It's no secret that computers continue to get hotter and hotter as speeds scale higher and higher. CPU coolers have evolved from simple passively cooled aluminum heatsinks to massive towers of copper and aluminum bristling with heat pipes and fans. It's no suprise Northbridge chipsets are headed the same direction. The modest aluminum coolers of a short time ago have grown many times their original size. All copper NB coolers, with active fans, that were once considered unnecessary for anyone but the bleeding edge enthusiast have become commonplace on many boards. While these solutions are generally adequate to the task for the average user, if you plan on pushing your new Core2 Duo or AMD2 you might want to consider upgrading your Northbridge cooler. And even if you don't plan on setting records, a better cooler is a good way to insure your investment.
Thermaltake needs no introduction; they've been making all sorts of coolers, fans, cases etc. for many years. With the Extreme Spirit II, Thermaltake took what they have learned developing modern high performance CPU heatsinks and applied it to a Northbridge cooler. Using the same heat pipe construction that makes CPU coolers such as the Big Typhoon so effective and a all copper construction, the Spirit II shows great promise.
Specifications
Here are the specs for the Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II as taken from the Thermaltake website.
Features
- Heatpipe technology provide efficient cooling.
- All copper structure provides effective heat conductivity and dissipation.
- Seamless soldering process provides best contact for heat transfer.
- A universal clip design fix all motherboard.
- Multi-direction installation:
Rotatable clip can adjust to any direction for the best system air flow.
- 40x40x10mm Silent LED fan, 19dBA.
| Heatsink Dimension : | 48x40x70 mm |
| Fan Dimension : | 40x40x10 mm |
| Rated Voltage : | 12V |
| Started Voltage : | 7V |
| Rated Current : | 0.1A |
| Power Input : | 1.20W |
| Fan Speed : | 4500±10% RPM |
| Max. Air Flow : | 3.47 CFM |
| Max. Air Pressure: | 1.61mm H2O |
| Noise : | 19dBA |
| Life Expectation : | 30,000 Hours |
| Connector : | 3 Pin |
| Weight : | 169 g |
Package
The box arrived in a very timely fashion and was filled with enough peanuts to make a Styrofoam baby elephant very happy. The packaging is really pretty simple, but hanging next to average chipset coolers displayed on a rack, the Spirit II will no doubt speak for itself. I like this kind of packaging because you can see exactly what you're getting. And unlike heat sealed clamshell plastic packages, this one simply pops open with no need for tin snips or circular saws to get at the product. Detailed mounting instructions are provided along with hardware for mounting on either Intel or AMD boards.
