Kingwin Gladiator Hybrid Liquid Cooler

Installation

We choose to install the Kingwin Gladiator in our LGA775 test bed which proved to be more challenging than an AMD install would be.  With an AMD application, the cooler utilizes a clip that secures onto the existing CPU socket mounts.  With a LGA775 install, the mainboard must be removed so that a mounting bracket can be pushed through the holes around the socket and the cooler lowered down.  Four lug screws must be screwed down over the bracket's pins to hold the mounting arms and cooler firmly in place.  It's good that you have the mainboard already out because trying to screw the lugs in place with the mainboard mounted in a case would require someone with much longer and more dexterous fingers than I.  Kingwin included a small Allen wrench to reach these but you have to get them started with your fingers first.  No big deal in the end, a two grunt straight forward install.

Performance

For comparison purposes, we are going to compare the Kingwin Gladiator against the Tt MaxOrb with its fan speed set to low.  Both coolers will be installed and run five times by placing our Core 2 Duo processor cores at 100% load by way of SiSoft Sandra's XI Burn In Module for 30 minutes with a final temperature reading taken at the end.  The highest and lowest results will be thrown out and the remaining three will be averaged and graphed.  ThermalRight Chill Factor Thermal Paste will be used in all tests.   Ambient room temperature at time of testing remained within one half a degree of 24.5 degrees C.

Results

 

Conclusion

The Kingwin Gladiator held its own against Thermaltake's flagship cooler trailing only two degrees behind under load.  Surprisingly, the idle temperature was a full degree lower and on one of the three averaged runs, two.  Very impressive.  Kingwin's first product released with their hybrid cooling system looks to be a success.  The best of both worlds blended in a well performing, well designed product priced at $50.  The only drawback worth mentioning was the sound level.  The volume of the 100mm fan on the Gladiator was indeed very low but could be faintly detected outside the case.  I want to emphasis 'faint' as the fan noise is undecernable at anything over four feet away from the case.  The size is big but this cooler is no more difficult to install than other like sized coolers.

At the end of the day, Kingwin's Gladiator Cooler brings an innovative idea to the masses with a clean look, decent performance and pricing.  On top of this, a product that is readily available now at NewEgg (in sliver and black) as well as other retails globally that we can recommend heartily.

Pros

• Innovative hybrid water/air cooling design

• Eye catching looks

• Excellent performance

• Quality construction

• Universal fit to all modern AMD and Intel processors

Cons

• Motherboard removal necessary for installation

• Fan a hair on noisy side

• Large size

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