ASUS Silent Square Pro: Compact Embedded-Fan Heatpipe Tower
by Wesley Fink on April 16, 2007 2:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
Scaling of Cooling Performance
The Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme has been the top performer so far in CPU cooling at stock speeds. As overclocks are raised, the Ultra 120 with the Scythe SFLEX fan maintains its cooling advantage. The ASUS Silent Square Pro is below average in cooling efficiency as CPU speeds are increased - even with the modified installation to improve socket 775 cooling performance.
At 2.93GHz the retail HSF is running at 41C, compared to 29C with the Silent Square Pro. This is a delta of 12C and an excellent performance. The delta with the stock fan to Intel retail remains similar at idle as the CPU speed is increased. By 3.73GHz the idle with the retail fan is 56C compared to the Silent Square stock at 43C - a delta of 13C
Cooling efficiency of the ASUS Silent Square Pro was then tested under load conditions, where much poorer cooling performance was observed. Results are compared to the retail HSF and other recently tested CPU coolers. The Silent Square Pro generated results very comparable to the Zalman 9500. The 9500 is a cooler which excels in cooling at stock speeds, but which is not nearly as efficient once the CPU is overclocked to higher frequencies - at least when compared to the best coolers tested at AnandTech.
The ASUS Silent Square topped out a stable clock speed of 3.81 GHz - only a little better than the Intel Retail cooler at 3.73GHz and poorer than the 3.90GHz reached with stability with the better heatpipe towers in our cooling performance tests. 3.90 GHz is the highest overclock the Tuniq, Thermalright Ultra 120, OCZ Vindicator, and push-pull Scythe Infinity could reach with stability. At 3.81GHz under load the Silent Square was at 68C compared to the Tuniq Tower 120 at a similar speed at 50C, and the top Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme/Scythe SFLEX at 43C.
Our test methodology uses real gaming at overclocked speeds to test the cooling efficiency of the unit under test. From this perspective the performance of ASUS Silent Square Pro is a disappointment. Even with the modified mount to improve cooling, the overclocked gaming cooling is below average among top heatpipe towers tested at AnandTech.
As stated many times, the overclocking abilities of the CPU will vary at the top, depending on the CPU. This particular CPU does higher FSB speeds than any X6800 we have tested, but the 3.9GHz top speed with the top tier heatpipe towers is pretty average among the X6800 processors we have tested with Tuniq cooling. A few of the other processors tested with the best air coolers reach just over 4 GHz, but the range has been 3.8 to 4.0GHz. Stock cooling generally tops out 200 to 400 MHz lower, depending on the CPU, on the processors tested in our lab.
The Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme has been the top performer so far in CPU cooling at stock speeds. As overclocks are raised, the Ultra 120 with the Scythe SFLEX fan maintains its cooling advantage. The ASUS Silent Square Pro is below average in cooling efficiency as CPU speeds are increased - even with the modified installation to improve socket 775 cooling performance.
 |
| Click to enlarge |
At 2.93GHz the retail HSF is running at 41C, compared to 29C with the Silent Square Pro. This is a delta of 12C and an excellent performance. The delta with the stock fan to Intel retail remains similar at idle as the CPU speed is increased. By 3.73GHz the idle with the retail fan is 56C compared to the Silent Square stock at 43C - a delta of 13C
Cooling efficiency of the ASUS Silent Square Pro was then tested under load conditions, where much poorer cooling performance was observed. Results are compared to the retail HSF and other recently tested CPU coolers. The Silent Square Pro generated results very comparable to the Zalman 9500. The 9500 is a cooler which excels in cooling at stock speeds, but which is not nearly as efficient once the CPU is overclocked to higher frequencies - at least when compared to the best coolers tested at AnandTech.
 |
| Click to enlarge |
The ASUS Silent Square topped out a stable clock speed of 3.81 GHz - only a little better than the Intel Retail cooler at 3.73GHz and poorer than the 3.90GHz reached with stability with the better heatpipe towers in our cooling performance tests. 3.90 GHz is the highest overclock the Tuniq, Thermalright Ultra 120, OCZ Vindicator, and push-pull Scythe Infinity could reach with stability. At 3.81GHz under load the Silent Square was at 68C compared to the Tuniq Tower 120 at a similar speed at 50C, and the top Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme/Scythe SFLEX at 43C.
Our test methodology uses real gaming at overclocked speeds to test the cooling efficiency of the unit under test. From this perspective the performance of ASUS Silent Square Pro is a disappointment. Even with the modified mount to improve cooling, the overclocked gaming cooling is below average among top heatpipe towers tested at AnandTech.
As stated many times, the overclocking abilities of the CPU will vary at the top, depending on the CPU. This particular CPU does higher FSB speeds than any X6800 we have tested, but the 3.9GHz top speed with the top tier heatpipe towers is pretty average among the X6800 processors we have tested with Tuniq cooling. A few of the other processors tested with the best air coolers reach just over 4 GHz, but the range has been 3.8 to 4.0GHz. Stock cooling generally tops out 200 to 400 MHz lower, depending on the CPU, on the processors tested in our lab.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
24 Comments
View All Comments
JarredWalton - Monday, April 16, 2007 - link
I wouldn't call this a "top 20" yet - more like "20 good/great coolers" - but I can do something about the graphs. Large (very large) versions now linked in. There's still a ton of data, so I figured a lot of people would just look at the tables below the graphs. Either way, I hope this works for you. Not sure what I'll do with the graphs when there's 30 coolers in the list! ;)yacoub - Monday, April 16, 2007 - link
The click-thru for hi-res is a great interim solution! Thanks!yacoub - Monday, April 16, 2007 - link
so few 650i motherboard roundups. :DGetting a bit anxious to see a nice 650i roundup before the 6320/6420/4400 launch... and perhaps an AMD motherboard roundup so folks who are looking to take advantage of the Intel price drop next week can be better informed about what good stable, overclocking-featured s775 boards exist or are coming soon, and compare that to what the current competition in the AMD arena looks like with their new CPU pricing and whatever AM2 motherboards are decent and how they overclock (which I have no clue about since I haven't seen any reviews/overviews/roundups for AMD boards in several months.)
What a great time for a nice Gary Key overview and analysis of the motherboard/overclocking scene!
Lots of talk on forums about DS3 v3.3 or whatever the Gigabyte P965 board is called. A bit about the MSi 650i board that seems to be well built and not as buggy as most boards but not as strong an overclocker. Please let's get a nice roundup.
rjm55 - Monday, April 16, 2007 - link
AT probably has the largest database of top coolers tested on the C2D right now, sonce most other sites are still testing with older P4's and AMD. Thanks for providing the info I was looking for.One question though. I have personally tested the Zalman 9500 on the AMD and C2D platforms. The 9500 is a brilliant performer on the AMD processor, but I agree it is a dog on the Core 2 Duo. Do you or any readers have a notion why some coolers do well on the AMD and are misrable performers on the Core 2 Duo?
Wesley Fink - Monday, April 16, 2007 - link
I believe the major reason coolers like the 9500 do well on AMD, but not so well on Core 2 Duo is because the AMD processors at present do not overclock nearly as well as Core 2 Duo processors. The 9500 does not run out of steam in the overclock range of the AMD, but the C2D overclocks much further and wxceeds the effective design limits.If you look at temps closely the Zalman 9500 and 9700 cool exceptionally well at stock 2.93GHz and up to 800 MHz higher, which is well within the top speed you can achieve with air cooling of an AMD. When you go further on a C2D the 950/9700 reach their effective limit while some other heatpipe towers like the top Thermalright and Tuniq Tower 120 are still performing very well.
Deusfaux - Monday, April 16, 2007 - link
I remember you said a while back... which ones are left?Apack Zerotherm BT95? (the butterfly cooler!)
Thermalright's other new cooler? I4-FX?
anything else?
DrMrLordX - Monday, April 16, 2007 - link
Scythe Andy Samurai Master? Enzotech Ultra-X?Wesley Fink - Monday, April 16, 2007 - link
The Cooler Master Gemini II and Scythe Andy Samurai are in the labs for testing. The Enzotech Ultra X is on its way. We have also requested a Thermalright IFX-14.DrMrLordX - Tuesday, April 17, 2007 - link
Sweet. You gonna do the Big Typhoon VX as well?Pirks - Tuesday, April 17, 2007 - link
Big Typhoon beat the $rap out of almost all its competitors in overclockers.ru benches and seems to be number 1 (or at least 2) OC cooler in Russia :) too bad AT ignored it, but they will catch up, I'm sure ;)