DriverHeaven.net - NorthQ 3310BL UFO Cooler

Computer processors are continuously evolving, but as they evolve their power demands rise as well. And as their power demands rise, their heat output rises, creating a viscous circle. It seems like the era of the processors which required only a small heatsink or no cooling at all has come to an end. Today, only some specific low power processors do not require high end cooling in order to simply operate, let alone provide maximum performance and overclock. This progress allowed several companies to present many and constantly more efficient processor coolers as time went by. Today we will look on a mid-range processor cooler developed by NorthQ, a Danish based company, the 3310BL UFO cooler.

The 3310BL UFO cooler has a great advantage over many other coolers. That advantage is that you can mount the cooler on every processor currently available, as the cooler is compatible with all CPU sockets currently in production. There are several more advantages and disadvantages to discover through this review though. But first of all, let us see what the manufacturer has to say about this cooler.

Manufacturer features and specifications:

• Cooler Dimension: 101 x 101 x 67 mm
• Fan Dimension: 80 x 80 x 25 mm
• Rated Voltage: 12 V
• Bearing Type: 2-ball
• Life Time: 50,000 Hours
• Connector: 3 Pin
• Fan controller included
• Fan speed: 1500 - 2800RPM +- 10%
• Noise Level : 17 - 19dB in silent mode / 20 - 22dB in medium mode / 23 - 25dB in high speed mode
• Heat sink Material: pure copper
• Total Weight: 616 g

”The NorthQ-3310BL’s multi clip system enables easy installation on sockets: 462, 478, 754, 939, 940 and the brand new socket LGA 775 system. Finally the use of pure copper and the new hybrid bearing ensures durability and an extensive product lifetime. With these innovations the NorthQ 3310BL Giant UFO cooler represents the latest in high end CPU cooling technology. The new 3310BL version is designed with a crystal clear fan, build-in blue LED light and a new on/off switch for light.”

Packaging and Bundle

The cooler and its bundle are enclosed in a clear plastic package. The cooler is entirely visible from all sides so the potential buyer can check on it while browsing inside a store. The features and specifications of the cooler are all mentioned on the packaging, along with a basic installation diagram on all sockets at the rear. The package does provide enough protection for the cooler, which is not something too fragile anyway, but the only issue the way I see it is that the packaging is not sealed, so someone can open it and close it without leaving a trace.

The cooler has a considerably large bundle, not because of any special included item but because of the compatibility of the cooler with all of the current CPUs. There are many retention brackets, screws and backplates to allow the installation of the cooler on any socket. There is also included a small amount of heatsink compound. The thermal compound is nothing more than a typical white thermal grease by Stars, but it ought to do its job. Nevertheless, I would recommend using a more proven thermal compound from a known company if possible. Also included is a fan speed controller, from which you can control the speed of the cooler’s fan. While the fan controller is very good and efficient, this type of controller does not allow the user to adjust the fan speed without opening their case. That being said, we would recommend the typical user to adjust the fan speed first while the system is operating and then install the side panel again. Finally, included in the package is a small leaflet with installation instructions, complete enough to allow even the first time system builders to install the heatsink without any problems.

The cooler

The cooler is an orb type cooler, as you would guess from its name. Although the cooler is completely made out of copper, it is not exceedingly heavy as it is not very large. The fan used on this cooler is a crystal clear 80mm fan. The fan is also coloured while operating by blue LED lights installed below its motor. You can turn the lights on and off by a switch, present on a very short wire near the cooler. The power cable of the fan is not sleeved, but it has a silver/clear coloured wire which is much more aesthetically appealing than a typical yellow/black/red wire. The base of the cooler is extremely smooth, but also appears too small to completely cover the heatspreader plate of most processors. This is not necessarily bad, as heat is always coming from the centre of a processor where the core lies. As only the actual performance of the cooler matters, we will see if NorthQ can be blamed for a design flaw concerning the base of the heatsink. From the base of the cooler no less than 84 large copper fins expand radially upwards, enclosing the fan inside them.

Installation

The installation of the 3310BL cooler on a socket 754/939 processor is very simple, although it requires the removal of the motherboard from the case. First of all, you will have to remove the stock plastic retention bracket. On most motherboards this bracket is held in place by two screws, but on some motherboards it is mounted by plastic pins. Then by using the provided backplate retention bracket, you screw and fix the two mounting columns in place. Finally you place the cooler on the CPU (after applying a thin layer of thermal grease on the CPU of course) and by using the provided screws you fix the cooler on the mounting columns. You are pretty much done and ready to enjoy your new cooler.

Something else that we have noticed during our testing is that the cooler is using very bright LED lights, but they are also affected by the speed of the fan. As the fan speed goes lower, the lights will go down as well. Nevertheless, even at the lowest possible fan speed the LED lights are considerably bright. The above picture was taken with the fan set at the lowest possible speed.