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News CPU Coolers: New Benchmarks

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Meanmotion, 6 Mar 2013.

  1. Meanmotion

    Meanmotion bleh Moderator

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  2. Instagib

    Instagib Minimodder

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    So why have you dropped AMD? Saying it's less relevant is kind of skimming over the reasoning there. AM3+ is still a mainstream platform, admittedly with few adopters. Surely just for the sake of balance and credibility it would of been best to keep it in?
     
  3. Baz

    Baz I work for Corsair

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    As we've covered many times, AM3+ isn't really a viable option for a main desktop build. It comes down to a cost benefit analysis and addign on 1-3 hours of AM3+ testing for what is a marginal platform we'd never recommend doesn't make sense.

    FM2 is, however, far more appealing, particularly for budget builds and we've done a great deal of testing on a (built and ready to go, and also in a Carbide 500R) overclocked FM2 rig based on a 5800K. Sadly though, it appears that FM2 is rather thermally irregular and likes to downclock/downvolt chips even when they're below the TjMax. We'll do some more research on this and liaise with AMD and hopefully be able to add FM2 into our cooler reviewers soon.
     
  4. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    This is very true. Aside from the stupid audio bug, I've been nothing but happy with my A10-5800K workhorse build. Nippy, cheap, and idles at about 30W from the socket. Got it running at 4GHz with nothing more than increasing the multiplier - okay, so that's only 200Mhz over stock, but free performance is free performance.
     
  5. GMC

    GMC Minimodder

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    This is quite sad. I see so many media articles claiming dismay at the possibility of a future without AMD providing an alternative to Intel that will keep blue a bit honest. Despite those claims however, AMD continues to be marginalised in exactly the way this article does.
    Some systems need to be built 'good enough' rather than 'best' and in that sphere AMD is perfectly reasonable. I run a phenom 965 and am plenty happy with it, but it took a long time to find a cooler that fitted with the right orientation simply because of the lack of media/testing/review attention to the platform. This makes it harder for people to go AMD and will hasten an Intel monopoly dystopia...

    User scenario, I'm planning an htpc/media store and leaning heavily towards an FM2 base for it. The 8 sata ports on A85 are ideal here and the trinity processor removes need for a separate graphics card. I was real keen when I saw this article but the lack of testing for components like coolers doesn't help me choose one that works quietly in correct orientation without obscuring ram slots.
    I don't intend overclocking and hope that future reviews will give AMD a hearing.
     
  6. Instagib

    Instagib Minimodder

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    Okay, granted there are significant performance short comings on e whole AMD desktop range, but have you not considered that you now leave open a gaping hole in your coverage? Given that, someone planning an AMD build (it might happen) would be forced elsewhere for the relevant reviews. Can bit-tech really afford to so easily give up those potential readers?

    That's really my main concern here; that there will be a knock on effect on the number of viewers here on the sites and as a result further changes will be made to bit-tech.net. Maybe I'm over-reacting, but is it something that's been considered when planning the cut?
     
  7. MrJay

    MrJay You are always where you want to be

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    Id bet any money there are more AM3/AM3+ users than there are socket 2011 users.
     
  8. Shirty

    Shirty W*nker! Super Moderator

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    I'd bet even more money that there are even more LGA775 users :p
     
  9. spolsh

    spolsh Multimodder

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    So, am I right in thinking that for cross-platform coolers, the coolers that work well with intel will (likely) also work well with AMD ?

    Or, are you expecting AMD to drop out of the market ?
     
  10. chrismarkham1982

    chrismarkham1982 Multimodder

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    Previous reviews have shown thast is not always the case
    If its good on Intel dosnt always mean its good on AMD.
     
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  11. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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    That's very true.

    As Baz said in his post it comes down to a cost benefit analysis. We can only afford time-wise to test on three sockets - we're working on a solution for FM2, and LGA1155 and LGA2011 are the two we've chosen. Yes people do use AM3/AM3+ systems, but as Shirty says, there probably loads of people using LGA775 as well, but they're also the people least likely to be searching for a new CPU cooler and generating traffic as their system has probably been working fine for years. The same could be said for AM3+ - it's the same socket design that was around 7 years ago. Yes some people might be after a new cooler, but I bet that number is pretty low.

    It might sound a little harsh but I'd also argue that if you're buying a new AM3+ system, you clearly haven't bothered to look at any CPU reviews, so what's the likelihood you'd be interested in a cooler review? Certainly in our forums by far the most common system is LGA1155-based with a smattering of LGA2011 and AMD, but it's not just existing system owners that are buying new coolers - a huge amount of cooler purchases are for new systems and a vast, vast majority of these are Intel-based.

    We have to consider our stance in the industry too, which is evident in things such as our Buyer's Guide, and that is that for Workstations it's LGA2011, mid to high-end general purpose, LGA1155 and for super-low budget FM2. In the past, the odd Phenom has been worth considering, but mainly at the budget end. At the moment, because under no circumstances do we recommend an AM3+ system, I'd argue we'd actually look a bit silly including the results in our cooler reviews.
     
  12. Dogbert666

    Dogbert666 *Fewer Lover of bit-tech Administrator

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    Just to reiterate what Baz and Ant have already said, we're not dismissing AMD platforms entirely. A very significant amount of (Baz's) time was spent testing and retesting on a purpose built FM2 system, but there were too many irregularities for the results to be considered reliable, and it didn't make sense to hold back the other results when we had them ready to go.
     
  13. tonyd223

    tonyd223 king of nothing

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    er, as a guy still using 939, AM2+ and AM3, I can swap the Arctic coolers across all no worries. I understand your point about time - but I also accept that this is about coolers, not about whether or not AMD have a viable platform.
     
  14. mikemaher205

    mikemaher205 What's a Dremel?

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    It is a shame to loose the AMD results on current cooler reviews, but for AM3+ and older builds, the old reviews are there, and it means that the coolers viewed there are now likely to be picked up cheaper via eBay, so it's not lost information.

    Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but AMD are releasing a new CPU and socket type within the next year which they said will run for 2 generations, so focusing efforts on getting a reliable test setup on that would be the better use of resources?

    I'm in no way claiming to be anything other than a n00b in the PC world so I'm open to feedback as to why I may be hugely wrong...
     
  15. aLtikal

    aLtikal 1338-One step infront of the pro's

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    Tbh i think this makes perfect sense, typically only enthusiasts and system builders are interested in over clocking and CPU coolers, and chances are they are aware that Intel are currently a better buy than AMD (except some niche scenarios of-course where AMD are doing well). With that in mind why should BT spend time and money on benchmarking a cooler on an AMD system when the majority will end up buying an intel system anyway.
     
  16. Waynio

    Waynio Relaxing

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    Considering what the Noctua NH-D14 manages I estimate my custom mod of it will out perform the ones above it by a very good margin, might even compete well against mid range custom water cooling but without any hassle, (I like to be optimistic). :D

    Picture what 3 akasa venom 140mm fans will do to that noctua, I anticipate awesome results. :D
     
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