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
Xigmatek	HDT-SD964	high	18.8	11.6	57.2
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
Intel	FCLGA4-S Reference (P mode)	high	24.5	15.2	61.1
Scythe	Zipang		24.7	15.2	33.1
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
Noctua	NH-U9B	high	27.1	17.2	41.9
ASUS	Triton 77	high	27.7	17.6	41.2
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
Auras	CTC-868 (closed)		31.0	18.6	48.7
Akasa	Revo (horizontal)	high	31.0	20.3	44.5
Scythe	Shuriken	high	31.4	18.8	38.2
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
Noctua	NH-U9B (black speed reducer)	low	34.0	20.9	35.5
Scythe	Orochi SCORC-1000		34.0	20.8	27.8
nPowerTek	SF775-2	high	34.7	21.1	64.6
Asus	Silent Knight 2	high	34.9	21.4	46.2
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
Noctua	NH-U9B (blue speed reducer)	low	43.0	24.9	31.9
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
			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.

Intel processors vary in power output between single and multi-core models, so FrostyTech tests heatsinks with two thermal loads that represent the upper limit of each CPU family; 150W and 85W.

With a 150W heat load applied by the Intel LGA775 version of FrostyTech's synthetic thermal test platform, the Noctua NH-U9B heatsink maintains a temperature of 27.1°C over ambient, with 41.9dBA noise. Noctua's NH-U9B heatsink was then tested with a 85W heat load, resulting in a 17.2°C rise over ambient temperature.

Since this heatsink comes with a pair of fan speed reducers, we have two additional rounds of testing. The black fan speed reducer is up first, and as we already know it keeps noise to about 35.5dBA. With it, on the 150W synthetic test platform the Noctua NH-U12P heatsink rises to 34.0°C over ambient. On the 85W head load test temperatures remain at 20.9°C over ambient.

For the blue fan speed reducer, the 150W and 85W tests saw a big temperature increase to 43°C and 24.9°C respectively. Noise levels remained constant at 31.9dBA.

These results reaffirm Noctua's position as a maker of great low noise heatsinks for Intel and AMD processors. The Noctua NH-U9B heatsink in particular, with its NF-9B fan, runs pretty quiet at full speed and maintains temperatures that keep it in within a good range for both AMD & Intel segments.

Compared to the larger Noctua NH-U12P model however, the NH-U9B clearly falls short on the temperature front. The NH-U9B maintains a similarly low noise output, but with less cooling fin surface area it's not surprising test temperatures run a little higher than its bigger brother. With the fan speed reducers we see a big rise in temperatures, so perhaps it's wise to avoid them altogether.

Where space is a concern and a more compact 92mm fan toting heatsink is required, Noctua'a NH-U9B heatsink offers good "quiet" for its size.

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