Freezer Xtreme Arctic Cooler CPU cooler review - 5 - Testing the cooler

Testing the cooler

Time to test -- As stated in the introduction, the cooler works absolutely charming with any processor (quad-core included) at default operating speeds. Therefore we decided to test it on a system with higher specs.

Methodology -- We use an nForce 790i Ultra SLI mainboard, equip it with a Core 2 Quad QX9770 processor which we overclock towards 3600 MHz.. Now we'll test the cooler in four utilization stages:

1. Actively cooled - yet CPU has nothing to do (IDLE)
2. Actively cooled - four processors cores 100% stressed (LOAD)
3. Actively cooled - yet CPU has nothing to do (IDLE) CPU OC 3600 MHz @ 1.462 Volts
4. Actively cooled - four processors cores 100% stressed (LOAD) CPU OC 3600 MHz @ 1.462 Volts

Let's have a  look at the results.

So 100% CPU load on all 4 cores (Prime 95 stressed) is probably what you like to focus on. Compared to the Intel stock cooler the AC cooler does some serious good work. The QX9770 overclocked at 3600MHz with 1.462 Volts resulted in overheating with the stock cooler, both idle and stressed reached temperatures of 85 Degrees C after which our mainboards overheat protection kicked in and cut power from the PC. We can not use the stock cooler in this overclocked situation.

• Green is the Freezer Xtreme
• Blue is the stock Intel cooler

The Freezer Xtreme cooler however did manage to cope with this particular stress test and ran fine. At stock, the QX9770 @ 3200 MHz, we topped out at 48 Degrees C with the four cores 100% stressed. Overclocked to 3600 MHz / 1.462 Volts however the cooler got close 70 Degrees C, and had hoped for a tiny bit better performance.

Let's have a 'look' at volume levels.

Volume wise the Intel stock cooler will just get crazy once the temps rise. The rest of the products where barely hearable and we measure roughly 45 DBa. The AC Freezer Xtreme does have another strong selling point, you can hardly hear it. Which is great. Our system never passed 40 DBa with this cooler.