DeepCool Killer Whale CPU Cooler review - DBA noise levels

Please keep in mind that for the results on the previous page – temperatures are based on default stock processor frequency with power saving options disabled (such as EIST and C1E functions) due to requiring a more accurate and stable voltage balance applied to the CPU. The default vcore is pretty much 1.2 Volts for each processor and the fan speed is automatically controlled by BIOS. Killer Whale’s fan functions at 1280 RPM at IDLE, while it boosts its performance up to 1860 RPM during stressful situations. Obviously LOWER = BETTER.

With a certified dBA meter we measure how many dBA originates from the PC. It's slightly subjective as there is always noise in the background, from the streets, from the HD, PSU fan etc etc, so this is by a mile or two not a precise measurement. You could only achieve objective measurement in a sound test chamber. Please take this measurement as an indication, not a precise measurement.

The human hearing system has different sensitivities at different frequencies. This means that the perception of noise is not at all equal at every frequency. Noise with significant measured levels (in dB) at high or low frequencies will not be as annoying as it would be when its energy is concentrated in the middle frequencies. In other words, the measured noise levels in dB will not reflect the actual human perception of the loudness of the noise. That's why we measure the dBA level. A specific circuit is added to the sound level meter to correct its reading in regard to this concept. This reading is the noise level in dBA. The letter A is added to indicate the correction that was made in the measurement. Frequencies below 1kHz and above 6kHz are attenuated, whereas frequencies between 1kHz and 6kHz are amplified by the A weighting.

Regarding acoustic and sound measurement, we are glad to say that Killer Whale lives a tranquil life. While you are doing your daily tasks, such as browsing at Guru3D and reading our articles, the noise levels of the fan remain as low as a bedroom at night as such it’s not disturbing at all. However, pushing a lot more pressure onto the processor has a bad impact on the noise levels. To be more specific with numbers, the situation dramatically alternates from quiet to moderately noisy levels at 32.6 dBA. We measured at 75cm distance, away from the PC. Helpfully, the cooler comes equipped with 4 anti-vibration rubbers so as to prevent fan vibration during operation. Although Killer Whale is shipped with a pre-attached fan, using these rubbers you can turn the installation procedure into kid’s stuff.

Furthermore, we measured the motherboard area near the socket using an infrared thermometer. Picking nice spots around the 775 LGA socket, the mobo’s temperature was at 42 degrees in Celsius, while the rest of the circuit body was around 33 C degrees. Nearby components such as memory modules or graphics cards are affected by these hot temps. So, as a rule of thumb, make sure you do not apply too much pressure during the heatsink's installation, because not only might you damage the chip, but alas you will probably encounter overheating spots.

I think that it’s time to overclock a bit, shall we?