Ok seriously...

[scrawnypaleguy]

Ok so I just got the new September issue of MaxPC. They had an article in which they tested 10 different cpu coolers and I have to say that I am completely confused by their testing methodology, specifically their noise measurements. For some odd reason they seem to think that 62dBA is quiet. Is anyone else irritated by this complete lack of intelligence on their part?

 

[Operandi]

Depends on how they tested and at what distance.

 

[BillyBobJoel71]

what are the results, from best cooling to worst?

 

[scrawnypaleguy]

Originally posted by: SuperTyphoon
what are the results, from best cooling to worst?

Gigabyte g-power bl -- 9/10
CM hyper 48 -- 8/10
TT big typhoon -- 8/10
Asus star ice -- 6/10
CM hyper 6+ -- 10/10
TT beetle -- 4/10
CM vortex TX -- 5/10
Thermalright XP-120 -- 7/10
Thermalright XP-90 -- 9/10
TT silent tower -- 7/10

 

[AquaLeviathan]

Best to worst:
CM hyper 6+ -- 10/10
Gigabyte g-power bl -- 9/10
Thermalright XP-90 -- 9/10
CM hyper 48 -- 8/10
TT big typhoon -- 8/10
Thermalright XP-120 -- 7/10
TT silent tower -- 7/10
Asus star ice -- 6/10
CM vortex TX -- 5/10
TT beetle -- 4/10

 

[imported_Kensai]

Those are overall scores. Noise, performance, price, ease of installation, etc. etc.

Yes, I do think they know what they're doing. I do not always approve, but they do know what they're doing.

 

[Corporate Thug]

Thermalright XP-120 -- 7/10

i dont understand that

 

[Safeway]

I don't understand the CM Hyper 6+ getting 10/10. The XP-90C blows it all to hell.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

I've always trusted their opinion, but they are human... I wouldn't base a judgement completely upon what they say, but I sure as hell would consider it.
Tas.

 

[SketchMaster]

I stopped reading Maximum PC a few months ago. All they seem to be is some geeks that have alot of money to play with new stuff.

They had a article on upgrading old systems for "cheap". The low-end system was ok. Nothing too fancy and was not far-fetched at all. The mid and High end system were insane. They pretty much gutted the midrange and the high end they completely rebuilt. only thing that was still used was a harddrive and a sound card. both were way to pricey, upto 2,000+ for the high-end

They must have gotten an alot of mail about how crazy it was to spend over $2,000 on a "budget" upgrade because they had one in the user mail. They justified it by saying "We here at Maximum PC are all about getting the most out of a PC, bla bla bla bla."

That and the fact the magazines are way to pricey made me stop reading it. Now I read CPU Mag and it's sooo much better than Max PC. They don't try and sound Hip like Max PC does, don't have adds on every other page and no adds that have nothing to do with computers, and People from HardOCP and are very own Anand write for the mag so i tend to trust it a bit more.

And it's a hell of alot cheaper.

 

[Dman877]

Originally posted by: shady06

Thermalright XP-120 -- 7/10

i dont understand that

It's an expensive heatsink that doesn't fit all motherboards and even when it does fit, it's quite a large obstruction in a normal computer case. I didn't read the article but I assume that was at least part of their analysis. I'm surprised it got as high a score as it did.

 

[linjy2]

Originally posted by: SketchMaster
That and the fact the magazines are way to pricey made me stop reading it. Now I read CPU Mag and it's sooo much better than Max PC. They don't try and sound Hip like Max PC does, don't have adds on every other page and no adds that have nothing to do with computers, and People from HardOCP and are very own Anand write for the mag so i tend to trust it a bit more.

And it's a hell of alot cheaper.

i pay $3-$5 a yr for max pc

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: SketchMaster
I stopped reading Maximum PC a few months ago. All they seem to be is some geeks that have alot of money to play with new stuff.

They had a article on upgrading old systems for "cheap". The low-end system was ok. Nothing too fancy and was not far-fetched at all. The mid and High end system were insane. They pretty much gutted the midrange and the high end they completely rebuilt. only thing that was still used was a harddrive and a sound card. both were way to pricey, upto 2,000+ for the high-end

They must have gotten an alot of mail about how crazy it was to spend over $2,000 on a "budget" upgrade because they had one in the user mail. They justified it by saying "We here at Maximum PC are all about getting the most out of a PC, bla bla bla bla."

That and the fact the magazines are way to pricey made me stop reading it. Now I read CPU Mag and it's sooo much better than Max PC. They don't try and sound Hip like Max PC does, don't have adds on every other page and no adds that have nothing to do with computers, and People from HardOCP and are very own Anand write for the mag so i tend to trust it a bit more.

And it's a hell of alot cheaper.

For the longest time, I've subscribed to Max PC, CPU, and PC Gamer. PCG is bloody useless now, and Max PC has too many ads. I'll probably got to just CPU here shortly... That damned 10 page section of a single companies ads pisses me off. BOOT never would have allowed that to happen...
Tas.

 

[klah]

Originally posted by: scrawnypaleguy

For some odd reason they seem to think that 62dBA is quiet.

I'd guess they do not know how to properly operate an SPL meter.
Do they do not provide a photograph or description of the methodology used to obtain these figures?

What fans did they use for the XP-90 and XP-120 and what were their dBA readings?

 

[QueBert]

haha I have a Beetle, 4/10? it's almost silent at the lowest setting, was a snap to install, and cooling wise I will go against ANY cooler on the market and come within a few degrees. It's heavy, and big, which can lead to memory slots being blocked. But this is hands down the best cooler I've ever owned. And it has a wow factor nothing on the market can come close to. Weather people who see my box like the heatsink, or hate it. They all comment on it.

 

[JEDIYoda]

I have been a fan of MAX pc for a good long time!
YES!! They do know what they are talking!!
They took into account several criteria....
Noise.....
ease of installation.....
benchmarks....

How they tested......

We installed each heatsink on 2 platforms.......
AMD...Intel....duh...
using the following mobo`s....
ASUS A8N SLI with an FX55 CPU........
Abit AA8 with Prescott 3.6 CPU!

temp reading were taken using thermal diodes on the mobo`s.
Using ASUS A1 Utility and Abit uGuru Utility.
To measure noise levels they took the motherboard into the quietest room and lowered it into a foam chamberwith only the CPU fan attached.
Took reading with a sound meter from a distance of 24 inches.
Finally they measured temps under full load using CPU Burn in for one full hr!!

Ok so I just got the new September issue of MaxPC. They had an article in which they tested 10 different cpu coolers and I have to say that I am completely confused by their testing methodology, specifically their noise measurements. For some odd reason they seem to think that 62dBA is quiet. Is anyone else irritated by this complete lack of intelligence on their part?

I see nowhere in that article they say that 62dba is quiet? What I do see is that every CPU coller tested had a noise level over 60dba...
Considering they used what was sent them.....
I just don`t understand how you can misrepresent that article by making such an uninformed statement like that without stating the whole picture?
Is 62 dba loud....depends on alot of variables?

In my case No its not loud! Of course I have 8 fans running not including the CPU...video card or the Power supply fans!!

In all fairness to the peeps at MAXPc.......nowhere did they state that 62Dba was quiet!!

And the Winner is.......

"Whew! This was a close contest. Several heatsinks left us thouroughly impressed, and we were suprised to have so many contestants fighting for top honors!
When it came down to the final tally,we had to pick nits: We took into account the temps and sound output,considered installatyion difficulties,and sought counsel from our spirit animals.
In the end it was clear the Cooler master`s Hyper 6+ is the top choice.
We found this heatsink to be virtually without fault. Sure, it`s huge and heavy, but we didn`t encounter any clearance issues, installation was effortless, and the part delivered stunning performance.
What`s more, you can add a second 1000mm fan for even more colling power.
Thermalright`s impressive XP-90 is the runner-up. Its compact size, great price, and excellent performance make it a contender for anyone who needs a cool CPU!!"****

Taken from MaximumPC September2005 page #53

 

[scrawnypaleguy]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
YES!! They do know what they are talking!!

I see nowhere in that article they say that 62dba is quiet? What I do see is that every CPU coller tested had a noise level over 60dba...
Considering they used what was sent them.....
I just don`t understand how you can misrepresent that article by making such an uninformed statement like that without stating the whole picture?
Is 62 dba loud....depends on alot of variables?

In my case No its not loud! Of course I have 8 fans running not including the CPU...video card or the Power supply fans!!

In all fairness to the peeps at MAXPc.......nowhere did they state that 62Dba was quiet!!

First off, instead of insulting you, I'm going to go ahead and give you the benefit of the doubt that english is probably not your first language.

Second, "nowhere do they state that 62dBA is quiet!!!!111one"? I concur:

"Once the Hyper 6+ was up and running, we were astonished by the low temperatures it delivered, considering its quietude: the fan was nearly silent while spinning at 1,800rpm"

MaxPC's decibel rating for the Hyper 6+: 62dBA.

 

[viivo]

MaxPC's decibel rating for the Hyper 6+: 62dBA.

Maybe their ego worked as a dampening agent?

But seriously, I wouldn't know about the decline in PC mag quality. The last magazine I had a subscription to was PC Accelerator.

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: scrawnypaleguy


Second, "nowhere do they state that 62dBA is quiet!!!!111one"? I concur:

"Once the Hyper 6+ was up and running, we were astonished by the low temperatures it delivered, considering its quietude: the fan was nearly silent while spinning at 1,800rpm"

MaxPC's decibel rating for the Hyper 6+: 62dBA.

Without the article yet, the wording you pasted, doesnt say that it was at full speed at 1800rpm. That could be low, medium, or high. On low it could be "nearly silent", while on high it could be 62dba. Or perhaps, it could be a typo. They happen in every magazine.

 

[scrawnypaleguy]

Originally posted by: Ackmed

Originally posted by: scrawnypaleguy


Second, "nowhere do they state that 62dBA is quiet!!!!111one"? I concur:

"Once the Hyper 6+ was up and running, we were astonished by the low temperatures it delivered, considering its quietude: the fan was nearly silent while spinning at 1,800rpm"

MaxPC's decibel rating for the Hyper 6+: 62dBA.

Without the article yet, the wording you pasted, doesnt say that it was at full speed at 1800rpm. That could be low, medium, or high. On low it could be "nearly silent", while on high it could be 62dba. Or perhaps, it could be a typo. They happen in every magazine.

At first I thought the same, but they only listed one decibel rating for the cooler, so maybe they had it on low the whole time?

 

[Bona Fide]

Roffles...the Hyper 6+ got a 10/10? Did they not count value? That thing is so overpriced! The XP-90 should've been the only one to get 10/10. I understand the argument about the XP-120 not fitting many boards, but it is _the best_ cooler there.

 

[imported_crypt33]

MaxPC's biggest failing is that they are a "money is no object" magazine price matters to, oh i'd say about 98% of pc enthusiasts, yet it hardly figures into their final scores at all...I will still continue subscribing though

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: Bona Fide
Roffles...the Hyper 6+ got a 10/10? Did they not count value? That thing is so overpriced! The XP-90 should've been the only one to get 10/10. I understand the argument about the XP-120 not fitting many boards, but it is _the best_ cooler there.

the 120 IS NOT the best cooler they reviewed. It's great, but whast does it do any better then a Typhoon, Beetle or a Hyper 6+? This round up had almost all great coolers, you couldn't go wrong with any of them. I went from a 120 to a Beetle, got almost identical cooling, and something I found much more appealing visually. Like it or not, poor compatibility has to be a factor in final score. And the 120's are painfully hard, if not impossible to install on quite a few boards. If an end user could get 120 like cooling, with a heatsink that's way easier to install, with zero clearance problems, why the hell would anyone get it over something else?


My cooler got a 4/10 (lowest score on the round up) I'm sure it's due to mounting issues, because cooling wise it's withing 1-2c of the best.

 

[JEDIYoda]

First off, instead of insulting you, I'm going to go ahead and give you the benefit of the doubt that english is probably not your first language.

I find it interesting that when people don`t have a rebuttal for what is being said they attack somebody`s grammar skills.

This is the internet mind you....no grades for grammar alot of us have already been through college and don`t actually care if we use too many ...... or ????....or !!!!

I find that to be a truly interesting fact!
Actually English is my 4th language.
I speak Polish fluently!
I speak German fluently as well as Russian!

But I do have a masters degree from an American College.
So go figure!!

I take it that reading and understanding and comprehension are not your strong suits!
I will ignore your attempts at humor.....

As I pointed out in what I posted.

In the article ALL the CPU Coolers (if ya read the individual specs) had a dba over 60.
No consipracy theorie when it comes to dba.
All CPU Collers were rated I believe at factory defaults.

I still stand by my assertion that you need to read the whole article as well as the fine print.
Don`t take offense because the article SLAM`s or puts down your specific cooler.
Again who cares?
If the cooler works for you and your happy thats all that should count!

Yes I would also tend to agree that the people at MAX PC tend to not worry about the cost to budget concious people!
But with that said....

I will relate this to so many other things I see on this and other forums that I am involved in!!

Everybody is territotrial in relation to the products that they use....
Some people Love Zalman other love....
Others Love CoolMaster.....
Others Love Thermalright......
While others love brand X!

Yet others swear by ceertain brand named PSU`s.....Video cards....Hard drives.....
Everybody has there own opinion!

Other`s swear by generic products that have no reputation for quality.
All they know is the product is CHEAP and it works!

Everybody knows what works best for them!
While others say such things as that sure looks sweet I would buy it if it cheaper than...

Well you get where I am coming from...

The true bottom line is you can have a nice rig without spending alot of $$$$$$
yet--- you cannot have a kick a$$ rig if your NOT willing to spend the Money!

In the words of Ben Grim-- NUFF Said!

 

[Lazien]

Hmm first off, I have to say that I believe that MaxPC does know what they are talking about and yes they are wrong or have a typo atleast once and issue....they are after all human and can make mistakes.
I personally like the fact that they are not a "DRY" read and attempt to sound hip or give some life to the otherwise dull number/stat drivel You read so much in the tech industry. Hell sometimes I read the mag and laugh out loud because of a "good" geek joke.

Tas I second that....I must say My personal ire is raised each time I get an issue lately because of that friggin "1&1" 10 page add, it just pisses Me off when I have to flip through 10 pages to find the meat of the mag.

Now about the issue of cost....well they are guilty. However, I for one think of them as a hot roddin mag. When I look at all the lambo' and mclaren's I dont expect to be able to afford them I just love to read about them and see pics and such. It does suck that most of us can't afford $15,000 for a "Dream Machine" but then again if we could it would no longer be a dream.

Is 62dbA quiet? hell no lol.....I would assume they took all the dbA readings at the fans highest setting because I dont know many fans that make 62dbA at 1800rpm lol.


Lazien