Page 3 - Test Results
Our test configuration is as follows:
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K @ 3.9GHz (Stock settings)
Motherboard: ASUS Z170-E
RAM: Kingston HyperX Fury HX421C14FBK2/16 2x8GB
Graphics: ASUS GeForce GTX 1060 3GB
Chassis: SilverStone Kublai KL07
Power: Corsair RM650X 650W
Storage: Kingston SSDNow UV400 480GB; Seagate BarraCuda ST1000DM003 1TB
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home x64
Compared hardware:
- CRYORIG A80
- CRYORIG A40 Ultimate
- Scythe Fuma
- Scythe Mugen 5
All tests were run in our custom built computer to best reflect real life performance. The computer remained in the same place and room for all tests, with an ambient temperature of approximately 22c. The thermal paste applied to each cooler was stock respective to their manufacturer's to rate its performance, with sufficient time between testing for the paste to settle. The fans on all heatsinks were connected to the same motherboard 4-pin connector. The test computer was turned on and idling for at least one hour for the idling tests. High CPU load results were obtained using the Prime95 in place large FFTs test with four worker threads for a minimum of fifteen minutes, and recorded when the temperature was deemed stable. The liquid coolers tested were mounted to the front of the case with both fans attached in push configuration. The temperature results for each cooler was measured with CoreTemp, which reports the CPU's integrated digital thermal sensor for maximum accuracy. Each temperature result was calculated by taking the maximum value of the cores inside the CPU.
After installation and letting our computer sit idle, we recorded temperatures of approximately 19 degrees Celsius from the CRYORIG A80. While this is pretty low, this is not too surprising overall. Comparatively speaking, this was similar to the Scythe Fuma, while being three degrees cooler than the CRYORIG A40 Ultimate. Even so, these numbers were under zero-load conditions, so we went to our load tests to see what the A80 was actually capable of. Just to note, these idle numbers were also double-checked after our load test to ensure correct results.
Powering Prime95 up and running the tests, the CRYORIG A80 immediately came alive, with all three fans spinning to keep the unit cool. After approximately half an hour to let the temperature stabilize, we finished with a maximum temperature of approximately 66 degrees Celsius. Comparing with the other all in one cooler, the A40 Ultimate, this number was quite similar all things considered, with a difference in temperature of only one degree. Interestingly, this is a 280mm radiator compared to the 240mm radiator on the A40 Ultimate, although the smaller radiator is thicker. What was surprising was how well the Scythe Fuma performed in comparison with the lowest maximum temperature of the bunch. This being said, you can see all of these coolers were within five degrees of each other, and at these full load conditions, this was still a pretty good result.
As with all the cooling products we review, we not only value the cooling capabilities of the item, but also the audio performance. While you might try using over-the-ear headphones to block out everything, sound is pretty important to the enjoyment of using your computer. Using a scale between 0 and 10, where 0 is silent and 10 is loud, I would rate the CRYORIG A80 at 2.5/10 at idle, and while under load, the sound comes in at 4.0/10. Most of the noise however came from the fans and not the pump as much, and I still think CRYORIG can produce a quieter operating fan. Obviously you can change the fan curves with the motherboard software to reduce the emitted noise, but this will adversely affect cooling performance.
Finally, one thing I should note is about the third fan located on top of the water block. During the entire testing phase, there were several good points about it. For one, it definitely allowed some airflow to be directed at the other components around the motherboard, depending on how we oriented the fan. While we set it up to push air towards the motherboard, I appreciated the fact it was flexible enough to also be swapped around for a pull configuration. In addition, while it was capable of running at speeds up to 3000 RPM, I never found it to be noisy. If you really do not want to have it installed, you can easily remove it, and the unit will still function as expected.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
