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Product: EP5-6I11
Manufacturer: Coolermaster
Homepage: www.Coolermaster.com.tw
OK, the monkey has been "removed". It has not been a popular decision but the incessant jabbing in the ribs, high pitched screaming and leg humping got a bit too much to take for him. To celebrate our new found peace we decided to push the boat out and spend this month's review money on hookers. Unfortunately they appear to have spiked their nipples with sedatives and made off with everything. Despair. I would call the police if they weren't hookers and they hadn't stolen all our crack. If we become incoherent then you know why - we would have got it back. On with the frivolity.
AMD, other than having an acronym that could stand for A M********ing Dog or other such amusements, decide they really need to have a cpu cooler that is rated for their flagship speed processor. So, they draw up a list of manufacturers on separate pieces of paper, attach assorted hors d'ouvres to each and then a wizened old man releases eight starved M&Ms from a cage. The lucky manufacturer that the M&Ms are attempting to reach gets the AMD approval. Or they test the coolers to see which is best suited to cool the cpu at the relevant speed.
This meandering brings us to victim number ...something. The new arrival to our in bred stable is the Coolermaster EP5-6I11 boasting the mantle of AMD approved for the 1.33 ghz Athlon. That doesn't actually stand for much round here as we house some of the finest cpu coolers the world has seen, obviously before they all developed their little habits. On with the review so we can get back to searching the floor.
This is one of Coolermaster's range of more regular looking heatsinks. The unit is aluminium (note the i, boys) with the usual low profile affair that Coolermaster so loves. Pretty run of the mill really except the "wave" effect of the fins. This is meant to disrupt the airflow and avoid blind spots. Perspective time with a head to head with the GW FOP 32.
Ooooh amazing, wait a minute is that what I think it is behind the FOP... Sorry, thought the ladies of the night had not been as thorough as they were. The difference in fan size is great but we all know what a big fan means..
Test Rig
Duron 700
Abit KT7A-RAID
2*128 mb PC133 CL2
Voodoo 3 3000 PCI
Maxtor 6 Gig HD
Enermax EG 365P-VE
The PC is the same one used for all the cooler reviews except for the psu which we upgraded to the latest version of Enermax's 365 series. This one produces 350w which will be more than enough for us at the moment.
Our highly scientific approach has been compromised by a small number of factors. Chiefly that we don't have a scientific approach. This means that our aim is to provide a real world test, i.e. to simulate the experience that you would have if you had bought this heatsink. Therefore, we will take measurements from the onboard temp gauge under the cpu and decibel readings but not under lab conditions.
The ambient room temperature was kept at 22C +/- 1C, if this changed we stopped
testing until it had returned to this base level. As was pointed out to me by
BlitZ our readings for the Swiftech were off in the first test as it is impossible
to go lower than the ambient room temperature. Cheers BlitZ for pointing this
out and accordingly we now say that all readings are +/- 1C.
Installation
DOH! Again everyone DOH! Why the thermal pad? AMD demand it that's why. It really pisses me off having to spend at least ten minutes removing the little ******. After the initial finger torture, you need to give it a good isopropyling ( I WILL make it a common verb) and then resume finger pain with hardcore rubbing. God damn its a pain. Clean base, core sorted. Place EP5 on spongy things on cpu, attach rear clip, check all is centred then a light pressure attaches the front. **** off it does. The front clip demands that my screwdriver bends with force. Any slip and it's bye bye mobo, RAM, inner thigh and maybe more. I am sure that it needs more than 21 psi but then come down plays tricks on your mind.
Noise
The Coolermaster's have always excelled in this department. The reason is probably because they are designed primarily for the OEM market and could you stand a Delta in your office (or more probably cell)?
A steady Eddie 5k is the EP5 fan's rpm. This coupled with the fan's blade size allow it to operate at such levels. I am able to work (pfff) quite happily right next to the case even when it is open. Very quiet.
Cooler?
That's what they claim. It is being pitted against the top of its class (stock cooler) which surprisingly enough is a Coolermaster, DP5-6H51. Is there going to be a fix between these two? I think not seeing as the buoyant DP5 has just man-slapped the EP5.
The first test as ever is default speed (700) at default voltage of 1.6v. Idle taken after 30 mins and full load taken after 30 mins of Seti@home. Hold tight.
The DP5 has had a chunk taken out of its full load score already. There isn't much here that we didn't expect, the DP5's rating is far lower, but it still manages to steal a march on the EP5 at idle. Probably a result which was taken under slightly different ambient temperatures but seeing as I fabricate all the results who cares?
The 900 mhz test is 9*100 @1.775v which is beginning to produce a reasonable amount of wattage. Lets wheel out the boys and push tem down the slope of truth.
Hmmm. Strange. Kicking DP5 ass all over the shop under full load but inept at idle? Can these two things be allied? Well in a time that pros lift your blow, I think so. A sensational 8C while crunching alien numbers is impressive, have we put it in the wrong class? Again, probably but then who reads the **** between the pretty graphs blah blah blah blah sheep blah AK blah so terribly terribly drunk blah. I thought so.
After rolling down the slope of truth the contestants are forced to crawl along the erm.. thing of much ...trickiness.. or cool the cpu at 945 mhz, whichever sounds more exciting.
I think we are all very confused again, we are trying to see straight but the sweat is streaming and our hands are spasmodically shaking. Not long to go 'till pizza boy arrives, so time to waffle and kill time blah blah blah. As we always state, full load is the critical figure and that is where the EP5 excels. The contest ends with the DP5 being used as a type of floor mop. Instead of cleaning, it is leaving a scarlet trail on the f*cking carpet. Hey, leave that out you little ******. A pair of electrodes attached to its fins will sort it out. Bottom line, great performance. Respect.
Conclusion
Overall this is at the top of the stock cooler pile. Coolermaster do not pretend that it is anything more. I am actually quite fond of it, the noise level is low and the performance is very high considering the fan size. Strap a big one on and go for your lives (innuendo meant). This will cope with nearly anything you throw at it and you will not go insane with the incessant whine from Delta kid. This is a low cost option with a big heart (what the hell is that supposed to mean?). Go buy it now or wait a minute the pizza boy is here with our "special" delivery so that's your lot. No crack crystal rating this time as we hoovered the lot so we are back to the free and non-toxic ice crystals - cool.
The final ChillBlast rating is *******
Coolermaster's site can be found at www.Coolermaster.com.tw
A big up the Coolermaster crew who recklessly send their little campaigners to the front regardless of the outcome. All manufacturers should take a leaf out of their book. They let people test their products, without the fear that a bad review will negate future review opportunity.