One of the other images on the ID-cooling page implies the screws are installed from the back side of the motherboard; so instead of screwing into the mobos backplate from above you'd screw into the retention bracket from below. Having to remove the factory bracket makes installation a bit more complex; but it's something waterblocks have required for many years now so it's hardly an alien approach. And it's not like every step of a very compact mITX build isn't an exercise in contortion already. :)
I think the black one is wider, touching ram slots maybe. Do they ship with angled screwdriver? I don't think I would have anything that would be able to screw it in.
It's like what Dan says. You just have to turn it over and get to screwing from the backside. That's how most of you guys should do it anyway even if it is a pain in the butt.
130W TDP is pretty good - can't wait to see the actual tests on it. The well-regarded Alpenfohn Black Ridge is only rated for 95W TDP, so it will be interesting if this one can actually dissipate more than the Alpenfohn.
That 47mm height is also the height of the Alpenfohn.
Also, they could have dropped the "metal-frosted frame" and just supplied better mounting hardware, if/when you decide to replace the 92mm fan with a quieter/higher-performing one. Some cheap wire-frame clip-ons would have been better than just screwing right into the frame. It could possibly make it easier to get a 120mm fan underneath instead of the 92mm, if your surrounding h/w permits.
You need to take the 130W TDP cooling capability with a bunch of salt (not even a pinch). If you look at the current product stack from ID Cooling, especially with the low profile coolers, I feel the cooling capability is somewhat overstated. I was using a ID Cooling IS-50 that was rated for 100W TDP cooling capability, and it actually performed very badly. Considering this is almost a replica of the Alpenfohn Black RIdge, I am more incline to believe the conservative 95W cooling capability than what ID Cooling is quoting with this cooler.
That is honestly all I am hoping for (95W). I have an Alpenfohn Black RIdge (and Asetek 645LT and a Noctua NH-L9a... I have a habit) in my Dan A4 (v4) and I currently am using VLP RAM so I can fit the 120mm fan in there. If I could have the same/similar cooling with full height RAM I would be very happy!
Yeah, good luck with that. L12S already beats out the Black Ridge, the latter of which this one competes with. This company also loves overstating their TDP capabilities, unlike Noctua and Be Quiet.
L12S is 70mm, this is much shorter, more of an in-between thing, though height-wise it's closer to the L9 than the L12S. There is supposedly a version coming in a few months with a slim 120mm fan on top, that would be more of an L12S competitor.
Yeah, I have a L9 in my case, which still has a bit of air. I would have to check if this cooler would fit in, but it looks like it might. A L12S will never fit, not even closely.
I actually like the design. By pushing the air upwards from the CPU and board, it avoids a key potential drawback of the cooler's low and wide design, namely blocking airflow from cooling other parts of the MB such as VRMs. Key question not answered by the article/press release: how quiet or noisy is it? Important for use in an HTPC, which is, for me, a logical use case.
I have a low-profile ID-cooling 1U cooler rated at 75-watt TDP, and the 54-watt Intel i3-4160 it is tasked with cooling regularly throttles back and hovers in the mid 80's under load in a climate controlled rack with the fan set to full speed.
To put it bluntly, it's a poorly rated cooler.
My last rack build had a Cryorig C7 (47mm high so required a 2U chassis) rated at 100w TDP and had no trouble cooling i7-8700k @ 95-watt TDP in an identical environment, and it's worth mentioning the TDP-up of the 8th gen is like 20-watts higher than the 4th Gen used in the previous build.
Yeah, looking at the "amount of metal" it lacks the actual "heat sink" capability a good chunk of copper comes with. also the radiation area looks small for 125W.
Until someone really independant tested that with a 125W TDP CPU and not thermal throttling I would be VERY sceptical of the advertised capabilities.
My guess is they've slapped a faster-spinning fan than the Alpenfoehn has onto the design and called it a day. Wouldn't be too surprised if they didn't even do that, though.
I feel this may be a good alternative to Alpenfohn Black Ridge if the price and availability is good. Currently, there are very limited channels to get the Black Ridge.
Im more concerned about cables and stuff. SATA cables, power cables, USB cables. Some cases are so small (Pico PSUs) that you might not be able to fit in all the cables anymore at all, because theres simply no space to put them anywhere at the sides. And if you want to disconnect those cables or add now ones, you would most likely to always get the heatsink off, which is a lot of work considering its screwed on from the back of the mainboard.
We’ve updated our terms. By continuing to use the site and/or by logging into your account, you agree to the Site’s updated Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
27 Comments
Back to Article
Arbie - Monday, June 8, 2020 - link
Getting at the mounting screws could be an issue; don't see how that can work well.DanNeely - Monday, June 8, 2020 - link
One of the other images on the ID-cooling page implies the screws are installed from the back side of the motherboard; so instead of screwing into the mobos backplate from above you'd screw into the retention bracket from below. Having to remove the factory bracket makes installation a bit more complex; but it's something waterblocks have required for many years now so it's hardly an alien approach. And it's not like every step of a very compact mITX build isn't an exercise in contortion already. :)http://www.idcooling.com/Admin/Tpl/default/Public/...
sharath.naik - Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - link
That is already in the market designed by Dan from A4-sfx called Alpenfoehn® Black Ridge. I bought it like last year.https://www.alpenfoehn.de/en/products/cpu-cooler/b...
deil - Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - link
I think the black one is wider, touching ram slots maybe. Do they ship with angled screwdriver?I don't think I would have anything that would be able to screw it in.
PeachNCream - Wednesday, June 10, 2020 - link
It's like what Dan says. You just have to turn it over and get to screwing from the backside. That's how most of you guys should do it anyway even if it is a pain in the butt.lmcd - Monday, June 8, 2020 - link
I'll have to look inside my case for clearances but this would be nice for getting an AMD 3900 in my ITX case.romrunning - Monday, June 8, 2020 - link
130W TDP is pretty good - can't wait to see the actual tests on it. The well-regarded Alpenfohn Black Ridge is only rated for 95W TDP, so it will be interesting if this one can actually dissipate more than the Alpenfohn.romrunning - Monday, June 8, 2020 - link
That 47mm height is also the height of the Alpenfohn.Also, they could have dropped the "metal-frosted frame" and just supplied better mounting hardware, if/when you decide to replace the 92mm fan with a quieter/higher-performing one. Some cheap wire-frame clip-ons would have been better than just screwing right into the frame. It could possibly make it easier to get a 120mm fan underneath instead of the 92mm, if your surrounding h/w permits.
watzupken - Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - link
You need to take the 130W TDP cooling capability with a bunch of salt (not even a pinch). If you look at the current product stack from ID Cooling, especially with the low profile coolers, I feel the cooling capability is somewhat overstated. I was using a ID Cooling IS-50 that was rated for 100W TDP cooling capability, and it actually performed very badly. Considering this is almost a replica of the Alpenfohn Black RIdge, I am more incline to believe the conservative 95W cooling capability than what ID Cooling is quoting with this cooler.minasnoldo - Wednesday, June 10, 2020 - link
That is honestly all I am hoping for (95W). I have an Alpenfohn Black RIdge (and Asetek 645LT and a Noctua NH-L9a... I have a habit) in my Dan A4 (v4) and I currently am using VLP RAM so I can fit the 120mm fan in there. If I could have the same/similar cooling with full height RAM I would be very happy!jtd871 - Monday, June 8, 2020 - link
Woot! Another option for DAN A4 owners.Reflex - Monday, June 8, 2020 - link
That was my first thought.FreckledTrout - Monday, June 8, 2020 - link
This is when max TDP's under normal operation would be useffull for desktop chips but I digress.Is it safe to assume this would be a competitor to the Noctua NH-L9i ?
Alistair - Monday, June 8, 2020 - link
L12S, not L9.tabascosauz - Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - link
Yeah, good luck with that. L12S already beats out the Black Ridge, the latter of which this one competes with. This company also loves overstating their TDP capabilities, unlike Noctua and Be Quiet.Valantar - Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - link
L12S is 70mm, this is much shorter, more of an in-between thing, though height-wise it's closer to the L9 than the L12S. There is supposedly a version coming in a few months with a slim 120mm fan on top, that would be more of an L12S competitor.Beaver M. - Friday, June 12, 2020 - link
Yeah, I have a L9 in my case, which still has a bit of air.I would have to check if this cooler would fit in, but it looks like it might.
A L12S will never fit, not even closely.
eastcoast_pete - Monday, June 8, 2020 - link
I actually like the design. By pushing the air upwards from the CPU and board, it avoids a key potential drawback of the cooler's low and wide design, namely blocking airflow from cooling other parts of the MB such as VRMs. Key question not answered by the article/press release: how quiet or noisy is it? Important for use in an HTPC, which is, for me, a logical use case.sharath.naik - Monday, June 8, 2020 - link
That is already in the market designed by Dan from A4-sfx. I bought it like last year.Samus - Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - link
I have a low-profile ID-cooling 1U cooler rated at 75-watt TDP, and the 54-watt Intel i3-4160 it is tasked with cooling regularly throttles back and hovers in the mid 80's under load in a climate controlled rack with the fan set to full speed.To put it bluntly, it's a poorly rated cooler.
My last rack build had a Cryorig C7 (47mm high so required a 2U chassis) rated at 100w TDP and had no trouble cooling i7-8700k @ 95-watt TDP in an identical environment, and it's worth mentioning the TDP-up of the 8th gen is like 20-watts higher than the 4th Gen used in the previous build.
jtd871 - Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - link
I bought my C7 for like $30 a couple of years back. They are like $90 in NA the last time I checked. Therefore, I'm open to alternatives.koaschten - Wednesday, June 10, 2020 - link
Yeah, looking at the "amount of metal" it lacks the actual "heat sink" capability a good chunk of copper comes with. also the radiation area looks small for 125W.Until someone really independant tested that with a 125W TDP CPU and not thermal throttling I would be VERY sceptical of the advertised capabilities.
Spunjji - Monday, June 15, 2020 - link
My guess is they've slapped a faster-spinning fan than the Alpenfoehn has onto the design and called it a day. Wouldn't be too surprised if they didn't even do that, though.watzupken - Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - link
I feel this may be a good alternative to Alpenfohn Black Ridge if the price and availability is good. Currently, there are very limited channels to get the Black Ridge.wilsonkf - Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - link
Would be fine for 125w or a bit more if a case fan directly on top of it is pulling hot air out of the case, i.e. Silverstone RVZ/FTZ series.hanselltc - Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - link
This looks like a compatibility nightmare with current itx boards with hunks of aluminium for "heatsinks"Beaver M. - Friday, June 12, 2020 - link
Im more concerned about cables and stuff. SATA cables, power cables, USB cables.Some cases are so small (Pico PSUs) that you might not be able to fit in all the cables anymore at all, because theres simply no space to put them anywhere at the sides.
And if you want to disconnect those cables or add now ones, you would most likely to always get the heatsink off, which is a lot of work considering its screwed on from the back of the mainboard.