Page 3 - Test Results
Our test configuration is as follows:
CPU: AMD FX-8320 @ 3.5GHz (Stock Settings)
Motherboard: MSI 970
RAM: G.Skill RipjawsX F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL 2x4GB
Graphics: ASUS Radeon R9 270
Chassis: SilverStone Primera PM01
Power: Corsair CX430 430W
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 120GB; Seagate Desktop HDD ST1000DM003 1TB
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home x64
Compared hardware:
- Reeven Brontes RC 1001B
- Cooler Master GeminII S524 Ver.2
All tests were run in our custom built computer to best reflect real life performance. The computer remained in the same place and room throughout all tests. The ambient room temperature in the room was around 22c. The thermal paste applied to each cooler was stock respective to their manufacturers to rate its performance; all pastes had sufficient time for them to fully 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 Prime95 in-place large FFTs test with eight worker threads for a minimum of ten minutes, and recorded when the temperature is deemed stable. Temperature results were measured with AIDA64, 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.
While the computer was idle, the Reeven Brontes did admirably, especially considering it is smaller than the Cooler Master GeminII S524 Ver.2, yet it performed better. The Reeven Brontes reached a stable temperature at 30 degrees Celsius, which is average considering its size and the processor underneath. However, the fan had to work quite a bit to keep the temperature at this point, and so was not as quiet as some of the other coolers during idle. Idle temperatures only give a small indication of the possible performance of a cooler, so let us have a look at its performance under load for some real comparisons.
After using Prime95 to put the computer under load for the required time, we saw the actual maximum performance of the Reeven Brontes, of which I was happy. For such a small air cooler, it did well; stabilizing at a respectable 60 degrees Celsius, which was only four degrees higher than its closest counterpart, the Cooler Master GeminII S524 Ver.2. Even though the Reeven Brontes produced the higher temperature on this list, consideration for its size and design purpose needed to be taken. With such a small sized cooler only being four degrees hotter than another one, albeit much larger, was an impressive feat. One point to note is the Reeven Brontes is designed for much smaller chassis environments, instead of the big and great airflow the SilverStone Primera PM01 offers. In smaller builds temperatures will most likely be higher, due to more constricted airflow in tighter environments.
For anyone who does not use headphones, the noise level of a PC is very important. I do not think anyone would like the sound of a jet taking off next to them while they are watching a movie, gaming, or working -- even if they were playing a flight simulator game. The subjective APH Networks scale we use to rate noise emissions is between 0 and 10; where 0 is complete silence, and 10 is loud. While idling, I would rate the Reeven Brontes RC-1001b at 4.5, which is not very loud, but is still higher than other coolers under idling conditions. While under load, I would rate the Reeven Brontes at 6.0. The higher rating under load is expected, since the fan is smaller and needs to work much more to clear the heat. It is not extremely loud, but is still quite noticeable, and should be taken into consideration for your specific preferences and needs.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
