The OCZ Vendetta, in my opinion is one of the very few CPU coolers that's really impressed us. Through personal experience, most heatpipe coolers can only offer average cooling performance, even with the help of an active fan. I could say the same about this cooler but to be honest, it was better than I expected. Without a fan, the OCZ Vendetta performed as expected ... cooling the processor at an acceptable temperature. However, the cooler comes to life when the optional fan is added, cooling our toasty Q6600 (B3 stepping) to an extremely low temperature.

The 92mm (4-pin) PWM fan works well with the cooler, spinning at a low 1,200 - 2,800rpm. It produces an impressive air-flow of 39-54.6 CFM, while maintaining a low noise level of 22-34 dBA.

One real plus point about the cooler, is the actual size of it. Most other heatpipe coolers are large and sometimes real cumbersome. The OCZ Vendetta is different. It has a small footprint, yet it looks solid and after full installation of the cooler, I found that there was plenty of room around the processor socket. Great for air-flow. All-in-all, I really like this cooler, and we will be using it as a replacement for our aging Thermaltake Tower 102.

The price of the OCZ Vendetta CPU cooler is around £25.00, which is as absolute bargain considering the price/performance ratio. The package comes with everything you need to get started straight away. Thermal paste, AMD/AM2 mounting clips, Intel 775 mounting clamps, 92mm fan, rubber connectors and of course the instructions.

Final words: The OCZ Vendetta CPU cooler is one of the most impressive copper heatpipe based coolers money can buy. With the bundled 92mm fan installed, it produced one of the lowest temperatures we've seen to date.

 Pros:
 - Universal CPU cooler that fits both AMD and Intel CPUs
 - Good cooling performnce
 - Small footprint compare with other heatpipe coolers
 - Easy installation
 - 3 large copper heatpipes with large aluminum fins
 - Optional 92mm included

 Cons:
 - Fan installation recommended 

We give the OCZ Vendetta Universal CPU cooler our CPU3D "Highly Recommended" Award

OVERALL SCORE
92%

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