Add on 80mm fans for SUPER high performance

Manufacturer: Sanyo Denki,  Delta Electronics
Supplied by: Sidewinder Computers
Price: Sanyo Denki 80x32 - $20.00; Delta 80x38 FFB0812SHE - $19.00; Delta 80x38 FFB0812EHE - $20.00

by Dean Barker  (7/9/2001)

Introduction:

In the last few months we have seen a rash of high performance heatsinks enter the market.  The drive to be the best has taken things to the practical limit for air cooling.  Several factors now are in the decision tree other than just raw cooling power.  Noise, size, and price for starters.  Performance has also reached a point that we here at the Penthouse Labs are going to begin to classify heatsinks into classes.  Here is a quick breakdown as we see it.  

Class 1:  Money, size, noise, power requirements are all secondary.  Items here are the "bleeding edge" where the only object is sheer all out performance.  This class will be VERY VERY limited to what product attains this status.  Heatsinks here represent the absolute point of the pinnacle of air cooling.

Class 2:  These are the heatsinks in the sub $60 range that the only consideration is price and size.  (Will it fit most mainboards?)  All other issues are secondary. This also goes without mentioning that the performance is definitely cutting edge but only to the point that these sinks go the extra mile and not the extra ten!   Items included in the area range from excellent to exceptional heatsinks for overclocking.

Class 3:  Sinks in this category are very nice upgrades from the cooling solutions included in a processor retail package.  Pretty much this is the bargain shopper area with sensitivity to sound, price.  These are for those folks who really have no aspirations or need to overclock.

Class 4:  Replacement heatsinks for processors or bargain basement sinks for OEM chips.  If you are buying this stuff why are you even reading this page?

With this classification stuff out of the way, let's get on with it.  At present, there is only one heatsink that rates our Class 1 rating.  That product is of course the Swiftech MC-462.  You can read our MC-462 review here.  We are talking EXTREME for the air cooled PC here.  With the MC-462 there comes a choice of fans from most retailers and that's what we are here to look at.

The first fan is the Sanyo unit that comes as the "stock" fan for the MC-462.  The sinks' specifications are:

• Sanyo Denki 80x80x32 mm

• Rated Voltage 12vDC

• 53 CFM @ 4600 rpm

• 45 dB

• 3 pin / 4 pin Molex connector.

The second unit is from the venerable Delta Electronics group, the Delta FFB0812 SHE.

• Delta 80x80x38mm

• Rated Voltage 12vDC 

• 68.51 CFM @ 4900 RPM

• 48.5 dBA

• 4-pin Molex connector.

Our third fan is another Delta, the Delta FFB0812 EHE.  "The Extreme"

• Delta 80x80x38mm

• Rated Voltage 12vDC 

• 80.16 CFM @ 5700 RPM

• 52.5 dBA

• 4-pin Molex connector.

Below are some shots to give you a bit of perspective on how big these sinks actually are.  The first shot is the two 80x80x38mm Deltas beside the 80x80x32mm Sanyo.  The second and third shot are is the 38mm tall Delta, the 32mm tall Sanyo, and a 60x60x25mm Delta.  The forth you can guess yourself.

Performance

To compare the fans, our methodology is simple; test our MC-462 with each of the previously mentioned fans.  The CPU load temperatures were obtained after running the United Devices Cure Cancer Program and 3Dmark 2001 in a loop for thirty minutes to obtain our "under load" temperature.  We recorded our temperatures via the KT7A mainboard onboard thermal sensor.  To ensure we had good contact, a dab of Silver Thermal Paste was applied to the sensor's tip.  Arctic Silver Thermal goop was used as our thermal interface material.  Case temperature averaged to be 80.0 degrees.  Our starting temperature didn't vary more than +/- .5 degrees for any of the products.  All readings are in degrees Fahrenheit. 

Test Bed

• AMD Thunderbird 1.4GHz @ 1.85 volts

• ABIT KT7A Mainboard

• 320 megs Infineon PC133 SDRAM

• Full Tower case with 431watt PSU

• VisionTek GeForce2 GTS 200MHz core / 333MHz memory

• Maxtor DiamondMax 40 UDMA 66 7200rpm 13.6 GB HDD

• Phillips 8x4x32 CD-RW

• Generic 40x CD-ROM

• Two 80mm Case fans mounted at the top of the case for exhaust.

• Single 92mm Case Fan in normal placement as intake.

And the results...

As you can see, size does matter.  A full 7 degree difference between the "stock" MC-462 fan and the high end Delta.  Keep in mind that this was also the temperature difference between the MC-462 and it's closest rival the Thermaltake Dragon ORB3.  As far as air cooling goes the Delta EHE is most certainly the ticket.  Class 1 performance (described above) is great but there are drawbacks.  This fan is so freak'n loud it teeters on being obnoxious.  But that also depends on the context.  At a LAN party with this Hoover of a fan you will be the man with the plan.  The Delta SHE fan was noticeably quieter than the EHE and provided almost the same level of performance.  Take this information as you will as this is the Tao of air cooling.  Sidewinder Computers carry the MC-462 and all the fans listed herein.  Special thanks again to Gary and the staff at Sidewinder Computers for sending these toys over.

Pros:  

• The absolute end all be all way to milk that last bit of cooling potential out of an already bleeding edge performing heatsink.

Cons:

• Loud with a capital 'L' but who cares about stinking noise.  Just turn up your speaker volume. 

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