System Configuration
• CPU: Core 2 Duo E6750 (Overclocked: 450MHz FSB, 1.45Vcore, 3.6GHz)
• Motherboard: Asus P5K3-Deluxe
• RAM: Crucial DDR-3 1600MHz
• HDD: Samsung 160JJ SATA2
• VGA: eVGA 7900GS
• PSU: Hiper Type-MII 5M730
For testing, we decided to test the cooler by using the included silicone grease. With a layer on the CPU we left the system working in order for the thermal paste to stabilize for about 12 hours. We tested the cooler by running it with the motherboard fan speed control enabled at normal mode only. CPU load was achieved by running Prime95 torture test (blend) and Super Pi simultaneously for 30 minutes. The idle temperature measurements were noted after the system was resting at the windows desktop for 30 minutes. Ambient temperature is maintained (as accurately as possible) at 23 degrees Celsius at the time of the test. SpeedStep is disabled.
Performance Testing
|
|
Idle Temperature (Celsius) |
Load Temperature (Celsius) |
Akasa Revo
(fan speed control in normal mode) |
Stock Speed (2.66GHz) |
35 |
42 |
Overclocked Speed
(3.6GHz, 1.45V) |
43 |
58 |
Zerotherm BTF90
(fan speed control in normal mode) |
Stock Speed (2.66GHz) |
39 |
46 |
Overclocked Speed
(3.6GHz, 1.45V) |
48 |
62 |
| ThermalRight SI-128 + Revoltec 1200RPM fan |
Stock Speed (2.66GHz) |
37 |
44 |
Overclocked Speed
(3.6GHz, 1.45V) |
46 |
57 |
| Stock E6750 Cooler |
Stock Speed (2.66GHz) |
48 |
62 |
Overclocked Speed
(3.6GHz, 1.45V) |
-- |
-- |
After testing the Akasa Revo, we came to some very interesting conclusions. For a cooler which is marketed as a silent cooler, it performs extraordinary well. At stock speed it was pretty much unrivaled, beating the much larger ThermalRight SI-128 (which is using a 120mm fan).
When overclocked, the Revo still performs amazingly well but it gets bested by the sheer size and airflow of the SI-128, evidence that the design of the Revo is reaching its limitation.
Installing a faster fan or even having the stock fan run at full speed should enhance its performance considerably. That said, the Revo is designed to be a quiet cooler, so installing a high RPM fan on it would be pointless for a potential buyer.
In terms of performance it completely annihilates the reference intel cooler. Even at default speeds, the intel cooler gave us worse results than those the Revo managed at a high overclock. Running the system at such a high overclock with the reference cooler was not even possible.
As the Revo is designed to be a quiet cooler above everything else, if it was noisy during our testing all of this would be meaningless. We are however pleased to say that the Revo was extremely quiet. We could in fact only hear a very low hum created by the fan when we placed our ear next to it. The Revo would only speed up to become slightly audible when the system was running at full load and heavily overclocked. In a normal system, we doubt it would ever become audible over your hard disk drive even if we assume that the rest of the PC is fanless. A really strong set of results.
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