3A Cooler's Z-Bra Heatsink

Manufacturer: 3a Cooler
Supplied by: 3a Cooler
Price: TBA

by Brian Tiller (5/23/2003)

Introduction

Every once in a while we see a new company come out with either a new product or a different twist to an already existing piece of hardware. Today we have the opportunity to take a gander at a heatsink from a new company known as 3a Cooler. Established in 2003, the company's core personnel are metallurgical engineers with experts in airflow, efficiency and material analysis. At this point the only product they have produced is the Z-Bra heatsink which we have here today. 

What you get

While the box isn't quite as flashy as other coolers we have reviewed here, it has a classiness to it that does draw your attention. Packed in the box along with the cooler, were four screws for the fan and a tube of thermal goo.

   

As you can no doubt see, the Z-Bra has a unique design to it. Before we get into that though, let's grab a quickie on the specifications.

Specifications

• Construction: Aluminum/Copper hybrid design

• Application: AMD Socket A; Palomino, Thoroughbred, Athlon XP and Barton 2900+ and over

• Weight: 390g (sink only)

• Dimensions: (L)84mm x (W)68mm x (H)41mm

Weighing in at 390g the Z-Bra is quite a bit lighter than the past several heatsinks that we have reviewed here. This is do in part to it's hybrid design which combines both copper and aluminum. Though a hybrid design is not new, most sinks that cross our desk are made entirely of either aluminum or copper. Copper is able to absorb much more heat than aluminum but cannot dissipate it as fast. With a hybrid design, the manufacturer is hoping to get the best of both worlds.

The Heatsink itself

The copper/aluminum construction isn't the only thing that sets this heatsink apart. As you can see the sink has a half round shape to it created by the cooling fins. While most heatsinks have fins that either flare straight up or off at an angle, 3a Cooler has designed the Z-Bra to curve away from the base and up to the fan mount.

   

From the side you can clearly see the hybrid design in the cooling fins. There are 14 copper and 25 aluminum fins which are attached to the base of the heatsink. The base is also separated with the copper material slightly offset to come into contact with the core of the CPU.

Two points of interest to look at as we peer down from the top. The first is the fan mount. Covering the top of the heatsink the mount has four holes for the screws and will fit a 60mm fan only. 

 

Looking directly down from the top we can see the actual base of the sink and separation of the construction materials very clearly. The base is triangular in shape with the fins soldered to it.

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