Acoustic Samples: Listen to this Heatsink!

With the nPowerTek NPH-K8 Big heatsink being cooled by a 120mm Martech D712025125Z2N fan, noise levels remain somewhat moderate (54 dBA). Of course, the beauty of this heatsink is that you can also install a 120 fan of your choice. To listen to this heatsink, click on the little headphones icon below and play the sample MP3 files for the heatsink running with its fan at full speed.

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 1600 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
Cooljag	OAK-H	low	29.5 dB	Intel
Verax	Quattro 1	low	30.9 dB	Intel/AMD
Scythe	Samurai SCSM1000	low	30.9 dB	AMD
Zalman	CNPS7000A-Cu	low	32.7 dB	AMD
Zalman	CNPS7000B-CU	low	33.2 dB	Intel/AMD
Zalman	CNPS7000-Cu	low	33.5 dB	AMD
Scythe	Shogun	low	33.7 dB	Intel/AMD
ASUS	Starice	low	34.4 dB	Intel/AMD
Zalman	CNPS7700-Cu LED	low	34.9 dB	Intel/AMD
Zalman	CNPS7700-Cu	low	35.1 dB	Intel/AMD
Thermalfly	F1-IACSHA	low	35.4 dB	Intel/AMD
Zalman	CNPS9500 AM2	low	36.0 dB	AMD
Zalman	CNPS9500 LED	low	36.2 dB	Intel/AMD
Verax	Helado		36.3 dB	Intel/AMD
Zalman	CNPS8000	low	36.4 dB	Intel/AMD
Akasa	AK-873	low	37.3 dB	AMD
Zalman	CNPS9700 LED	low	37.5 dB	Intel/AMD
Gigabyte	3D Cooler-Pro	low	38.8 dB	Intel/AMD
EKL	V8	low	41.0 dB	Intel/AMD
Gigabyte	NeonCooler 8-BL		42.0 dB	AMD
Thermaltake	Polo 735	low	42.3 dB	AMD
Thermaltake	Venus 12	low	42.6 dB	AMD
Gigabyte	3D Cooler-Ultra	low	42.8 dB	Intel/AMD
Cooljag	SFO-H	low	43.0 dB	AMD
Coolermaster	Hyper48		43.6 dB	Intel/AMD
Gigabyte	3D Rocket-Pro	low	43.8 dB	Intel/AMD
Arctic Cooling	Alpine64		43.9 dB	AMD
AVC	Z7U3301	low	44.2 dB	AMD
Dynatron	A22		44.5 dB	AMD
Zalman	CNPS7000B-CU	high	44.9 dB	Intel/AMD
Gigabyte	GH-PCU23-VE	low	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
Ajigo	MF064-074	low	45.4 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
Coolermaster	Hyper6	low	46.1 dB	AMD
CoolJag	SFO-Q	low	47.7 dB	AMD
Scythe	Kama SCKK1000		47.5 dB	AMD
AVC	Z7U7414001 (stock AM2)	low	48.1 dB	AMD
Coolermaster	Aquagate Mini	low	48.6 dB	Intel/AMD
Vantec	Mach1	low	48.6 dB	AMD
Spire	SP601B3		48.9 dB	Intel/AMD
Thermaltake	Silentboost K8		49.7 dB	AMD
Zalman	CNPS7700-Cu LED	high	49.8 dB	Intel/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
Gigabyte	G-Power Pro	low	50.9 dB	Intel/AMD
Arctic Cooling	Freezer 64 Pro		50.9 dB	AMD
Evercool	K802-715		51.5 dB	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
nPowertek	NPH K8-1		52.2 dB	AMD
Zalman	CNPS9500 AM2	high	53.2 dB	AMD
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
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
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
Antazone	AS-C1000		57.6 dB	Intel/AMD
Noctua	NH-U9		58.4 dB	Intel/AMD
Alpha	PAL-8150		58.9 dB	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
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
CoolJag	SFO-D(18SC)		64.0 dB	AMD
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
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 the 120mm Martech D712025125Z2N fan, the nPowerTek NPH-K8 Big heatsink falls into position at about the middle of the pack with 54.0 dBA noise. We were unable to find exact specs on this particular fan, but estimate its speed at 1600RPM.

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 nPowerTek NPH-K8 Big heatsink has a surface roughness of approximately 12 microinches, which is considered very good. Next, let's see how this heatsink handles the heat compared to a selection of other heatsinks!