Just when you think you have your system running at peak efficiency, something comes along that makes you rethink the way everything runs. That was our case when we got our hands on Thermaltake’s Extreme Spirit North and South bridge cooler. Truth is, so much emphasis is placed on keeping your cpu cool that the North and South bridge tend to be ignored.
First off, this kit comes with a lot of accessories. The Extreme Spirit comes with a very nice anodized blue heatsink (looks much nicer then the stock one we have on our test board), a tiny blower fan, mounting screws, washers, 2 push pins, thermal tape, thermal paste, 2 small anodized blue heatsinks for the southbridge, a fan speed controller and instructions. It is quite overwhelming when you first open everything up.
Something to realize is that this is not an easy install. If you are new to the whole modding game or are not sure what a North & South bridge actually do, we suggest you don’t touch it. If you feel compelled to try this out, at least ask yourself, “Do l really want to disassemble my computer to have a cooler North and South bridge?”
Now that we have gotten this off of our chest, let’s get down to business. The Extreme Spirit comes with enough accessories to be compatible with just about any motherboard we have seen. In this case, we will be using an Asus A7N8X, which has the North bridge heatsink mounted directly to the motherboard via 2 push pins.
Since this kit comes with so many different mounting options, the instruction sheet is a must. It is clear, to the point and it will guide most people through this installation without any trouble. A word to the wise: read the instructions over at least once BEFORE you start pulling things off your motherboard. You don’t want to change your mind in the middle of the process.
Specifications:
P/N: A1899
Heatsink Dimension: 40x39.5x20 mm
Fan Dimension: 40x40x40 mm
Fan Type: Blower Fan
Rated Voltage: 12V
Started Voltage: 7V
Rated Current: 0.35A
Power Input 4.20W
Fan Speed Switch: H, M, L Fan Speed
Fan Speed:
H: 9000±10% RPM
M: 7000±10% RPM
L: 5000±10% RPM
Max. Air Flow: 3.53CFM
Max. Air Pressure: 6.56mmH2O
Noise:
41.6 dBA at 9000RPM
32.4 dBA at 7000RPM
23.1 dBA at 5000RPM
Bearing Type: Sleeve bearing
Life Expectation: 30,000 Hours
Connector: 3 Pin