Since I don't have all the numbers for my stock CPU cooler, I compared the results of the Akasa EVO 120 with those of my Zalman
CNPS7000-Cu. Both are very nice looking aesthetically, but the temperatures for the Akasa beat all of the Zalman temperatures.
These numbers were tested with the fans for both devices at their highest RPM and at their noisiest. I used the same thermal
paste for both, Arctic Silver 5.
Operating
The software that I used to determine temperatures was SpeedFan 4.23, CPU Burn-in 1.01, and Prime95 24.13. I thought Prime95's term
"Torture Test" was quite clever. Torturing my CPU doesn't make me a bad person. No, really, it doesn't. Torturing my pets does make
me a bad person, so I don't do it. Sometimes there's the urge, but I take my medication, and the urge goes away.
Temperatures
These charts show the difference between the CNPS7000-Cu and the EVO 120. Room temperature was 28 Celsius. At idle, the EVO 120 was
2 degrees cooler. Under 30 minutes of load from CPU Burn-in, the EVO 120 was 5 degrees cooler. Under 30 minutes of Prime95's Small
FFTs Torture Test, the EVO 120 was 3 degrees cooler. Under 30 minutes of Prime95's In-Place Large FFTs, the EVO 120 was 3 degrees cooler.
This was no real shocker, as the EVO 120 uses heatpipes and a 120mm fan for cooling off, while the CNPS7000-Cu uses no heatpipes and a
92mm fan for cooling off. These make the comparison almost apples-to-oranges. Both are tasty, but in different ways.
CONCLUSION
The EVO 120 is easy to install if you have the space in your PC and are still using your stock cooler. In a world where every degree counts
for increasing the lifespan of your CPU, it delivers cooler temperatures across the board (no pun intended). The L shape is quite unique,
and the unit is very attractive. Aside from the particular issues I had with the install, the Akasa EVO 120 is a solid performer along the
lines of most other newer heatpipe technologies. This piece of hardware joins the Home Run club! Thanks to
3dcool for providing this review sample.
