Tt Crystal ORB Chipset Cooler

Manufacturer: Thermaltake Technology Co., Ltd
Supplied by: Thermaltake Technology Co., Ltd
Price: TBA

by Dean Barker  10/28/2001

Introduction

Chipset cooling has seen some advances but nowhere near that of processor heatsinks.  CPU cooling has become highly competitive with the top spots being separated by mere tenths of a degree.  The Blue ORB has pretty much been one of the few performance chipset heatsinks out there.  It provides very good cooling; substantially better than most OEM units out there, and let’s not forget it’s trendy looks.  For some reason or another, this research and development isn’t being put into chipset cooling by most cooling manufacturers.  Not too many companies are recognizing that people are overclocking their video cards, hand in hand with their processors.  Not too many companies that is, except Thermaltake.  Their newest creation, the Crystal ORB represents the next step in performance chipset cooling.  Tt has done some developing from a clean sheet of paper and it has paid off.  Everything seems to be running at higher speeds and subsequently higher temperatures.  It wasn’t too long ago that active cooling first began to be used on the Northbridge chipset on newer mobos.  Of course there is video card chipsets, which is what we are going to focus on here.    Before we go too far with want to thank Kenny out at Thermaltake’s Taiwan office for hooking us up with a review sample.       

What you get.   

Included in the Crystal ORB box was two push pin mounts, thermal grease, double sided thermal tape, and a 3 pin to 4 pin Molex adapter.  I really like the idea of them including both thermal grease and tape.  Grease is vastly superior to tape but sometimes you need to cool something you can’t mount, other than with double sided tape.  Good call there guys.  Get a load of that shine the Crystal ORB has.  WOW!   

The Crystal ORB goes one step further than its older brother the Blue ORB with its fins completely enclosing the fan.  This gives the Crystal ORB (CRORB??) a bit more surface area than the BLORB.  With the sides having open area between the fins, the Crystal ORB, like the Blue ORB will help cool the memory by blowing air out and over the RAM.  The sink’s construction is nickel-plated copper.  Very sharp shiny appearance.  Between the shine and the “Tt” on the top it gives you sort of a nostalgic 1950s feel.  Well, it did for me anyway.  Notice how flat the base is.  No lapping needed here.  I could freak’n shave by using this thing as a mirror. 

Specifications

• Fan Dimension 50x50x15 mm

• Rated Voltage 12V

• Started Voltage 7V

• Rated Current0.16A(max.) 

• Power Input 1.92W 

• FAN Speed 5500±10% R.P.M Max. 

• Air Flow 12.4CFM 

• Noise 26.4dBa 

• Bearing Type Ball Bearing 

• Life Time 50,000 Hours 

• Connector 3Pin 

• Base Material Copper Base with Nickel

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