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Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme Heatsink Review
Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme Heatsink Review
  95%   
Abstract: Like the Ultra-120 that came before it, the Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme applies fairly simple concepts to yield a well performing tower heatsink that doesn't have to generate much noise to get the job done.

 Manufacturer  Category  Published  Author 
Thermalright   Cooling / Heatsinks   Feb 04, 2008   Max Page  

Home > Reviews > Page: Intel LGA775 Heatsink Temperature Comparisons

FrostyTech Mk.II Synthetic Thermal Heatsink Test Results
Intel Pentium D / Extreme Edition & Quad Core class heatsinks tested at 150W
Intel Core 2 Duo / Pentium 4 / Celeron class heatsinks tested at 85W

Results based on readings from a 30x30mm copper interface die with 150W and 85W heat loads applied on the LGA775 version of the Mk.II Test Platform. Temperature results listed for each heatsink were calculated by determining the rise over ambient temperatures at time of test. Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available here.
Socket 775 compatible CPU heatsinks
manufacturer: model no.: fan speed: 150w
thermal test* (°c)
85w
thermal test (°c)
noise level (dba)

Xigmatek HDT-S1283 high 16.8 10.7 50.7
Thermalright Ultra 120 17.8 10.6 53.7
3Rsystem Iceage 120 high 18.2 12.1 47.9
Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme 18.4 11.4 44.5
Coolermaster Hyper 212 19.0 11.8 45.9
Apack Zerotherm BTF92 OC Ed high 19.0 11.2 53.6
Zalman CNPS9700 LED high 19.0 10.4

56.5

Xigmatek HDT-S983 high 19.5 11.8 52.7
Scythe Mugen 19.5 11.4 46.0
Tuniq Tower 120 high 19.6 12.2 51.6
Thermalright Ultra-90 high 19.6 13.0 56.2
Apack Zerotherm Nirvana 120 high 19.8 12.3 49.2
Enzotech Ultra-X high 20.0 8.5 59.1
Zalman CNPS9700NT high 20.3 12.4 52.2
Scythe Infinity SCINF-1000 20.3 12.6 37.8
OCZ Vendetta high 21.3 13.5 52.8
Noctua NH-U12P high

21.3

13.4 40.7
Apack Zerotherm BTF90 21.8 12.7 52.1
Xigmatek HDT-S963 high 21.9 13.7 50.2
Akasa AK-965 high 22.2 13.8 48.1
Apack Zerotherm BTF80 22.8 13.9 51.9
Zalman CNPS8700 LED high 23.2 14.1 48.1
Cooljag Falcon 92-AL high 23.2 14.2 52.1
Rosewill RCX-Z3 high 23.3 14.0 58.6
Coolink Silentator high 23.5 16.4 41.2
Scythe Mine Rev. B 23.6 15.0 36.8
Cooljag Falcon 92-Cu high 23.6 14.8 52.8
Akasa AK-920 high 24.3 14.1 52.9
Glacialtech Igloo 5750 PWM high 24.9 14.6 52.3
Asus Arctic Square high 24.9 14.9 44.9
Akasa AK-922 (EVObue) high 25.5 15.4 60.3
Coolermaster Aquagate Mini R80 high 25.7 16.2 59.2
Asus Silent Square EVO high 25.8 15.6 42.8
Glacialtech Igloo 5610 PWM high 25.9 15.9 59.5
Thermalright SI-128SE 26.5 15.2 44.5
Scythe Andy Samuri Master SCASM-1000 26.7 14.2 38.4
Auras SLC-747 high 27.9 25.7 52.2
Auras LPT-700 28.3 16.9 52.2
Thermalfly F1-IACSHA high 29.0 18.3 60.4
nPowertek TTIC NPH1000 29.3 16.8 47.5
Glacialtech Igloo 5710 Silent 29.4 18.0 43.4
Thermalfly I75DUB high 29.5

16.8

68.5
Zalman CNPS9500 AT 29.6 17.3 53.3
Glacialtech Igloo 5750 Silent 29.8 18.5 35.5
Coolermaster Hyper TX2 29.9 18.8 53.7
Alpha Novatech PRE9060M92P high 29.9 18.5 51.5
Scythe Kama Cross 30.0 18.8 40.0
Akasa AK-961 30.0 18.7

60.7

Auras LPT-709 30.1 18.6 43.9
Rosewill RCX-Z2-EX high 30.1 18.7 45.9
nPowertek NPH-775-1 30.1 18.8 50.1
Glacialtech Igloo 5610 Silent 30.4 17.1 44.7
Sunon Waturbo 30.6 18.3 57.5
Apack CF800 high 31.4 20.7 48.4
Thermaltake Jungle512 high 31.6 20.4 60.8
Coolage Frozen Orb F0-Z924AL high 32.0 19.9 48.9
Xigmatek AIO-S80DP high 32.4 21.4 55.0
Scythe Katana II 32.5 18.6 37.9
Rosewill RCX-Z2

32.6

19.3 59.9
Zalman CNPS7700-Cu high 32.9 19.7 50.7
Apack CF900 high 32.9 20.3 48.3
Evercool PT02-9232CP 33.3 19.9 63.3
Zalman CNPS7700-Cu LED high 33.5 20.6 49.8
Scythe Ninja Mini 33.7 19.9 41.7
Thermalright MST-977SLE 33.8 20.0 46.5
Intel Stock Pentium D high 33.8 20.7 47.5
nPowerTek SF775-2 high 34.7 21.1 64.6
Akasa AK-960E 36.1 21.4 56.3
Gigabyte Volar GH-PSV21-FB high 36.3 22.1 56.1
Auras SMF-660 36.4 23.0 43.4
Zalman CNPS7500-Cu LED high 36.4 22.9 50.9
Thermalfly I75DUH 37.8 22.8 48.7
Akasa AK-975CU high 38.4 23.0 47.7
Cooljag OAK-H high 38.5 22.9 55.7
Cooljag OAK-H2 high 38.6 24.1 55.6
LS Cable SHS-T700 38.7 22.8 48.5
Arctic Cooling Alpine 7 Pro high 40.5 23.8 44.1
Intel Stock Core 2 Duo 49.2 29.0 36.7
Glacialtech Igloo 5062 Cu Light 50.6 29.7 45.2
Glacialtech Igloo 5057 E 58.5 36.1 53.4
Asus Triton 75 58.6 16.1 49.6
Spire Fourier IV SP607B3-C 63.6 18.7 60.2
Cooljag OAK-H low 95.3 54.5 29.5
150w
thermal test (°c)
85w
thermal test (°c)
noise level (dba)
*heatsinks are ranked according to the 150w thermal test results column (rise over ambient temp.). low temperatures with low noise levels are considered best. for reference heatsinks with variable-speed fans, only the high speed (12v) fan test result is included in the comparison sheet; more detailed results reside in each specific heatsink review.

the heat output from intel processors varies widely between single and multi-core processors, so frostytech tests heatsinks with two thermal values that represent the upper limits of both existing cpu families. with a 150w heat load applied by the intel lga775 version of frostytech's synthetic thermal test platform, the Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme heatsink maintains a very low temperature of 18.4°C over ambient (44.5dBA noise).

With a 85W heat load next applied by the Frostytech synthetic test platform, the Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme heatsink was able to maintain an excellent 11.4°C rise over ambient temperature. Once again, the Ultra-120 Extreme posts results that place it within the Top 5 best heatsinks tested to date on either Intel or AMD synthetic temperature test platforms!

Thermalright has not failed to demonstrate it can produce a winning heatsink. The Ultra-120 Extreme heatsink retails for $57USD from CrazyPC.com, and for an extra $19 CrazyPC will even lap the base flat for you.

You'll no doubt have noticed that the Ultra-120 Extreme fails to unseat the Ultra-120 from it's lofty spot, so we should reiterate that different 120mm fans were used in the testing of each model. Putting that aside, we thought the rounded base of the Ultra-120 Extreme might be handicapping it somewhat. The image at right shows the Ultra-120 Extreme after it was removed from the Frostytech Synthetic Intel test die. Approximately 25% of the CPU test die made no contact with the base of the Ultra-120 Extreme.... the heatsink still managed to post otherwise impressive thermal results however.

The next step was to lap the base of the Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme. This helped flatten the convex copper plate significantly, but regrettably the heatsink fell from the lapping table and was sightly damaged before we could retest it. The thermal results can't be considered reliable after such a fall, so they were not included in the above chart. It was observed that temperatures decreased by an average 0.8°C post-lapping though.

As to which Ultra-120 version is better than the other, we can't say. Each heatsink was tested with a different 120mm fan, and the results under those conditions were within 0.5°C - 3°C of one another. It could be the fan, it could be the heatsink.

In any case, that level of geek comparison making is irrelevant. The Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme is an excellent lower noise heatsink for performance cooling Intel or AMD processors, no matter how you look at it.

Related Articles:

The Top 5 best heatsinks for low noise and low temperature are ranked here. For more reviews on the latest heatsinks and cooling solutions, rely on FrostyTech's inventory of 400+ heatsink reviews. Here are a few other articles that you might enjoy as well.

- Xigmatek HDT-S1283 Exposed Heatpipe Base Heatsink Review
- Zalman CNPS9700NT Heatsink Review
- Auras LPT-709 Wave Heatsink Review
- Auras SMF-660 TwinW Intel Heatsink Review
- Zalman CNPS8700 LED Low Noise Heatsink Review
- Asus Triton 75 Heatsink Review
- Arctic Cooling Alpine 7 Pro Intel Heatsink Review

 Previous Page ° Heat Sink Review Index  

Table of Contents:

 1:  Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme Heatsink Review
 2:  360° View - Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme Heatsink
 3:  Acoustic Sample and Heatsink Sound Levels
 4:  AMD K8 Heatsink Temperature Comparisons
 5: — Intel LGA775 Heatsink Temperature Comparisons

List all Thermalright heat sinks that Frostytech tested?

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