Page 4 - Conclusion
The Corsair A500 promises advanced cooling performance with four direct-contact copper heat pipes and two ML120 fans in a mega-sized package. Is this easiest, most efficient, and effective way to cool your overclocked CPU? Well, the results according to our tests speak for itself. The Corsair A500 no doubt delivers exceptional cooling performance on air; maintaining a very small gap with the venerable NH-D15 chromax.black. Besides exceptional cooling performance, the A500 features a refined look with a cool dark metal finish and even a metal cover on top. The installation process was easy and straightforward thanks to not only its well-designed mounting mechanism, but also well-organized accessories from the factory and a clear instruction manual. Heck, it even comes with a long screwdriver for those who do not own one. The fan frame on notched rail design also makes removing the fan a breeze. Not only that, its easily adjustable fan position ensures the A500 will not interfere with high profile RAM as well. There are a few things I would like to see improved on with this air cooler though. Firstly, the included ML120 fans are poor. They chirp and tick when the fan speed dips below a certain threshold, and sounds like a jet taking off when running at full speed. It may not be as loud as the infamous Thermaltake Frio circa 2010, but the fact it reminded me of a cooler from a decade ago means something. Secondly, the base is not flat, which means there is probably some untapped potential. Lastly, the pre-applied thermal paste was quite excessive. In my opinion, providing a tube is more than enough. For about $100 at press time, the Corsair A500 is the same price as the Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black, a product better in almost every way in my opinion. This begs the question, why not just buy the Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black instead?
Corsair provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
6/10 means A product with its advantages, but drawbacks should not be ignored before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 6.4/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Corsair A500 is a good looking, mega-sized air cooler that can push the heat out of any CPU, but be prepared for your PC to sound like a jet taking off when it is running at full speed.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
