Setup and test results …
Configuration …
For our test system we used following configuration:
Intel Core i5 4460 @ 3200 MHz with 0.99 Volt
MSI B85M-E45 Rev. 2.0
2x 4GB DDR3-1600
MSI GeForce GTX960 4GB OC
Cooler Master 500W Silent Pro PSU
Cooler Master RC690 Case
Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit Service Pack 1
For measurement we used following tools: Prime95 V28.7 und SpeedFan V4.51
Thermal grease: Dow-Corning TC-5121 3.2W/mK (included by Enermax)
The ambient temperature was at 20°C.
Additional to factory setup the heatsink was also tested by us with a second fan by Enermax with a maximum of 1200rpm.
For silent mode the Enermax fan was fixed to 800rpm and the cooler master fan to 7V. For maximum cooling the fans have been set to 1800rpm and 12V respectively. Idle testing was done only running Windows and speedfan. Stress testing was done by using small-FFT test of Prime95. Energy saving features have not been deactivated in BIOS/UEFI for testing.
Enermax ETS-T40F-BK test results …
In comparison to the boxed cooler of the intel core i5-4460. The boxed cooler could not be tested in silent mode at high loads, as the temperatures exceed the save operating range quickly.
The idle temperatures are not of much interest, because the i5-4460 does not produce much heat in idle thanks to power saving features.
With load there are obviously worlds between the Enermax ETS-T40F-BK and the boxed cooler. It’s more interesting to compare the different fan setups to the performance of the heatsink:
– At 800rpm you can just here a slight murmur from the fan, but it’s not completely silent. But then, the maximum temperature of 58°C is absolutely in the comfort zone.
– Starting at 1100rpm the fan is getting to be clearly audible but without any unpleasant clacking or grinding.
It’s also interesting to see that the use of a second fan only makes a difference of 2°C. Here you can tell that not the airflow but the exchange surface is the limiting factor. But overall there still room for mild OC or use of CPU with a higher TDP.
Enermax ETS-T40F-BK result and general impression …