GELID Solutions Silent Spirit

Zitat: As we first mentioned in our review of Akasa´s Nero cooler on a Core i7 system, the shift to a new CPU socket coupled with Intel´s new processors having far more demanding thermal characteristics has changed the game somewhat - While high-end coolers with the right mounting kits can still offer good performance with these new parts, the improvement when moving from Intel´s stock cooler to cheaper third-party offerings with Core i7 support is less marked than we´re used to seeing with Core 2 CPUs, in terms of temperature reductions at least. Overall, GELID Solutions´ Silent Spirit is very similar to the Akasa Nero in its general properties - Much like its rival, its main draw is the fact that it is much quieter than Intel´s stock cooler under load, while also reducing temperatures by a few degrees. Nothing ground-breaking in itself, but a small yet noticeable improvement, and of course the ability to transplant your existing cooler from a Core 2 to Core i7 system if you´re upgrading via a cheap add-on mounting kit is a definite bonus if you already own the Silent Spirit. Compared to the Nero Akasa, the Silent Spirit also has the potential advantage of being a smaller, less unwieldy cooler, making it less likely to give you problems if it´s being installed in a smaller chassis where the taller Akasa part might cause you a headache. At the end of the day, much like the Akasa Nero, GELID´s Silent Spirit might not have enough of a leg-up over Intel´s stock cooler to convince you to purchase it outright as a Core i7 cooler - I get the feeling we may need to wait a little longer before we start seeing budget coolers for this platform that really offer performance head and shoulders over a reference part, much as we did when Socket LGA 775 was first introduced. However, for existing Silent Spirit users the ability to pick up a cheap Core i7 mounting kit is a definite plus, making the move to Intel´s new architecture pain-free and allowing you to transplant your cooler to such a rig with ease, at least giving you a slightly cooler, quieter experience than a stock Core i7 cooler can offer.

Zitat: For: + Great cooling performance + Good price Against: - Difficult to fit and remove

Zitat: Pro - Schnelle Montage - Gute Kühlleistung - Preis - Anleitung - Leise Contra - Laut bei 12 Volt, leise bei aktivierter PWM-Funktion