Please explain why so many use Thermaltake Volcano coolers to me.

[DAPUNISHER]

IMHO there are several coolers close to the volcanos in price that are better options yet many people buy them Is it because they look cool? Are they actually a good value that I've been missing out on? Volcano users: this is your oportunity to lay the smackdown on a heretic so what do you have to say on the matter?

 

[bgeh]

i prefer thermalright coolers, but their prices here in malaysia are cut throat.
it's around 65 bucks for a SLK-800
a Volcano 7+ costs around 30 bucks here

 

[DAPUNISHER]

That's a very good point, I hadn't considered the overseas market prices. What does the SK-7 go for?

 

[chizow]

I agree, I soured on Thermaltake coolers long ago, after the Volcano 6 (PoC for so many reasons IMO). Good cooling starts with a good base, and I've never found any of Thermaltake's bases to be anything special. Their other products are pretty nice (I'm using a SmartFan2 w/ Coolmod), but I think the large user base for their Volcano series is b/c they are plentiful and they are inexpensive (relatively). Also, I believe they were one of the few recommended heatsinks for some time, perhaps even a stock cooler in the retail boxes. I know they are a favorite of OEM system builders (not like Compaq, Sony, etc, but the online OEMs).

Chiz

 

[ChampionAtTufshop]

cheap and pretty good coolers
not for most ocer's tho (unless computer is in a very cold room..)

 

[clicknext]

The first one I got is the volcano 7, and I got a good impression from it because its cooling isn't bad and it's cheaper than most coolers around the same price where I live.

 

[clicknext]

Originally posted by: clicknext
The first one I got is the volcano 7, and I got a good impression from it because its cooling isn't bad and it's cheaper than most coolers that have the same performance around the same price where I live.

 

[RyanM]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
IMHO there are several coolers close to the volcanos in price that are better options yet many people buy them Is it because they look cool? Are they actually a good value that I've been missing out on? Volcano users: this is your oportunity to lay the smackdown on a heretic so what do you have to say on the matter?

Honestly, it beats the hell out of me.

From an engineering standpoint, Thermaltake seems to be stuck in 2000. They bases are too wide, the fins are fairly thick, and they're bulky and ugly.

Frankly, my two favorite heatsinks right now are the Akasa Silver Mountain II and the Thermalright SLK-800. The former clocks in at 25 bucks, the latter around 35 to 40, and either of them do a damned good job at cooling without looking obtrusive.

I just ordered the SLK-800 myself, and plan on installing it as soon as I can afford the other case parts I'm waiting for. I have no doubt I'm gonna be giddy with the results.

 

[bgeh]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
That's a very good point, I hadn't considered the overseas market prices. What does the SK-7 go for?

it goes for the same price as the SLK-800:disgust:

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Well at least I understand why people in Malaysia buy the Volcanos what's everyone else's excuse

 

[KF]

>IMHO there are several coolers close to the volcanos in price that are better options yet many people buy them

Thermaltake is all over the map on price to value ratio. They have had a few amazingly cheap but pretty good HSs, but there are plenty of competitors for that now. Then they have had some high-priced HSs that mostly underperformed compared to similarly priced HSs. Some were outright duds. They have had some very peculiar and dramatic lookings HSs, some of which cooled pretty good, but seldom the best for the price.

I think what happened was Thermaltake got huge name recognition in the Golden Orb era, and that has got them continual notice from the review sites.

You can't trash them, because they have had some nice HSs. OTOH they have also had some ridiculously pricey, peculiar looking, but intermediate performing HSs.

 

[bgeh]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Well at least I understand why people in Malaysia buy the Volcanos what's everyone else's excuse

if only newegg and SVC shipped to malaysia...................

 

[Tab]

1) They look cool

2)People don't know better

3)Its big

4)Its afforable

I recently purchased a ThermalTake 9 Volcano Coolmod. I am disappointed since I cant connect my front LED's and my fan LED at the same time I prolly will be purchasing another cooler. I would have gotten a ThermalRight, however my local shops havent been able to contact ThermalRight and www.excaliberpc.com doesnt have them.

 

[clicknext]

Originally posted by: bgeh

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Well at least I understand why people in Malaysia buy the Volcanos what's everyone else's excuse

if only newegg and SVC shipped to malaysia...................

The shipping would probably cost as much as the cooler. =P

 

[human2k]

Thermaltake = crap, there clips suck. Thermalright = top notch!

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

[*]Thermaltake = crap, there clips suck

I agree. I had one, could never get that clip to seat right on my mobo socket. Nothing like the three clip design of my TaiSol CGK760092 or my Thermalright SLK-800.

 

[Duvie]

The 2 experiences I have had and they suck...The one for my p4 was worse performer with a copper core then my aluminum retail hsf bundled with the cpu...The copper was a funny color, much darker then my avc and alpha replacement of it. The fan was cheap and loud and the adjustment dial would get burning hot to the touch....

PURE CRAP, IMO...

 

[RyanM]

Yeah, Thermaltake's HSF have gone the same way as HP's printers - They've gotten so well renowned they no longer feel a need to improve the quality, since they can still move volume based on name recognition alone.

 

[LED]

Please explain why so many use Thermaltake Volcano coolers to me.

DAPUNISHER
What makes you think a vast majority buy them?...I bet 5% here if that use them...lotta inquires but few buys afterwords and if bought many will switch... Hell I even have 1 of them there Lighted LED Modded HD/CPU Fans

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: LED

Please explain why so many use Thermaltake Volcano coolers to me.

DAPUNISHER
What makes you think a vast majority buy them?...I bet 5% here if that use them...lotta inquires but few buys afterwords and if bought many will switch... Hell I even have 1 of them there Lighted LED Modded HD/CPU Fans

I've been seeing a lot of n00b posts lately, particularlly in tech support when they list their system specs they list Volcano coolers. Also many of the people asking for overclocking help here in the CPU/O/C forum recently have been mentioning they use Volcanos lately as well which is what prompted my queary. In a sense I was hoping this thread could serve to educate the less well informed about the Volcano's lackluster price/performance ratio and help some to avoid buying them just because they think it looks cool with their window mod You'll certainly get no argument from me that most the regulars around here don't use them

 

[ChampionAtTufshop]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER

Originally posted by: LED

Please explain why so many use Thermaltake Volcano coolers to me.

DAPUNISHER
What makes you think a vast majority buy them?...I bet 5% here if that use them...lotta inquires but few buys afterwords and if bought many will switch... Hell I even have 1 of them there Lighted LED Modded HD/CPU Fans

I've been seeing a lot of n00b posts lately, particularlly in tech support when they list their system specs they list Volcano coolers. Also many of the people asking for overclocking help here in the CPU/O/C forum recently have been mentioning they use Volcanos lately as well which is what prompted my queary. In a sense I was hoping this thread could serve to educate the less well informed about the Volcano's lackluster price/performance ratio and help some to avoid buying them just because they think it looks cool with their window mod You'll certainly get no argument from me that most the regulars around here don't use them

hell yeah
Tt heatsinks=n0 for me heh

 

[THUGSROOK]

IMHO:
thermaltake makes the worst products :disgust:

 

[ChampionAtTufshop]

Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
IMHO:
thermaltake makes the worst products :disgust:

their fans are ok so far....havnt blown up yet lol

mostly just for show it seems (re: active memory cooling...!?) lol

 

[THUGSROOK]

LOL ~ yea active mem cooling with a 5cfm fan? LMAO!

 

[ChampionAtTufshop]

Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
LOL ~ yea active mem cooling with a 5cfm fan? LMAO!

yeah
they get the n00bs pretty easily lol

Tt: "Now introducing, Brand spanking new ACTIVE MEMORY COOLING. You can now ACTIVELY cool the ramchips on your system ram just like you cool the CPU" (part not said: "although our active memory cooling does jack sh*t, it looks hella cool though!"

n00b: "holy sh*t, i gotsa get me one of dem new fangled ACTIVE MEMORY COOLING kits"

lol

little do they know, the ram just gets warm to the touch, not enough to warrant active cooling...hell even passive cooling probably lol