Heat is a tweakers worst enemy, if you can get just the right OC on both your ram and your CPU and you have the ratios just perfect, your next OC killer is going to be your CPU temps. Stock cooling is getting better, but when it comes to the longevity of your OC you need to step up the cooling to some aftermarket options. There are tons of tower coolers out there, are they really all that different? Well we have seen a lot of coolers come through our office here at OCC and if there is one thing I can say for a fact: there is a huge difference from one cooler to the next. Just because your core contact looks like a Thermalright True doesn’t mean you are going to get the temps identical to the True. Even some smaller coolers have surprised us. The Buffalo from Evercool blew us away with its performance; even though the people at Evercool seem to think Buffaloes are bulls (according to the graphics on the cooler) they do however know a thing or two about how to build a good cooler. Today we will be checking out the Nero S from Akasa this is yet another tower cooler, but will its “S” design really give it the competitive edge it needs to compete with others in its class?. Let’s find out:
Provided by: Akasa
Price: TBA
Closer Look:
Specifications and Features:
Nero S is the ultimate evolution of the hugely successful NERO cooler. The increased number of heatpipes combined with a higher number and density of fins has been crowned with a high airflow fan for premier cooling performance.
Four high capacity ∅8mm nickel plated heatpipes with direct CPU contact provide rapid heat transfer, 12cm fan with award winning S-Flow blades provide 30% more airflow and ultra quiet cooling, 52 aluminium profiled fins ensure optimum heat dissipation. Compatibility is ensured with multi-platform mounting for all current INTEL and AMD CPU’s.
• 4 high capacity 8mm heatpipes with direct CPU contact
• Low noise 12cm PWM fan with S-FLOW blades
• 52 profiled aluminium fins ensure rapid heat dissipation
• Rubber fan mounts for easy installation and quiet performance
• High performance AK-455 thermal compound included
• Easy mounting with backplate (Intel) or cam-lever clip (AMD)
Socket type | Intel LGA775, LGA1156 & LGA1366 AMD 939, AM2, AM2+ & AM3 |
Cooler dimensions | 120 (W) x 87 (D) x 160 (H) mm |
Heatsink material | High grade aluminium fins, copper heatpipes |
Weight | 726 g |
Installation | Screws and backplate (Intel) Cam-lever clip (AMD) |
Fan dimension | 120 x 120 x 25mm |
Fan speed | 600 – 1600 RPM (PWM controlled) |
Max airflow | 70.40 CFM (119.33 m³/h) |
Max air pressure | 2.86 mm H2O |
Noise level | 6.9 – 25.9 dB(A) |
Current rating | 0.33A |
Voltage rating | 12V DC |
Bearing type | HDB (Hydro Dynamic) |
Fan life expectancy | 50,000 hours |
Fan connector | 4pin PWM |
Product code | AK-CCX-4001HP |
Testing Setup:
- AMD Phenom II 965 Black Edition
- Noctua NH-D14 CPU Cooler
- Crucial DDR3 PC3 16000 2 x 1 GB
- Thermaltake 650W PSU
- Cooler Master HAF Special: AMD
- ATI Radeon 5570
- Western Digital 1TB HDD
- Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit Edition
Cooler |
Akasa Nero S |
Noctua NH D-14 |
Stock Cooler |
|||
State |
Idle |
Load |
Idle |
Load |
Idle |
Load |
CPU |
23°C |
28°C |
20°C |
23°C |
30°C |
31°C |
Would I recommend this product? Yes, so far everything we have seen from Akasa has been great quality and the performance it displays in cooling make it a great choice for gamers and enthusiasts a like.
- Quiet
- Great Design
- Good Temps
- Accommodates multiple Socket Types
Cons:
- Lapping Could be a Little Better
