3RSystem iCEAGE: A New Cooling Company Tackles the Heatpipe Tower
by Wesley Fink on June 21, 2007 12:02 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
Scaling of Cooling Performance
The iCEAGE performance was decent at stock idle and average among top coolers at stock load. As overclocks were raised, the exhibited iCEAGE performance was not particularly outstanding in the ability to cool the CPU under stress conditions. To be as fair as possible all overclocking tests were run with the iCEAGE fan at the highest speed.
At 2.93GHz the retail HSF is running at 41C, compared to 29C with the iCEAGE. This is a delta of 12C. The delta becomes greater as the overclock increases. At 3.73GHz the idle with the retail fan is 56C compared to the iCEAGE at 38C - a delta of 18C. The cooling performance of the iCEAGE is much better than the Intel retail cooler at idle, but it does not reach the same cooling levels measured with the Thermalrights (with a Scythe S-Flex SFF21F fan) or the stock Tuniq 120. The top Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme, for example is at 33C at the same 3.73GHz.
Cooling efficiency of the 3RSystem iCEAGE was compared under load conditions to the retail HSF and other recently tested CPU coolers. Load testing can be very revealing of a cooler's efficiency. A basically flat line, particularly form 3.73GHz upward, indicates the cooler is still in its best cooling range. A line that is increasing rapidly indicates a cooler nearing the end of its ability to cool efficiently. Lines which parallel the best coolers over a range of values are indicate that the coolers have similar cooling efficiency.
The iCEAGE is very efficient in cooling in the 2.93 GHz to 3.83 GHz overclock range. As you can see in the chart the cooling is almost a horizontal line in this range. The iCEAGE continues on to a highest overclock of 3.87GHz, which is just short of the 3.90GHz to 3.94GHz most of the top coolers in our testing have achieved. The slope of the iCEAGE in this range is up slightly, indicating it is nearing the end of its range of efficient cooling.
The 3.87 GHz with the iCEAGE tied several heatpipe towers with a single fan - in both cooling efficiency and overclock. It is likely the iCEAGE could do 3.90GHz like other heatpipe towers if it had the ability to mount two fans in a push-pull arrangement. At 3.87 GHz the cooling temperature with the iCEAGE was 58C. This compares to the Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme at the higher 3.94 GHz at 47C, 45C at 3.90GHz, and 43C at 3.83 GHz. The Tuniq 120 is 51C at 3.90 GHz.
The iCEAGE is not in the same cooling category as the best heatpipe towers we have tested, but it is a decent cooler to the range just below the best. Cooling efficiency is similar to other second tier heatpipe towers tested with just one fan.
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 3.90GHz top speed with the Tuniq 120 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 4.0GHz, 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 iCEAGE performance was decent at stock idle and average among top coolers at stock load. As overclocks were raised, the exhibited iCEAGE performance was not particularly outstanding in the ability to cool the CPU under stress conditions. To be as fair as possible all overclocking tests were run with the iCEAGE fan at the highest speed.
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| Click to enlarge |
At 2.93GHz the retail HSF is running at 41C, compared to 29C with the iCEAGE. This is a delta of 12C. The delta becomes greater as the overclock increases. At 3.73GHz the idle with the retail fan is 56C compared to the iCEAGE at 38C - a delta of 18C. The cooling performance of the iCEAGE is much better than the Intel retail cooler at idle, but it does not reach the same cooling levels measured with the Thermalrights (with a Scythe S-Flex SFF21F fan) or the stock Tuniq 120. The top Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme, for example is at 33C at the same 3.73GHz.
Cooling efficiency of the 3RSystem iCEAGE was compared under load conditions to the retail HSF and other recently tested CPU coolers. Load testing can be very revealing of a cooler's efficiency. A basically flat line, particularly form 3.73GHz upward, indicates the cooler is still in its best cooling range. A line that is increasing rapidly indicates a cooler nearing the end of its ability to cool efficiently. Lines which parallel the best coolers over a range of values are indicate that the coolers have similar cooling efficiency.
 |
| Click to enlarge |
The iCEAGE is very efficient in cooling in the 2.93 GHz to 3.83 GHz overclock range. As you can see in the chart the cooling is almost a horizontal line in this range. The iCEAGE continues on to a highest overclock of 3.87GHz, which is just short of the 3.90GHz to 3.94GHz most of the top coolers in our testing have achieved. The slope of the iCEAGE in this range is up slightly, indicating it is nearing the end of its range of efficient cooling.
The 3.87 GHz with the iCEAGE tied several heatpipe towers with a single fan - in both cooling efficiency and overclock. It is likely the iCEAGE could do 3.90GHz like other heatpipe towers if it had the ability to mount two fans in a push-pull arrangement. At 3.87 GHz the cooling temperature with the iCEAGE was 58C. This compares to the Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme at the higher 3.94 GHz at 47C, 45C at 3.90GHz, and 43C at 3.83 GHz. The Tuniq 120 is 51C at 3.90 GHz.
The iCEAGE is not in the same cooling category as the best heatpipe towers we have tested, but it is a decent cooler to the range just below the best. Cooling efficiency is similar to other second tier heatpipe towers tested with just one fan.
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 3.90GHz top speed with the Tuniq 120 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 4.0GHz, 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.
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strikeback03 - Friday, June 22, 2007 - link
I often get an error if it has taken me a while to type a response. My solution is to copy the post, then try and post. If/when it throws the error, close the comments page and reopen, has always let me post after that.I had assumed serrated meant that the fins were bent up and down in plane, allowing more surface area for the overall width. Looking back at the pictures that appears to not be the case though. Maybe the cuts on the fins are to quiet down some noise caused by tip vortices or something.
Wesley Fink - Thursday, June 21, 2007 - link
On p. 3 CPU Test Configuration - we state "Room temperature is measured before beginning the cooler tests and is maintained in the 20 to 22C (68 to 72F) range for all testing." According to my test notes ambinet temp was just below 71F at the start of these tests. The lab is air conditioned, but we do have to set the system off to keep fans off during the few munutes it takes for noise measuremtns.brian_riendeau - Thursday, June 21, 2007 - link
Cliff notes:-$50
-Another decent tower cooler
-Nothing special or mind blowing
+8 pages of "content" to explain the 3 lines above
I am continually amazed at the length and number of cooler articles that keep coming out of AT. With 8 pages, you could easily cover the relevant information on 8 seperate coolers, with pics and performance numbers for each cooler.
brian_riendeau - Thursday, June 21, 2007 - link
Also from earlier..."With the vast number of heatsink tests done to date it's surprising the ACF7Pro has yet to be tested."
Not really. People would lose interest in this type of article if they all ended with something like "Too bad the ACF7Pro works as well (or better!) at less than half the cost". The coolers that keep getting tested have very high mark ups.
strikeback03 - Friday, June 22, 2007 - link
umm, right...
And despite how much of the article is cut-and-paste from previous reviews, it's amazing how many people will complain about aspects of the testing that have been mentioned each time.
strikeback03 - Thursday, June 21, 2007 - link
2nd page under Specifications - the box says Thermaltake MaxOrb Specifications.4th page right under the Idle graph - says the VX managed 29C.
yacoub - Thursday, June 21, 2007 - link
"The iCEAGE 120 should retail for around 45 to 50 USD"yacoub - Thursday, June 21, 2007 - link
I didn't see a $xx anywhere in the article.yacoub - Thursday, June 21, 2007 - link
Curious how much an improvement this offers over the AC Freezer 7 Pro, which a lot of overclockers run because it's cheap, easy to install, and performs decently well.If it's a significant enough improvemnt to warrant the purchase, that would be important to know. With the vast number of heatsink tests done to date it's surprising the ACF7Pro has yet to be tested.
Duraz0rz - Thursday, June 21, 2007 - link
I want to see this cooler tested as well...I've had their A64 version for a while, and I loved it. I want to know how well the Freezer 7 Pro does with the Core 2 Duo, as I'm running the stock cooler right now, and the Freezer 7 Pro is freely avaliable and cheaper than the Scythe Mine Rev B I wanted to buy.Love how you guys are doing your cooler reviews here...keep it up! :)