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Thermalright XP-90 Heatsink |
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Written by Mikhail Ivanenkov
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Sunday, 01 July 2007 |
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Page 1 of 2
Thanks to Sidewinder Computers for the product sample.
Ever since the introduction of the SLK heatsink series, the Thermalright name has been associated with high performance coolers. Their boldest endeavor has to be the gigantic XP-120, a hefty cooler which gave way to a slew of knock-offs. However, great as it was in sheer cooling ability, compatibility issues plagued it from the start. Thermalright then released a much more reasonable heatsink, the XP-90. It's still bigger than any stock cooler, but unlike its larger brother it'll fit any P4 and K8 motherboard out there.
The XP-90 is available in both "semi-retail" and retail packages. Our sample was the "semi-retail" and came in the cardboard box shown above. The parts sat firmly between molded foam pieces and despite the generic look of the container, it was the best packing job I've seen yet. The only difference between the quasi and full retail (aside from the retail having a more cosmetic blister packaging) is the inclusion of a Panaflo fan with the latter. For those wondering, it's model FBL09A12M and is rated at 48 CFM at 30 dBA while spinning at 2450 RPM. Compared to several other models the airflow rating is a bit inflated, but overall this is a quiet fan with moderate performance.
The kit includes the heatsink, two sets of fan clips (either for 80 or 92 mm fans), a K8 mounting bracket (it actually has the same dimensions as the stock Intel bracket), a pair of screws for mounting this bracket onto K8 motherboards, a pair of rubber adhesive noise dampeners, a syringe of thermal compound, a Thermalright sticker, and a slightly confusing installation guide. All in all a very complete kit.
There are a total of 49 fairly large aluminum fins, 27 of which are directly connected to the base. As with most performance coolers these days, Thermalright uses quad heatpipes to deliver heat to the upper portion of the base fins as well as the other fins. This is a win-win situation because the base is already connected to over half the fins and the heatpipes simply bring heat to the rest. While the heatsink does overhang some motherboard components, the larger upper portion is raised high enough from the base that it doesn't even come close to interfering with anything.
As you can probably guess, the XP-90 is anything but small. Measuring in at 116 mm (length) x 96 mm (width) x 75 mm (height), it's taller without a fan than a stock Intel cooler with one. It accepts both 80mm and 92mm fans, though there's absolutely no reason to go with an 80mm model when 92mm will provide you with just as much (if not more) airflow at a reduced noise level. While the base is nickel-plated copper, the rest is aluminum which leads to the biggest shocker: it weights only 360 grams! This fits in with their "Light 'N Easy" campaign as it's well below the official limit of 450 grams. And if that's not enough, even more amazing is the fact that it's only 10 grams lighter than the much larger XP-120.
As previously mentioned, the base is a solid block of nickel-plated copper. The finish is superb and the heatpipes are permanently soldered into the base for optimal contact. Given the weight of the heatsink I didn't even know the base was something other than highly polished aluminum until I did some reading. The two bars extending from either side of the base house the mounting clips necessary for installation.
Another genius approach is the set of fan clips. Rather than integrating a solid shroud and using screws, Thermalright opted for wire fan clips. These lock into the lower set of holes on either side of the heatsink. After the fan is placed, they swing up and the "teeth" lock into the holes of the fan (see below). This makes swapping fans a tool-free procedure that can be done in a few seconds' time. Before mounting the fan, however, you'll want to remove the backing from the adhesive rubber strips and paste them near the edges of the cooler depending on the fan size used. These help to dampen vibrations caused by the fan and therefore reduce noise levels.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 09 July 2007 )
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