Page 4 - Conclusion
There is always the third option of jumping directly from the introduction to the conclusion, though where is the fun in that? I hope the delayed gratification of knowing what the Reeven E12 RGB RC-1208RGB actually entails is worth a marshmallow. From the start, it looks like Reeven has a good package in the E12 RGB. This tall tower made up of aluminum and copper seems quite solid, even if it lacks the nickel-plating for corrosion prevention. Positioning of the fins and the wire clipped fan means we do not run into any clearance issues from memory or video cards. The fans RGB works as expected and works with standard 12V RGB headers. When it comes to performance, the Reeven E12 RGB RC-1208RGB was relatively middle of the class. As such, cooling performance was passable while keeping relatively quiet. On the other hand, we have a couple of annoyances that came up during our inspection. For one, the base is made up of aluminum and copper, rather than being all copper, and the heatpipes running through the base create an uneven surface even if the direct contact design was supposed to improve performance. In reality, both of these build choices adversely affected cooling performance, and could have been avoided altogether if they had used a nickel-plated, copper-core base that we have seen on most Reeven coolers. The other frustration point was the wire clips, which are my least favorite aspects of the E12 RGB. While they were able to hold the included fan, getting them installed in the first place was a much longer process than you might expect. Overall, the Reeven E12 RGB RC-1208RGB is not a bad cooler, but it also does not stand out for anything impressive, whether in its build quality, flashy appearance, or cooling capabilities. At the time of publication, the Reeven E12 RGB RC-1208RGB commands a suggested retail price of $30 USD, which at least makes it a bargain for an aftermarket cooler. If you are looking for something that will do the job and add a bit of lighting to your build, the E12 RGB is an affordable option to look at, but it still could be refined in several areas.
Reeven provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH 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 Numeric Rating is 6.7/10
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 Reeven E12 RGB RC-1208RGB is an adequate cooler for a great price, but can be improved upon in some aspects like build quality and ease of installation.
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Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
