Page 3 - Testing and Conclusion
I tested the Cooler Master Storm SF-19 Strike Force on my Asus G51Vx laptop, with the following specs:
- Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 @ 2.00GHz
- 15.6" LED LCD @ 1920 x 1080
- Dual Seagate 640GB 5400RPM SATA
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M 1GB GDDR3
- Hyundai Electronics 2x2GB PC2-6400 @ 4-4-4-12
- Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Using Prime95 64-bit with four worker threads, I stress-tested the CPU on an average wooden desk, followed by a glass desk, in comparison to when my laptop was placed on the Cooler Master Storm SF-19 Strike Force. I chose CPU results, because it was the easiest to measure and best reflects the practical cooling ability of the CM Storm SF-19. Both the wooden desk and the glass desk produced virtually identical results, so I have combined their data into one plot only. In all three environments, the CPU temperature started off at 41 degrees Celsius, and was given sufficient time to heat up over the course of ten minutes. The fan speed on the SF-19 was first set to minimum, and then to maximum, to test the cooler's capabilities at both extremes. Turning off the fans on the laptop will produce data quite similar to the wooden/glass desk results.
The results were obtained and plotted on the line graph above with a one minute polling rate. It was quite apparent that the Cooler Master Storm SF-19 Strike Force did keep temperatures of the laptop lower throughout the test, as heat was blown out and drawn away from the system. However, when the fans were left on low speeds, there was less heat being dissipated, hence, the higher temperatures. Nevertheless, running the SF-19 at low fan speeds would still result in improved cooling performance for your laptop.
On a scale from 0.0 to 10.0 where 0.0 is silent and 10.0 is the loudest, the fans at the highest setting would come in at approximately 7.0. These fans were so loud at top speed, it might as well be your personal hair dryer. However, turning down the fan speed with the integrated variable fan controller will significantly reduce noise. Keep in mind though, once your laptop heats up, I would much prefer having a high fan speed to keep it cool. Besides, all gamers who own such laptops should have headsets, right? Chatting with people and listening to in-game audio will cover up the loud fans anyway, haha.
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The Cooler Master Storm SF-19 Strike Force laptop cooler is what you need if you have a sizzling hot gaming laptop that requires just a bit more airflow underneath it. With a duo of rather large 140 mm fans capable of running between 1200 to 2600 RPM, it moves a rather good amount of air, as well as accommodating up to 19" laptops help gamers get the most out of what they are playing. As the icing on the cake, Cooler Master's SF-19 also has a built in USB 3.0 hub to accommodate all your peripherals and accessories while docked, along with some multi-color LED lights to wooo your friends. Unfortunately, in the middle of all that awesomeness, you discover that this monster is really not intended for traveling to any extent. It is big, it is bad (In a good way), and it will definitely not fit into your school backpack if you want to lug it to a friend's house on a weekend to play some Counter-Strike after school. Cooler Master's Storm SF-19 Strike Force is really meant to stay in your house -- and if we're talking about transporting it, what most people actually means is moving it to the desk next to them. On the positive side, even if it gets stuck in your house, at least you know you have some flashy LED lights to show off when your friends come over for a LAN party, haha. Its black color gives it an extra kick in style on top of the flashy LED lights. All in all, when it comes around the most important feature of any cooler, especially in the case of CM Storm's SF-19 Strike Force, is that it is able to bring down temperatures of any laptop -- especially big and hot running 19" units. And in that context, Cooler Master has done a spectacular job in making the SF-19 Strike Force for what it is.
Special thanks to Lulu over at Cooler Master for making this review possible.
APH Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that aren't likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks; but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Numeric Rating is 7.7/10
Please note that the APH Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other sites.
The Cooler Master Storm SF-19 Strike Force is one heck of a massive cooler with dual 140 mm fans to bring lots of airflow under hot running gaming laptops.
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Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specification
2. A Closer Look, Usage
3. Testing and Conclusion
