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Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme - quick thoughts

J

Jovec

Senior member
Well, since I couldn't find any AM2+ clips for 2 of my older Tuniq 120s, I decided to take a stab at the 120 Extreme. I can't do a proper review, but I will offer some thoughts.

http://www.tuniq.com.tw/Cooler.../Tower-120-Extreme.htm

[*]The packing was thorough and Instructions above average.
[*]It's a Heatpipe Direct Touch, which Tuniq refers to as Core Contact
[*]It still has the fan speed controller bracket, and is now in-line between the fan and m/b connector, instead of a 2nd connector. Fan connector is still 3-pin.
[*]It supports 775, 1366, k8, and AM2+/3 and comes with full mounting hardware. All installs require replacing the stock cooler brackets on the m/b and thus cannot be installed without removing your m/b.
[*]AM2+/3 mounting uses 4 screws like 775 and 1366 - k8 only 2
[*]Fan is north and south facing only on AM2+
[*]Cooler extends over 2 RAM slots and would probably not work if you have tall ram coolers (my 4x2GB fits), though Tuniq does provide small washers to raise the fan (which normally extends below the bottom of the heatsink) for extra clearance.
[*]No 1156 mounting (unless 1156 is the same as 1366 - IDK)

I was really hoping for front/back facing for the fan on AM2+, but it doesn't appear to be possible.
New models that have 1156 mounting alos have front-to-back mounting for AM2/+/3

I don't have the time or test environment for proper testing, but it does seem to produce about 6-7C lower temps for me under prime95 load at the lowest fan speed setting as compared to my original 120 with a medium speed fan. I run a PII 940 at 3150 with a 0.05 undervolt. I would attribute at least 1-2C degrees to the improved AM2+ mounting, if not more. The LED on the fan isn't too noticeable, but I don't have a side window on my case.

It's a good cooler, but Tuniq does seem to be banking on their name a little with a price bump. I paid $65 at FrozenCPU. Conjecture, but I doubt the Tuniq 120 Extreme is going to replace the TRUE for pure cooling, nor do I think at $65 it's a better value than the Xigmatek S1283 or Dark Knight. However, it does allow the use of 4 ram slots with normal sized RAM sinks, something that the Xigmatek's don't seem to do on AM2/3 boards and thus was worth the ~$25-30 dollars to me.
 
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Are there any reviews for this thing? I checked frostytech and didn't find any.

For $65 it had better be better than the latest True120's, is it?

(I own the original tuniq120 because the price was pretty good compared to the true at the time)
 
Originally posted by: Idontcare
Are there any reviews for this thing? I checked frostytech and didn't find any.

For $65 it had better be better than the latest True120's, is it?

(I own the original tuniq120 because the price was pretty good compared to the true at the time)
Click to expand...

What are you cooling with it?
IMO it's no Mega/TRUE killer. It cannot even match their performance. I'm not talking about useless idle readings on dual cores but fully stressed overclocked i7s. B3 Kentsfields also will present a good load especially at 3.6+ GHz and 1.5V!
 
Originally posted by: Rubycon

What are you cooling with it?
IMO it's no Mega/TRUE killer. It cannot even match their performance. I'm not talking about useless idle readings on dual cores but fully stressed overclocked i7s. B3 Kentsfields also will present a good load especially at 3.6+ GHz and 1.5V!
Click to expand...

I suppose it depends on the benchmark.

TT120 E > Mega
TT120 E = True
TT120 E > Cooler Master V10

We really need to see more reputable websites reviewing this model to make a better conclusion. However, I wouldn't start saying that it's completely uncompetitive considering it's a full 5*C better than the old TT120 which in itself was a beast once lapped.
 
They used OCCT, 3.2GHz - NOT a true metric. (pun not intended!)

Like I said at lower levels they will be very close. When the load is close to the heatpipe capacity EVERYTHING changes including the positioning of the computer. For example if a heatpipe based cooler is pushed to 95% of total capacity and tested with the board horizontal and then is turned vertical as mounted in a tower case temperatures can often "run away" as the capacity reduction exceeds the differential between demand and available capacity.

With the TT there is not enough thermal capacity. This is further aggravated by the direct contact gimmick!
 
Originally posted by: Rubycon
They used OCCT, 3.2GHz - NOT a true metric. (pun not intended!)

Like I said at lower levels they will be very close. When the load is close to the heatpipe capacity EVERYTHING changes including the positioning of the computer. For example if a heatpipe based cooler is pushed to 95% of total capacity and tested with the board horizontal and then is turned vertical as mounted in a tower case temperatures can often "run away" as the capacity reduction exceeds the differential between demand and available capacity.

With the TT there is not enough thermal capacity. This is further aggravated by the direct contact gimmick!
Click to expand...

Show where/how you are calculating your "thermal capacity" numbers. Explain how one cooler will be effected by a vertical or horizontal motherboard but the other two will not as your argument seems to insinuate.

@Idontcare - At $65 the T120 Extreme is definitely more than the $45-50 we used to pay for the 120, but TRUEs seem to be $60-$65 plus fan plus fan bracket (x2 for push-pull) Megas are in the same ball park plus another $10 for AMD mounting, so I don't necessarily agree that the Extreme needs to be better since it will likely cost $20-$50 less for a complete setup.

I'm not trying to push the Tuniq 120 Extreme. In fact, if I could buy AM2 clips I'd still be running my T120s. However, my temps with the Extreme are lower than with my 120, it does sit over my RAM slots but it allows me to use all 4, it's quieter as I get these better temps with a lower fan RPM, it doesn't use the stock AM2+/3 mounting clip retention so I get good mounting pressure, and about my only complaint is that the mounting options are 1 direction only. These high-end coolers at $50 and $60 and up should allow for 2 direction mounting, but this is more an AMD issue as Intel sockets should give a natural front-to-back fan positioning.
 
Originally posted by: Jovec


Show where/how you are calculating your "thermal capacity" numbers. Explain how one cooler will be effected by a vertical or horizontal motherboard but the other two will not as your argument seems to insinuate.
Click to expand...

Thermal capacity of heatpipes is reduced by mounting the heatsinks on a vertical plane. If the capacity runs out temperatures climb dramatically. Direct heatpipe contact is a marketing GIMMICK, nothing more. It's more efficient to use a solid block and securely bond your pipes to this. Another mistake is to put fins or even heatsinks on the block! You want the heat to go INTO the heatpipes as quickly as possible.
 
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Thermal capacity of heatpipes is reduced by mounting the heatsinks on a vertical plane. If the capacity runs out temperatures climb dramatically.
Click to expand...

If this is true for one it's true for all. You seem to be calling out one cooler for an issue all three have if you are talking about a horizontal mounting in a tower case versus a vertical mounting in a desktop case.

If you are talking about fan direction in a tower only, then I'd agree that the limited mounting options is an issue compared to some other coolers. But again the natural direction on Intel sockets is for the fan to blow front-to-back, whereas AMD is bottom-to-top. So it's really only an issue for AMD users. And I would be interested in any links you might have to show that heatpipe orientation in a tower mount is an issue and not the fact that you are picking up hot air off the back of the video card.

Direct heatpipe contact is a marketing GIMMICK, nothing more. It's more efficient to use a solid block and securely bond your pipes to this. Another mistake is to put fins or even heatsinks on the block! You want the heat to go INTO the heatpipes as quickly as possible.
Click to expand...

Not sure this is true. Heat pipe coolers went from solid block, to direct touch with improved results, and now you have a few like the TRUEs and Mega with great temps on a solid block, but there is no indication that this is the sole reason why. How much can be attributed to push/pull fans, how much to better fin design, better heatpipe liquid, better included fans, better manufacturing and lapping, better mounting, split designs like the Mega, etc. You seem to be making a lot of assumptions.

I see where you going with the heatsink fins above the pipes on the block, but I have a hard time imagining they make much difference either way. Any heat not removed through the heat pipes is going to get there (to the top of the block) regardless.

Generally speaking, all coolers should gravitate towards the same design - the one that is the most efficient. However, product marketing and other factors mean that companies what to separate out their product through different materials, looks, and other design variances (For example, the fan in the middle approach from Tuniq means push/pull is pretty much out of the question). It's very likely that TRUEs and Megas will remain on top, but even if they do, a complete TRUE or Mega setup is going to run $100 or more for those better results. As always it's up to the buyer to weigh the price/perfomance ratio.

The main points of my OP were to provide some info on the cooler that I couldn't find online yet - namely the improved AM2 mounting over the T120 and fan orientation.
 
Originally posted by: lavaheadache
i can confirm ruby's claim about being pushed to the max in a vertical and horizontal position. i posted a thread about this a while back let me see if I can dig up the thread



edit


took 1 minute to find using the search

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...y&keyword1=tuniq+tower
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link, but I believe the point is moot because heatpipe "U" orientation (flat m/b in a desktop case) is U orientation for all coolers. "E" orientation (in a tower) is E orientation for all coolers.

The only issue of relevance here is if there is any difference between two vertical columns of heatpipes on a tower mount or two horizontal rows/planes on a tower mount and of course the fan direction (which may or may not be linked to the heatpipe orientation). This basically comes down to available mounting direction options, of which the T120 Extreme has none except for the default.

Edit: Followed that thread and links in more detail - Your experience yielded better cooling with a horizontal m/b and vertical cooler, but the reviews linked show all coolers with better performance in a tower with a horizontal cooler (even the TRUE) but then another review on the same site contradicts one result by showing the TRUE performing worse in a horizontal orientation. In all cases the differences were fairly small but noticeable - up to 2C max

You also seemed to be hitting the limits of what the three heatpipes on the T120 could do and thus benefited from a cooler with more pipes in the CoolerMaster V8. If this is the "thermal capacity" Ruby is referring too then great, but she seems to be comparing (or confusing) the thermal capacity of the original T120 to the 120 Extreme. We all buy that TRUEs and Megas are better coolers than the original T120s...
 
Thinking about buying the Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme cooler.
Does anyone have this cooler mounted on a asus p5b premium
vista motherboard or know if it will fit.
really appreceiate some info if it will fit or not.
thanks
 
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