Ultra-120 eXtreme V.S. TRUE Black 120

[xech]

Hi, i've been choosing on what heatsink i should buy for my intel processor. Then i came across the Thermalright Ultra-120. i know what fans ill be getting for it, so its not a problem.

theres 2 different kind of Ultra-120 and i was thinking what perform better in cooling. the Ultra-120 Extreme and the "True Black 120".

I read at the Thermalright website and it said the only difference in both coolers is that the True Black 120 came with the Chill Factor 2 (I Don't know much about Thermal Compound) and a extra set of fan wire clips for a push-pull, two fan installation.

It also said it perform the same in single fan mode. but ill be using 2.

 

[bobbknight]

I have pretty much came up with the following after looking at the cooling ability of a couple of the more talked about coolers on this forum.

This is the number that you want to beat.
Thermal Resistance: 0.17°C/Watt
Anything higher is a waste of your money.
If this number is not given, move along.

Oh by the way this is from the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro, $32 retail.

Everyone yells Zalman Zalman Zalman, well guess what I don't find any Thermal Resistance information on thier
web site or in the coolerss manuals. They are over priced anyways.


XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler
Thermal Resistance 0.16°C/Watt
$44 shipped

$10 for .01 Degrees C/W at best a cooling of 2 Degrees C, to me it's not worth the hassle of install and expense.

Scythe SCINF-1000 120mm CPU Cooler Thermal Resistance unknown price higher than other units of know capability.

Tuniq Tower 120 P4 & K8 CPU Cooler
Thermal Resistance 0.16 - 0.21 °C / W from web site, $57.58 delivered.
Again over priced and a pain in the ass installation.

Bang for buck winner here, the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro.
Why bother with anything else?

A post script to the above:

XIGMATEK has a new unit out the Xigmatek Achilles S1284 for $45 before shipping.
Thermal Resistance 0.14°C/Watt
This may be the new big boy on the block.
$52 shipped from;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233017&Tpk=S1284

With installation of the XIGMATEK' being so problematic and it almost requires the extra mounting bracket,
at a cost of an additional $10. I might still go with the Freezer 7 Pro.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

When Xigmatek includes the extra mounting bracket in the box. I will give the newer cooler, the Achilles S1284 a try.

 

[Fragille]

the temp wont differ much basically, as TRUE black is just a TRUE with black color coating if not mistaken.

 

[russki]

Fragille is right; plus you get two fan mounting brackets for push-pull config if you want. I am not sure if the Extreme has the same pin configuration to allow push-pull with optional brackets; I know the TRUE does. But you could certainly fashion something of out zip ties. Overall, same cooler + extra accessories.

 

[eklipz330]

the Sunbeam Core-Contact Freezer seems very promising, you should look it up.. its cheaper than the heatsinks you picked
http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2271&page=1

 

[russki]

Btw, chillfactor is ok (I saw somewhere that CF2 may not be as good as the older one), but you're still better off using a different paste (Freeze, MX2, AS5 if you don't mind the cure period). And Ultra does have the fins for a two fan config, it would appear. You just need the accessory.

So, to sum it up, TRUE = Ultra Extreme + set of fan brackets + new thermal paste. Oh, and plus the cool black color, but how much are you willing to pay for appearance?

Also, I don't know what the other posters are talking about, it really doesn't have much to do with your question, but of all the sinks they mentioned Xigmatek is the best (read reviews, there are plenty).

FWIW, biggest factors, to me, should be mobo compatibility, weight, performance, price, in that order. Xigma is big, and the mounting brackets do not lay out as compactly as TR. Actually, the few coolers that outperform TR are bigger, IIRC. TR rocks the heatpipe design, they were one of the first to pioneer it.