Core i7 4790K Baseline test

Testing the coolers

Time to test. Today's tested coolerswill work absolutely great with any processor from low to high-end (Core i3/Core i5/Core i7 quad-core and even six-core included up-to 84W TDP (Thermal Design Power) at default operating frequencies.

This means that our processor used is on that threshold. So please understand that this cooler is not intended to be tortured likwe do.

Core i7 4970K Devils Canyon baseline IDLE Temperatures

Let's have a look at the results for the system in its default non-overclocked state. Below, the IDLE temperatures, thus your processor is doing barely anything to nothing. Just sitting and waiting in your system.

None of the coolers obviously have any issue whatsoever in IDLE with the Core i7 4970K not overclocked.

If you have a look at the chart above you can see the processor LOAD temperatures (in the non-overclocked state). We measure in a 21 Degrees C ambient room temperature. Ambient temperatures do affect the cooling performance, albeit a little bit.

We note down the hottest measured CPU package temperature. 

Guru3D's rule of thumb on CPU load vs cooling temps:

• Anything up-to to roughly 50 Degrees C or lower we consider enthusiast class cooling
• Anything in-between 51 to 60 Degrees C we consider performance cooling
• Anything in-between 61 to 70 Degrees C we consider mainstream cooling
• Anything above 71 Degrees C we consider average cooling

That is at considered mainstream cooling, the performance remains fairly average for a kit with a small footprint. Though these coolers  are intended as mITX coolers at a 95x95mm design, keep that in mind.