Installation

In order to install ISGC-200 on socket AM3, AM2+, AM2, 939 or 754 CPUs from AMD just put the cooler on the processor and attach the clip shown on Figure 10.

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Figure 10: AMD clip.

For installation on socket 775 Intel processors, you must first screw the two clips shown on Figure 11 to the base of the cooler.

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Figure 11: Socket 775 clips.

Then the cooler retention mechanism looks exactly like the system used by Intel stock cooler. So you just need to press the four pegs to secure it in place. This system is far more practical than the ones that use backplates, but it is criticized because it can bend and force the motherboard. As ISGC-200 is not a heavy cooler, there is no problem in this case.

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Figure 12: Ready to install.

On Figure 13 you can se how it looks installed in our case.

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Figure 13: Installed.

How We Tested

We are adopting the following metodology on our CPU cooler reviews.

First we chose the CPU with the highest TDP (Thermal Design Power) we could: a Core 2 Extreme QX6850, which has a 130 W TDP. The choice for a CPU with a high TDP is obvious: as we want to measure how efficient is the tested cooler, we need a processor that gets very hot. This CPU works by default at 3.0 GHz, but we overclocked it to 3.33 GHz, in order to heat it as much as possible.

We took noise and temperature measurements with the CPU idle and under full load. In order to achieve 100% CPU load on the four processing cores we ran at the same time Prime95 in "In-place Large FFTs" option and three instances of StressCPU program.

We also compared the reviewed cooler to Intel stock cooler (with copper base), which comes with the processor we used, and also with some other coolers we tested using the same methodology.

Temperature measurements were taken with a digital thermometer, with the sensor touching the base of the cooler, and also with the core temperature reading (given by the CPU thermal sensor) from SpeedFan program. For this measurement we used an arithmetic average of the four core temperature readings.

Sound pressure level (SPL) was measured with a digital noise meter, with its sensor placed 4" (10 cm) from the fan. We turned off the video board cooler so it wouldn't interfere with the results, but this measurement is only for comparative purposes, because a precise SPL measurement needs to be done inside an acoustically insulated room with no other noise sources, what we do not have.

Hardware Configuration

• Processor: Core 2 Extreme QX6850
• Motherboard: Gigabyte EP45-UD3L
• Memory: 2 GB Corsair XMS2 DHX TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX G (DDR2-800/PC2-6400 with timings 4-4-4-12), running at 800 MHz
• Hard drive: 500 GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 (ST3500320AS, SATA-300, 7200 rpm, 32 MB buffer)
• Video card: PNY Verto Geforce 9600 GT
• Video resolution: 1680x1050
• Video monitor: Samsung Syncmaster 2232BW Plus
• Power supply: Seventeam ST-550P-AM
• Case: 3RSystem K100
  

Software Configuration

• Windows XP Professional installed on FAT32 partition
• Service Pack 3
• Intel Inf driver version: 8.3.1.1009
• nVidia video driver version: 182.08

Used Software

• Prime95
• StressCPU
• SpeedFan

Error Margin

We adopted a 2 ^oC error margin, i.e. temperature differences below 2 ^oC are considered not relevant.

Our Tests

On the tables below you can see our results. We ran the same tests with Intel stock cooler, Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro, Akasa Nero, Cooler Master V10, Thermaltake TMG IA1, Zalman CNPS 10X Extreme, Thermaltake ISGC-100, Noctua NH-U12P Noctua NH-C12P and Thermaltake ISGC-200. Each test was ran with the CPU idle and the with the CPU fully loaded. On BigTyp 14Pro and TMG IA1 the tests were done with the fan at full speed and at minimum speed. On Noctua NH-U12P we tested using the fan speed reducing device (U.L.N.A.) and then tested again with the fan connected directly to the motherboard (full speed). Noctua NH-C12P was tested connected directly to the motherboard. With the other coolers, the motherboard controls the fan speed based on CPU load level and temperature.

On the graph below you can see the temperature difference between the cooler base and the room temperature with the CPU idle and fully loaded. Values shown are in Celsius degrees. Remember that the lower the number, the better is cooling performance.

On the next graph you can have an idea on how many Celsius degrees was CPU core hotter than room temperature during the tests.

Main Features

Thermaltake ISGC-200 main features are:

• Application: Socket 775, AM3, AM2+, AM2, 939 and 754 processors.
• Fins: Aluminum.
• Base: Copper.
• Heat-pipes: Three U-shape copper heat-pipes.
• Fan: 92 mm.
• Nominal fan speed: 600 to 1,600 RPM.
• Fan air flow: 37 CFM.
• Maximum power consumption: 0.96 W.
• Nominal noise level: 17 dBA.
• Weight: 1.05 Lbs (475 g).
• More information: http://www.thermaltakeusa.com
• Average price in the US*: USD 42.00

* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.

Conclusions

We were very wary before testing Thermaltake ISGC-200, because of the low performance achieved by the smaller cooler from this series, ISGC-100. Our results, however, show that ISGC-200 is far better than its "little brother" on cooling performance. Besides that, it is quieter, even though they use the same fan, probably because of the sandwich design.

Its cooling performance is good, but not as good as the best coolers we tested so far. Even so it won'tt burn your CPU, even when it is overclocked.

Visually ISGC-200 does not attracts the sight; it can be cool in temperature but not in the looks. The installation system is very practical.

In summary, ISGC-200 is a good cooler, silentful, efficient and having a fair price tag. It may not be the best cooler available, but its buyers will surely not regret the purchase.

Originally at http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/796