Hardware Thermaltake Frio CPU Cooler Review

The Frio comes with two 120mm fans, and delivers great cooling whether you use one or both

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cooling/2010/07/14/thermaltake-frio-cpu-cooler-review/1

 

Considering how many people use RAM featuring tall heatsinks in an air cooled system I can't help but think that these latest and greatest heatsinks that interfere with the RAM have a major oversight, and should be scored down accordingly. Surely the scores should reflect just how many people are not going to be able to use this heatsink?

 

Did you take any pics of the Frio installed inside a case, or at least on a test bench or something?

I'm surprised that this didn't make it on this month's Gaming Workhorse, given the $10 difference between it and the Fenrir..

 

I think that they wanted to show a couple of options rather than just use the same componant on all systems as the FRIO was used in the 'Premium Player' system.

 

Article apperas to be missing any form of introduction / preamble.

Not the best first page Ive ever read on BT.....

 

I never thought I'd live to see the words "Thermaltake" and "Great" in the same sentence... In honesty I'm surprised it's even up there with the Fenrir, let alone beating it

 

Just to add to my point... In the 'Premium Player' system you use 6GB of 1,600MHz DDR3 RAM from Corsair with the tall DHX heatsinks... Doesn't this mean that either the RAM or the CPU Cooler wouldn't fit together?

 

I'd still go for the Fenrir myself... It's just so much better looking than a big hunk of plasitc. Especially as there is only 8* difference between the FRIO with 2 fans on high and the Fenrir with 1 fan on low, while the actual temps are not anywhere near a CPU's overclocking limits.

 

So it's a case of "The King is dead. Long live the King!" - Well done Thermaltake!

 

The looks of it are a big factor. It is one ugly heatsink! (The Fenrir is no looker either). However if you're not planning to show off the innards of the PC this looks like quite a good choice, the price isn't too bad either considering it comes with fans.

I have a question - In the reviews, there are temps listed for coolers that don't come with a fan. Are these temps taken when using a fan or just using the stock cooler? In particular this is about the Thermalright Ultra 120. Thanks.

 

that is my thought exactly. IMHO if it is to good to be true, it probably isn't.

 

Those use a Sharkoon fan, AFAIK.

 

I mentioned it in an early thread but I'll reiterate: having to get into the case to adjust the fan speeds is a pain, I'm not sure I can agree with the overall conclusion here b-t.

However, can the fans be replaced with standard PWM fans? How much of the excellent cooling is down to the fans and how much is down to the heatsink design?

If it is the heatsink then one or two Akasa Apache PWM fans may be a runner here as long as you don't have tall RAM.

 

@ Fingers66... That is actually a good point you raise there.
If the performance is not hurt too much then maybe replacing the fans with a single fan on the rear would give good performance along with freeing up space for RAM with good heatsinks. However, this would raise the overall cost even further and render the fans that are bundled useless.

 

as usual, thermaltake does a half-a$$ job on what could have been a stellar product. but at least they fudged minor details and got the main piece pretty solid. nice job. i would buy, but i have ripjaws, so dont think it would fit.

 

Superficial review, it doesn't shows anything about the noise at which temps.

 

Please CPC can we see pics with it installed in case. I had to take my Titan Ferir out because it went right across two of my memory lanes on the ASUS rampage gene ii.

 

Can it be mounted East to West?

 

Nice to see Bit-Tech are so quick to respond to questions...

 

It's not like they have all day to spend on the forums. I've seen their busy days!

There's meetings and testing and eating of food!

It's madness, say I!