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Test Setup

 

 

 

Procedures

For testing purposes we took the CPU right to its upmost OC potential. Since the cooler being reviewed falls under the enthusiast level category, most users are most likely interested in the upper level cooling performance of this product. The Core-Contact Freezer is compared to the stock Intel cooler, DuOrb  and also the Enzotech Ultra-X cooler. Enzotech reigns are the best air cooler I have reviewed so far, and pitting the Core-Contact against it will provide a good point of reference for cooling performance. The latest version to prime 95 was used to heat up each core to its maximum thermal output. Temperature readings were taken from the onboard senor probes of the Asus board under the manufactures temperature monitoring program (Asus PC Probe II BIOS 9007). This allowed me too not only to monitor CPU temps, but also Northbridge and overall motherboard temperature as well.      

 

The Core-Contact Freezer totally dominates the competition at both Idle and Load. What was most impressive, is that cooler was able to beat the performance of Enzotech. The Core-Contact Freezer accomplished this while running significantly quieter then the Enzotech. The stock cooler would trip the onboard thermal protection and shut the system down, the Core-Contact was able to maintain full system load without any danger of thermal system shutdown.

 

The picture changes slightly here. Since both the Enzotech and DuOrb blow air down onto the board, the Northbridge runs a little cooler for those products. The Core-Contact features a large fan that blows air towards the back of the case, so board’s components don’t benefit quite as much. However, it still creates enough airflow with its large fan, to outdo the stock cooler in this area as well.

 

Same story on the motherboard temps.