Review: Thermaltake Frio CPU Cooler

Posted by Winston

Friday, 08 October 2010 00:03

Article Index
Review: Thermaltake Frio CPU Cooler
Specifications and Features
Photo Gallery and Closer Look
Installation and Test Procedure
BIOS and Windows Temps
Idle Temps
Load Temps
Overclocked Temps
Verdict and Conclusion

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Introduction

There aren't many CPU coolers on the market designed specifically for overclocking. The only manufacturer that have tried producing CPU coolers for overclocking is Coolermaster, but with varying success. These included the Hyper Z600 and the V10, which are now discontinued. For an overclocker, any good CPU cooler can be used for overclocking, as long as the heatsink can offer good heat dissipation and there's enough air-flow provided by the cooling fans.

We all know that Thermaltake have been producing decent CPU coolers, with good cooling performance for many years. In fact, in the past, we've used their previous models for some mild overclocking before, with good results. So when we heard that Thermaltake was going to release a CPU cooler designed for overclocking, we were very intrigued to find out more. Can their new CPU cooler really handle overclocking? How will it cope with the excess heat and what about the noise from the cooling fans? All these questions are important, as it will determine whether the CPU cooler is a success among the overclocking community. If Thermaltake is to be successful in producing a CPU cooler designed for overclocking, it will need to offer the right blend of cooling performance and noise level.

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As we've mentioned before, Thermaltake is one of those big brand names that everyone seem to know. They have been producing computer chassis, CPU coolers, power supplies and other cooling accessories since the early days of 1999. For those who are not familiar with Thermaltake or its products ... here's something taken from their website.

"Started from the passion for the DIY (Do It Yourself) concepts and the desires to realize the goal of “Ideas are originated from humanity; Realizing ideas is our belief.” Thermaltake Technology was established in January, 1999 and has been market to the world with “Thermaltake” brand name ever since.

The brand personality of Unique, Aggressive, Vivid, and Stylish makes Thermaltake an expert in creating Exciting things and Fascinating environment for gamers and enthusiasts, also Keep them Constantly High physically and mentally. Excellent technical expertise and integration ability, plus dare to experiment on the new possibilities give Thermaltake the source of authority in the market."

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In this review, we'll be taking a look at the Thermaltake Frio CPU Cooler. It's designed for both AMD (AM2, AM2+, AM3) and Intel processors (LGA 775, 1156, 1366), and features a nickel-plated copper base and large Aluminum fins, along with five heat-pipes for great cooling capacity. According to Thermaltake, the heatsink can support upto 220W of thermal resistance, which is more than enough to handle any overclocked CPU. Also included are dual 120mm VR fans, which generates excellent air flow of upto 101.6 CFM, enhancing thermal performance. The fan speeds are adjustable from 1,200~2,500 rpm using the included rheostat controller on each fan. At the lowest fan speed of 1,200 rpm, the noise level is around 20dBA, reaching a fairly loud 43dBA at maximum speed of 2,500rpm.

The CPU cooler does look pretty impressive. The 2 cooling fans have white blades making it stand out a mile. These fans can mounted via anti-vibration rubber bungs/plugs. The good thing is ... you have a choice to mount a single fan or use both. Looking at the the specifications of the Thermaltake Frio CPU Cooler certainly sounds impressive. As far as size is concerned, it's slightly smaller than the massive Noctua NH-D14, measuring 139(L) x 98(W) x 165(H) mm. The only thing I'm concerned about is the noise level. The two powerful VR fans can be quiet loud, if they're set to the maximum speed. Anyway, it will be interesting to see how well it performs against other CPU coolers we've already tested in our labs.

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We'll be testing the Thermaltake Fro CPU Cooler on our test rig which consist of an Intel Core i5 - 650 @ 3.2Ghz, Gigabyte P55 USB3 motherboard, Geforce GTX 460 OC, 4Gb Crucial Ballistix Tracer and a Silverpower 650w power supply. It's the same system we've been using to test other CPU coolers.

OK ... let's not waste any more time and take a closer look at the specifications and features of the Thermaltake Frio CPU Cooler.