at 2500RPM by default, and that produces 59.0dBA noise. Using the supplied fan
speed controller, noise levels can be dropped quite a bit. The
only problem is that fan voltage may drop lower than what the fan requires to actually start
up. In the second acoustic recording, with the fan set to spin at 1200RPM, the
first half of the waveform illustrates this problem. The voltage is lower than
what the Delta AFB1212H-F00 fan requires to spin up, and so
all we hear is a grinding fan for about 10 seconds before
it is finally able to wind up. To listen to this heatsink in operation, click on
the little headphones icon below and play the sample MP3 files.
| frostytech acoustic sampling chamber
- full speed |
 |
standard waveform view of a 10 second recording.
click on the headphones icon to listen to an mp3
recording of this heatsink in operation. the fan is rotating at 3600
rpm. |
 |
| frostytech acoustic sampling chamber
- low speed |
| |
standard waveform view of a 10 second recording.
click on the headphones icon to
listen to an mp3 recording of this heatsink in operation. the fan is rotating at 1200
rpm. the first half of the recording are noises of the fan
stalling. |
 |
Sound Level Measurements: Which Heatsink is
Quietest?
Listening to the actual noise a heatsink makes
allows you to hear what pure numbers alone cannot get across. To further
emphasize FrostyTech's reliance on cold hard facts when evaluating a heatsink,
we also take noise level measurements with a sound level meter.
FrostyTech Heatsink Noise
Level Measurements
Noise level Decibel measurements of each
heatsinks' fan in operation are taken with the aid of a sound level
meter and sound isolating enclosure. The values may be higher than
the mfgr's listed specs, but are directly comparable to one another.
Measurements are made on the dB (A) scale, lower values are best.
Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available
here. | |
|
| manufacturer: |
model no.: |
fan* speed: |
noise level (dba): |
cpu** platform |
|
| Arctic Cooling |
Silencer 64 Ultra TC |
low |
27.6 dB |
AMD |
| Verax |
Helado |
|
36.3 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Thermalfly |
I75DUB |
|
38.7 dB |
Intel |
| Enzotech |
Ultra-X |
low |
40.1 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Gigabyte |
NeonCooler 8-BL |
|
42.0 dB |
AMD |
| Coolermaster |
Hyper48 |
|
43.6 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Arctic Cooling |
Alpine64 |
|
43.9 dB |
AMD |
| Dynatron |
A22 |
|
44.5 dB |
AMD |
| Zalman |
CNPS7000B-CU |
high |
44.9 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Zalman |
CNPS7000A-Cu |
high |
45.2 dB |
AMD |
| Zalman |
CNPS7000-Cu |
high |
45.2 dB |
AMD |
| Akasa |
AK-860SF |
|
45.2 dB |
AMD |
| Noctua |
NH-U12 |
|
45.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Ajigo |
MF043-044 |
|
45.4 dB |
AMD |
| Spire |
SP741B3 |
|
45.6 dB |
AMD |
| Scythe |
Shogun |
high |
45.9 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Intel |
Stock Pentium D |
high |
47.5 dB |
Intel |
| Scythe |
Kama SCKK1000 |
|
47.5 dB |
AMD |
| Apack |
CF900 |
high |
48.3 dB |
Intel |
| Apack |
CF800 |
high |
48.4 dB |
Intel |
| Thermalfly |
I75DUH |
|
48.7 dB |
Intel |
| Spire |
SP601B3 |
|
48.9 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Thermaltake |
Silentboost K8 |
|
49.7 dB |
AMD |
| Zalman |
CNPS7700-Cu LED |
high |
49.8 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| nPowertek |
NPH-775-1 |
|
50.1 dB |
Intel |
| Zalman |
CNPS9500 LED |
high |
50.3 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Gigabyte |
3D-Rocket |
|
50.7 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Zalman |
CNPS7700-Cu |
high |
50.7 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Arctic Cooling |
Freezer 64 Pro |
|
50.9 dB |
AMD |
| Evercool |
K802-715 |
|
51.5 dB |
AMD |
| Alpha Novatech |
PRE9060M92P |
high |
51.5 db |
Intel |
| OCZ |
Tempest |
|
51.6 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Scythe |
Samurai SCSM1000 |
high |
51.6 dB |
AMD |
| Apack |
Zerotherm BTF80 |
|
51.9 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Apack |
Zerotherm BTF90 |
|
52.1 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| nPowertek |
NPH K8-1 |
|
52.2 dB |
AMD |
| Zalman |
CNPS9500 AM2 |
high |
53.2 dB |
AMD |
| Zalman |
CNPS9500 AT |
|
53.3 dB |
Intel |
| Jetart |
JAX801 |
|
53.5 dB |
AMD |
| Thermalright |
Ultra 120 |
|
53.7 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| nPowerTek |
NPH-Big K8 |
|
54.0 dB |
AMD |
| Coolermaster |
Hyper6 |
high |
54.7 dB |
AMD |
| Xigmatek |
AIO-S80DP |
high |
55.0 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Verax |
Quattro 1 |
high |
55.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Arctic Cooling |
Silencer 64 Ultra TC |
high |
55.5 dB |
AMD |
| Evercool |
Magic Cooler |
|
55.5 dB |
AMD |
| Cooljag |
OAK-H2 |
high |
55.6 dB |
Intel |
| Cooljag |
OAK-H |
high |
55.7 dB |
Intel |
| Akasa |
AK-960E |
|
56.3 dB |
Intel |
| Dynatron |
SK-V24 |
|
56.4 dB |
AMD |
| Zalman |
CNPS9700 LED |
high |
56.5 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Zalman |
FS-C77 |
|
56.5 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Gigabyte |
3D Rocket-Pro |
high |
56.7 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Vantec |
Mach1 |
high |
56.9 dB |
AMD |
| Zalman |
CNPS8000 |
high |
57.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| EKL |
V8 |
high |
57.5 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Sunon |
Watrubo |
|
57.5 dB |
Intel |
| Antazone |
AS-C1000 |
|
57.6 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Noctua |
NH-U9 |
|
58.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Thermalright |
SLK-948U |
|
58.8 dB |
AMD |
| Alpha |
PAL-8150 |
|
58.9 dB |
AMD |
| Enzotech |
Ultra-X |
high |
59.2 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Akasa |
AK-920 |
high |
59.2 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Akasa |
AK-873 |
high |
59.2 dB |
AMD |
| Coolermaster |
Aquagate Mini |
high |
59.2 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| AVC |
Z7U3301001 |
high |
59.9 dB |
AMD |
| Ajigo |
MF064-074 |
high |
60.3 dB |
AMD |
| Thermalfly |
F1-IACSHA |
high |
60.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Cooljag |
SFO-Q |
high |
60.6 dB |
AMD |
| Cooljag |
SFO-H |
high |
60.6 dB |
AMD |
| Akasa |
AK-961 |
|
60.7 dB |
Intel |
| Thermaltake |
Jungle512 |
high |
60.8 dB |
Intel |
| Gigabyte |
3D Cooler-Pro |
high |
62.5 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Gigabyte |
3D Cooler-Ultra |
high |
63.0 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| AVC |
Z7U7414001 (stock AM2) |
high |
63.0 dB |
AMD |
| Titan |
TTC-K8ATB/825/SC |
|
63.1 dB |
AMD |
| Evercool |
PT02-9232CP |
|
63.3 dB |
Intel |
| CoolJag |
SFO-D(18SC) |
|
64.0 dB |
AMD |
| nPowertek |
SF 775-2 |
high |
64.6 dB |
Intel |
| Gigabyte |
GH-PCU23-VE |
high |
65.6 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| ASUS |
Starice |
high |
67.4 dB |
Intel/AMD |
| Thermaltake |
Polo 735 |
high |
68.0 dB |
AMD |
| Thermaltake |
Venus 12 |
high |
68.1 dB |
AMD |
| Thermalfly |
I75DUB |
high |
68.5 db |
Intel |
| Gigabyte |
G-Power Pro |
high |
71.9 dB |
Intel/AMD |
|
|
|
noise level (dba) |
|
|
*unless noted, for reference heatsinks with
variable-speed fans only the 'high speed' (12V) fan noise measurement is
included in the comparison sheet; more detailed results for the low fan
speed (~5V) tests reside in each specific heatsink review. ** 'AMD'
denotes compatibility with socket 754/939/940 & AM2 processors where
applicable. 'Intel' denotes compatibility with socket 775
platform. |
With its 120mm fan spinning
at 2500RPM the Enzotech Ultra-X heatsink generates 59.1 dBA noise. The stock AMD AM2 heatsink generates about
63.0 dBA at its fastest speed, the stock Intel Pentium D heatsink 47.5 dB under the
same conditions. When fan speed is reduced to 1200RPM, noise levels drop to 40.1 dBA.
Surface Finish and Flatness
Surface finish is an important factor that we all
look for when holding a new heatsink. Flipping a cooler over to see how well the
base has been machined is a quick way to judge the attention to detail that was
put into making it. The following test involves the use of a Surface Roughness
Comparator, which offers a concise cross section common machine surface
finishes.
The Enzotech Ultra-X heatsink has a surface
roughness of approximately 8 microinches, which is considered excellent. Next,
let's see how this heatsink handles the heat compared to a selection of other
heatsinks!
