Acoustic Samples: Listen to this Heatsink!

For such a large copper heatsink the fan used on the NW6700 some how looks underpowered - in actuality it is one of the noiser Pentium 4 heatsinks we have measured thus far. Keep in mind the list is still growing, but 58 dB is not exactly quiet either. To listen to the NW6700, click on the headphones next to the sound level image and play the MP3 recording.

FrostyTech Acoustic Sampling Chamber
Standard Waveform view of a 10 second recording. Click on the headphones to listen to an MP3 recording of this heatsink in operation.

Sound Level Measurements:

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 Decibel readings with a sound level meter. These results may be higher than the manufacturer's listed specs, but then again these are real world measurements.

FrostyTech Sound Level Results
-	Manufacturer	Model	Noise Level	Scale
	Zalman	CNPS6500-AlCu	47.4/28.9 dB	quiet
	Intel	Socket 478	42.5 dB
	Cho-Liang	CL-CB00881	50.2 dB
	AVC	117140	56.1 dB
	NengTyi	NW6700	58.0 dB	louder

Loudness often translates into a higher power fan, and that usually means better performance. We will have to wait a few moments to find out that one. Compared to the stock Intel heatsink, the NW6700 is significantly louder, so be warned if you are looking for a heatsink with a low noise signature.

Synthetic Temperature Test Results: *Ranked according to 100W interface die test results.

FrostyTech Synthetic Temperature Test Platform Results
	Mfg.	Model	Ambient Temp.	27mm large copper block		27mm large copper block	Thermal pad	No. Fans	Fan Noise	Clip force
				50W		100W
1	AVC	117140	22.6	37.8		50.4	none	1	med	med
2	Arkua	8568	22.4	37.8		51.7	none	1	med	med
3	NengTyi	XPC5000	23.8	38.4		53.9	none	1	med	loud
4	Zalman	CNPS6500-AlCu	23.1	40.3		57.4	none	1	low	easy
5	Vantec	GSN-7025	22.5	41.7		58.5	none	1	med	med
6	Chauh Choung	DTA-478	22.4	42.1		59.0	carbon	1	low	med
7	Intel	Socket 478	22.4	41.8		59.8	carbon	1	low	med
8	Titan	TTC-MT3AB	22.8	41.5		61.2	none	2	loud	stiff
9	Dynatron	DC1206BM-S	22.4	43.2		62.0	none	1	med	med
10	AVC	117160	22.4	42.7		62.2	white pad	1	med	med
11	Cho-Liang	CL-CB00881	23.6	41.2		65.0
12	Vantec	GSN-7015	22.4	47.5		69.0	none	1	loud	stiff
				50W		100W

NengTyi's first attempt at the socket 478 Pentium 4 processor does very well in the initial attempts, even with a slightly elevated ambient temperature. The fan is moderately more noisy but about the same size at the one on the stock Intel cooler.

Unlike socket A/370 processors it is rare to see really good performance heatsinks for the Pentium 4 processor. We will have to look at the rise above ambient temperatures to see if the NW6700 can hold its third position in this set of reference heatsinks or make a gain.

Rise Above Ambient Temp. (c)
	Mfg.	Model	27mm large copper block		27mm large copper block
			50W		100W
1	AVC	117140	15.2		27.8
2	Arkua	8568	15.4		29.3
3	NengTyi	XPC5000	14.6		30.1
4	Zalman	CNPS6500-AlCu	17.2		34.3
5	Vantec	GSN-7025	19.2		36.0
6	chauh Choung	DTA-478	19.7		36.6
7	Intel	Socket 478	19.4		37.4
8	Titan	TTC-MT3AB	18.7		38.4
9	Dynatron	DC1206BM-S	20.8		39.6
10	AVC	117160	20.3		39.8
11	Cho-Liang	CL-CB00881	18.2		41.4
12	Vantec	GSN-7105	25.1		46.6
			50W		100W

True to full-copper form the NW6700 maintains a heathy increase in cooling performance over the stock Intel socket 478 aluminum heatsink. We kind of expected as much, and with a larger fan the lead could potentially be improved even further.

The clipping mechanism makes good use of the socket retention mechanism and holds the NW6700 with a good amount of force. While I haven't heard any stories yet of the HSRM breaking under the load of heavy heatsinks, it may be a wise idea to remove a solid copper heatsink such as this if the computer is being shipped any large distances. After all, we have all seen what FEDEX can do to a package. :)

Bottom line, if you can get your hands on the all copper NW6700 you won't be disappointed by its performance, even with such a horribly scratched and marked base as the one we tested had.