CPU cooler design (for air coolers, anyway) boils down to a few simple truths: while things like heat pipe technology and base finish are important, the determining factors in a heat sink’s performance are its size and its airflow.
Size is critical because the more metal a CPU cooler contains, the more mass there is to absorb heat. Airflow is important because the heat must be transferred from the heat sink to the surrounding air. With its Silver Arrow design, Thermalright seeks to maximize both of these parameters within the limitations imposed by a standard computer case, and the result is a giant cooler with twin 140mm fans.
In this review, Benchmark Reviews puts the Thermalright Silver Arrow CPU cooler to the test against a selection of high-end air and water coolers.
Full story at Bench Mark Reviews.