A Closer Look
Keeping the theme going, Enermax includes a 120mm Cluster Advance fan exclusively as part of the White Cluster bundle. Making for a stylish fit, the fan has the four white LEDs (with a dedicated on/off switch), punched Enermax branding around the sides, and a white-sleeved, four-pin PWM connector.
Proving to be more than just a pretty face, the fan claims to be good for 100,000 hours through the use of Enermax's patented Twister Bearing Technology, and a switch on the back of the unit allows the user to select one of three maximum speeds; 1,200RPM, 1,500RPM or 1,800RPM. The position of the switch is such that the operating mode needs to be selected prior to installation, but it's good to have the option and users will also appreciate the fact that the fan's nine 'Batwing' blades are detachable for easy cleaning.
The heatsink itself measures 139mm (L) x 70mm (W) x 160mm (H) in size, and tips the scales at 610g. The addition of the fan takes overall width up to 93mm, yet the ETS-T40-W is still smaller than some of the gargantuan alternatives and should fit comfortably in most high-end platforms.
Helping increase efficiency, the aluminium fin-stack is adorned with notches to help aid airflow, and a quartet of 6mm-thick copper heatpipes extend through the tower and into a direct-touch baseplate. Enermax's smooth finish is neat, however the direct-touch configuration leaves small gaps between the heatpipes, and this could result in less-then-optimal contact with the CPU.
Seeing the cooler in situ provides a better sense of scale. The ETS-T40-W isn't the largest cooler on the market, but it may foul memory modules equipped with tall heatspreaders. On a Gigabyte Z77 motherboard, we just about had room for our two Corsair Vengeance Pro sticks, though the first DDR3 slot becomes obstructed.
There's plenty of room to add a second fan in a push/pull configuration, and generally speaking, cooler installation is simple and straightforward. Enermax uses a universal back plate that is fastened with four screw pillars. Bracket mounts are then attached, allowing for the heatsink to be locked into place using a mounting bridge and two cross-head nuts. The only complication, if you can call it that, is identifying the correct holes in the back plate - Intel's recent flurry of sockets is to blame for that.
On the whole, the ETS-T40-W offers plenty to like. The cooler's well-sized, build quality is good throughout, the white finish - if that's what you're after - is attractive, the single 120mm fan is versatile and stylish, and installation is easy enough. Almost everything you'd want from a £40 cooler, but how well does it actually perform?