VR-Zone

One of the most expensive and definitely the most important component of any computer is the CPU. As important as the CPU itself is, it always generates heat and require a cooler in order to operate properly. Despite that the latest computer CPUs are much more energy efficient than their previous generations, only very few processors can operate without a cooler and none of them are meant to be used in home PCs. All processors designed for use into home PCs nowadays require a cooler and the CPU manufacturers offer cooling solutions with their retail products, yet the thermal performance of these coolers can usually be described as borderline adequate and they tend to be noisy. This drives a very large number of users, amateurs and hardcore enthusiasts alike, to shop for a better cooling solution for their processor. Even though the market is crowded with dozens of products, each user requires a different form of performance; for example, hardcore overclockers crave extreme performance while HTPC users require nearly inaudible operation.

Even though the market is overflowing with dozens of products, most high performance CPU coolers are tower coolers and look quite similar. Nonetheless, even subtle design differences can affect the performance of the cooler vastly, making it very difficult to assess their performance solely based on their size. Today we are going to test four large high performance tower coolers, all designed with the demanding requirements of hardcore users in mind, discovering what they can offer to the end users and the actual performance differences between them.