Review: LGA1156 cooler shootout: Arctic Cooling, Corsair, Scythe and Zalman go head-to-head

by James Smith on 18 December 2009, 17:11 3.3

Tags: Corsair Hydro H50, ARCTIC COOLING Freezer XTREME Rev. 2, Scythe Kabuto, Zalman CNPS10X Flex, Zalman (090120.KQ), Corsair, Scythe, Arctic

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qaveh

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Contender #1 - Arctic Cooling Freezer Xtreme Rev. 2

Specification: Arctic Cooling Freezer Xtreme Rev. 2

Composition Copper base, eight copper heatpipes, aluminium fins
Weight 608g
Dimensions 130mm (W) x 131mm (H) x 100mm (D)
Fans included 1 x 120mm
Fan Control PWM from motherboard 4-pin header
Fan speeds / noise levels 800-1500rpm / 0.5 Sone
Maximum air flow 35.7cfm
Thermal paste? Yes, ARCTIC MX-2 Thermal Compound pre-applied
Intel support LGA775 / LGA1156 /  LGA1366
AMD support AM3 / AM2+ / AM2 /  939 
Price £29.99 (Quiet PC)

Unless you consider running Zalman's CNPS10X Flex without any fans, the Arctic Cooling Freezer Xtreme Rev. 2 is the cheapest cooler in our test. It's not obvious however, where corners have been cut. Along with decent CPU support - including the latest LGA1156 parts from Intel - its specification, on paper, looks pretty impressive.

With a large quiet fan and large surface area coupled with a massive eight heatpipes, performance should be impressive.

Apart from the odd boastful claim, Arctic Cooling's packaging for the Freezer Xtreme Rev. 2 is fairly minimalistic. Unlike much of the competition, it's packaged in a clear clamshell, making it easy to see exactly what you're getting for your money.