Installation is really quite simple. Or so l thought. This heatsink uses a tooless system, which means no more screwdrivers when trying to attach the clips. Unfortunately, l found it more difficult to lock the clips in place with my finger than l ever did with a screwdriver (of course, at least if my finger slips l don’t have to worry about damaging the motherboard).
If you have ever installed a heatsink before, then this one is no different (taller maybe but no different). Remove the heatsink you had on your cpu before, clean it off, apply the thermal compound of your choice (Spirecoolers includes a tube which is a nice touch!) and carefully seat the Verticool. Attach the mounting clips, plug it in and you’re done! Did l mention how tall it is? This is going to give the inside of your case a whole different look. With the translucent UV reactive fan, the polished fan guard and the fact that it sticks out farther than most heatsinks l have ever seen, this is a definite eyecatcher. Of course, eyecatching is one thing, functional is another.
So, we decided to put the Verticool through its paces and compare it with Spirecooler’s Skivestream III, to see if heatpipes beat extra airflow.
The results speak for themselves. As you can see the Verticool does run a bit cooler than the Skivestream III but not by very much. Of course a difference of 2 degrees at idle and 3 degrees under load is nothing to sneeze at. Every little bit counts. This being said, l really expected a bigger drop in temperatures with the heatpipe setup. My only thought is that perhaps with a larger fan the temperatures would drop even more. It is a very quiet heatsink though. My videocard cooler makes more noise!
So, what do we think of the Verticool? How about it looks good, keeps things cool and is extremely quiet. Once this heatsink is installed it does a fairly good job keeping temperatures down and it brings that little something extra to the look of your case. It’s nice to know that every time Spirecoolers comes out with a new heatsink my temperatures go down. The Verticool is no exception. Big tower, blue fan, aluminium grill and lower temperatures. What more could you possibly want out of a heatsink!
Pros:
• Looks great (as expected from Spirecoolers)
• Tool-less installation
• Comes with it’s own Thermal paste
• Dropped our temperatures by an average of 2.5 degrees
Cons:
• Installation is a challenge when it comes to making sure the heatsink is seated properly
• Temperature drop is smaller than expected with heatpipes
Index
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