GlacialТech UFO V51 CPU Cooler Review

Page 4 - Testing methods and test results

Once we mounted the radiator we're ready to continue with the tests, beginning with information about the more important hardware used in the review.

• Processor: Intel C2D E8500 (default 333x9.5)
• Motherboard: ASUS P5K-E WiFi

We'll be using the following coolers for comparison:

• Intel-ски боксов охладител за E8500
• Evercool Buffalo
• Noctua NH-U12P
• Cooler Master Hyper Z600
• Noctua NH-C12P
• Sunbeam Core-Contact Freezer
• Xigmatek HDT S1284 Enhanced Edition
• GELID Silent Spirit

For the tests of GlacialТech UFO V51 we checked how will it fare with cooling the processor on default frequency and after hefty overclock.

Testing in IDLE mode, was done by leaving the machine at Windows desktop for about 10 minutes with no other programs running. For tests under load we gathered results from RealTemp 2.70 (the most adequate program for obtaining temperatures of 45nm Intel processor for now), after 30 minutes of running OCCT 2.0. Results you see are degrees centigradeABOVE ROOM TEMPERATURE, this way the eliminating the influence of ambient conditions and get better results. This way assuming the room temperature to be 20 degrees and the table shows value of 15 degrees, that means the actual temperature was 35 degrees.

GlacialТech UFO V51 has nothing up its sleeve. Considering its aluminum heatpipes, quiet fans and plated base in this test it has but one adequate competitor – the small Gelid Silent Spirit – and it performs better than it only because its bigger radiator size.

In these tests Silent Spirit did better, but remember it utilizes copper heatpipes. It is apparent that with increased power the UFO is definitely struggling.

We suspected though that the less than good results could be attributed to the questionably looking thermal compound provided with the cooler, so for the last test we experimented a bit by using one good and well known for its properties to us thermal compound – Noctua NT-H1. Now lets see if that made any difference or not:

Just as we suspected, the use of better thermal compound allowed the cooler to show what's it capable of. In this test it performed better than Silent Spirit and was even close to Evercool Buffalo – not a bad cooler with copper heatpipes. In general the performance of UFO is adequate for a quiet cooler, but not for one of such stature. The major problem seems to be in the plating on the base, the aluminum heatpipes and the somewhat weak quiet fans. We suspect that the PWM version will perform better, though at the cost of more noise.