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Thermalright SI-128SE Heatsink Review
Thermalright SI-128SE Heatsink Review
  80%   
Abstract: The SI-128SE cooler itself is big, a 120x120mm fin array hovering like SkyCity over a compact base connected via four 8mm diameter heatpipes.

 Manufacturer  Category  Published  Author 
Thermalright   Cooling / Heatsinks   Dec 11, 2007   Max Page  

Home > Reviews > Page: Acoustic Comparisons and Base Surface Quality

Acoustic Samples: Listen to this Heatsink!

As Thermalright ship the SI-128SE heatsink without any fan, it's up to you to decide how loud or quiet your CPU cooler is. For the purposes of this review, Frostytech will be using a standard 1500RPM Mechatronics G1225S12B 120mm fan - it's the same model we've used on several other large heatsinks, and it forms a good basis for comparison because it is not too loud, or too fast. Of course, it does make the following Acoustic Sample and Noise Level measurements kind of pointless unless you use the exact same model. In any case, consider it a base point from which the subsequent thermal performance can be had. To listen to this heatsink in operation at its full fan speed, click on the little headphones icon below and play the sample MP3 file.

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 2300 rpm

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
Glacialtech Igloo 7311 Silent 36.5 dB AMD
Intel Stock Core 2 Duo 36.7 dB Intel
Scythe Mine Rev.B 36.8 dB Intel/AMD
Glacialtech Igloo 7222 Light 37.7 dB AMD
Scythe Infinity SCINF-1000 37.8 dB Intel/AMD
Scythe Katana II 37.9 dB Intel/AMD
Scythe Andy Samuri Master SCASM-1000 38.4 dB Intel/AMD
Scythe Kama Cross 40.0 dB Intel/AMD
Noctua NH-U12P high 40.7 dB Intel/AMD
Coolink Silentator high 41.2 dB Intel/AMD
Scythe Ninja Mini 41.7 Intel/AMD
Gigabyte NeonCooler 8-BL 42.0 dB AMD
Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 LP 42.6 dB AMD
Glacialtech Igloo 5710 Silent 43.4 dB Intel/AMD
Coolermaster Hyper48 43.6 dB Intel/AMD
Arctic Cooling Alpine64 43.9 dB AMD
Thermalright SI-128SE 44.5 dB Intel/AMD
Dynatron A22 44.5 dB AMD
Glacialtech Igloo 5610 Silent 44.7 dB Intel
Asus Arctic Square high 44.9 dB Intel/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
Glacialtech Igloo 5062 Cu Light 45.2 dB Intel
Noctua NH-U12 45.4 dB Intel/AMD
Ajigo MF043-044 45.4 dB AMD
Spire SP741B3 45.6 dB AMD
Coolermaster Hyper 212 45.9 dB Intel/AMD
Scythe Shogun high 45.9 dB Intel/AMD
Rosewill RCX-Z2-EX high 45.9 dB Intel/AMD
Thermalright MST-977SLE 46.5 dB Intel
Intel Stock Pentium D high 47.5 dB Intel
Akasa AK-975CU high 47.7 dB Intel
nPowertek TTIC NPH-1000 47.5 dB Intel/AMD
Scythe Kama SCKK1000 47.5 dB AMD
3Rsystem Iceage 120 high 47.9 dB Intel/AMD
Zalman CNPS8700 LED high 48.1 dB Intel/AMD
Akasa AK-965 high 48.1 dB Intel
Akasa AK-876 high 48.2 dB AMD
Apack CF900 high 48.3 dB Intel
Apack CF800 high 48.4 dB Intel
LS Cable SHS-T700 48.5 dB Intel
Thermalfly I75DUH 48.7 dB Intel
Coolage Frozen Orb F0-Z924AL high 48.9 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
Xigmatek HDT-S963 high 50.2 dB Intel/AMD
Evercool Buffalo HPEA-10025 50.2 dB AMD
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
Zalman CNPS7500-Cu LED high 50.9 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
Tuniq Tower 120 high 51.6 dB Intel/AMD
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
Cooljag Falcon 92-AL high 52.1 dB Intel/AMD
Auras SLC-747 high 52.2 dB Intel/AMD
Zalman CNPS9700NT high 52.2 dB Intel/AMD
nPowertek NPH K8-1 52.2 dB AMD
Cooljag Falcon 92-Cu high 52.8 dB Intel/AMD
Zalman CNPS9500 AM2 high 53.2 dB AMD
Zalman CNPS9500 AT 53.3 dB Intel
Glacialtech Igloo 5057 E 53.4 dB Intel
Jetart JAX801 53.5 dB AMD
Apack Zerotherm BTF92 OC Ed high 53.6 dB Intel/AMD
Coolermaster Hyper TX2 53.7 dB Intel/AMD
Thermalright Ultra 120 53.7 dB Intel/AMD
nPowerTek NPH-Big K8 54.0 dB AMD
Rosewill RCX-Z1 high 54.1 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
Thermalright Ultra-90 high 56.2 dB Intel/AMD
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 Waturbo 57.5 dB Intel
Antazone AS-C1000 57.6 dB Intel/AMD
Noctua NH-U9 58.4 dB Intel/AMD
Rosewill RCX-Z3 high 58.6 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 R80 high 59.2 dB Intel/AMD
Glacialtech Igloo 5610 PWM high 59.5 dB Intel
AVC Z7U3301001 high 59.9 dB AMD
Rosewill RCX-Z2 59.9 dB Intel
Spire Fourier IV SP607B3-C 60.2 dB Intel/AMD
Akasa AK-922 (EVObue) high 60.3 dB Intel/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.

The Mechatronics G1225S12B 120mm spins at a moderate 1500RPM on the Thermalright SI-128SE heatsink. This generates a fairly quiet 44.5dBA noise according to Frostytech's real world sound measurements.

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 Thermalright SI-128SE heatsink has a machined base with a surface roughness of approximately 16 microinches, which is considered excellent. The base is not perfectly flat however, Thermalright have apparently given it a very slight convex shape which is evident when an engineers straight edge is held to it. Next, let's see how this heatsink handles the heat compared to a selection of other heatsinks!

 Previous Page ° ° Next Page 

Table of Contents:

 1:  Thermalright SI-128SE Heatsink Review
 2:  360° View - Thermalright SI-128SE Heatsink
 3: — Acoustic Comparisons and Base Surface Quality
 4:  AMD K8 Heatsink Temperature Comparisons
 5:  Intel LGA775 Final Heatsink Temperature Comparisons

List all Thermalright heat sinks that Frostytech tested?

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