Original Link: https://www.anandtech.com/show/487



Even unoverclocked Athlon CPUs can consume up to 54 Watts (650 MHz Athlon) - and Athlon CPUs overclocked to 700MHz or more, or using core voltages higher than 1.6V, will gobble up even more power. For this reason, CPU cooling is an important factor to consider when building an Athlon system - no matter if you have overclocking plans or not.

Reason enough to take a closer look at high performance CPU coolers for Athlon CPUs. We've tested 10 different coolers - most of them being dual fan units.

The testing methodology for this test has been described in the heatsink testing methodology article.

Let's have a look at the test results first:

Test under real-world conditons

Heatsink 
    Temperature
Global WIN VOS32-plus
(1)
41
28
Global WIN VOS32
44
32
Alpha P7125
YS Tech fans
45
32
Alpha P7125CM60
Sanyo Denki fans
46
32
Montac ArcticCircle
48
32
TennMax VIVA STF
52
32
RDJD K701
52
32

  CPU temperature   Motherboard temp.
All values in °C.

Tested are only the heatsinks that would fit the test setup (motherboard: Asus K7M rev. 1.04)

(1) The VOS32-plus is a heatsink/case cooler combination with fan duct.

Test with "simulator"

Heatsink 
    Temperature
Global WIN VOS32-plus
(1)
n/a
Alpha P7125
YS Tech fans
31.8
Global WIN VOS32
32.1
Alpha P7125CM60
Sanyo Denki fans
33.7
Global WIN FKK32
34.4
Montac ArcticCircle
(2)
36.6
Global WIN FKK50
37.6
Global WIN VEK32
40.1
TennMax VIVA STF
40.7
RDJD K701
40.9

  CPU temperature   Motherboard temp.
All values in °C.

 
(1)The VOS32, being a heatsink/case cooler combination, cannot be tested with the simulator.

(2)The Montac ArcticCircle, unlike other heatsinks in this comparison, should be mounted directly on the CPU core, without the Athlon thermal transfer plate. This improves performance; the simulator test does not take this into account. Real-world performance might therefore be better.

Note that the tested heatsinks already represent a selection of some of the best available heatsinks; this means that even heatsinks that reached relatively high temperatures in this test might still be above-average when compared to cheaper heatsinks targeted at OEMs. All of the heatsinks tested would allow an Athlon-650 to run perfectly stable at 750MHz without overheating.


As you can see from the test results: once again, a Global WIN vs Alpha duel.

Note that when comparing Alpha P7125 and Global WIN VOS32, there is a discrepancy between the results obtained using the simulator and the results obtained in an actual computer. The reason is that the air can enter the Alpha heatsink only from one side - the side that faces the motherboard. Thus, the Alpha provides better performance when tested in "free space", since there is no motherboard next to the heatsink that could disturb the airflow. The VOS32, because of its different design, is not affected by this effect.

The Global WIN VOS32

Global WIN has a long tradition of making heatsinks suitable for overclocking. The VOS32 is their latest heatsink for Slot-type CPUs, and it's larger than any other heatsink made by this manufacturer before. Apart from its size and performance, it has another interesting feature: It's the first heatsink that is suitable for both SECC1-type (Athlon, old P2s) and for SECC2 (P3, newer P2s) CPUs. By default, the clips for SECC1 are installed; if you'd like to install the heatsink on a SECC2 CPU, you can remove the SECC1 clips and use the included SECC2 clips instead.

The heatsink of the VOS32 is significantly higher than the actual CPU, and the fans are located a bit off-center. This set-up allows for better motherboard compatibility. Unfortunately, the VOS32 needs a minor modification to fit the ASUS K7M rev 1.04: six of the pins need to be shortened by 2mm. The modification is easy and can be done very quickly; it also does not affect cooling performance. I suppose that as soon as the VOS32 becomes widely available on the market, retailers will sell VOS32 that are "premodified" for K7M, so as a customer, you will not have to worry about doing the modification yourself.

If you install the VOS32 on a K7M, one DIMM slot will be blocked by the fans. However, there's an easy solution to this problem: You can simply screw the fans on the side of the heatsink. This leaves all of the DIMM slots usable but slightly decreases cooling performance. In my tests, the CPU temperature was about 1°C higher with the VOS32 fans attached to the side of the heatsink.

Details on how to modify the VOS32 for K7M and how to attach the fans to the side of the heatsink can be found here in The Heatsink Guide.

The fans

The VOS32 ships with two 60x25mm YS Tech fans, the same ones that have been used on the popular FDP32/FEP32, FKK32 and VEK32 heatsinks. The fan specs, according to Global WIN, are 26CFM at 4200rpm +/-10%. That's a very high tolerance, +/-10% -- this tolerance is present not only in the specs but also in the actual product. Some of these fans spin at 4500rpm, whereas others spin at only 3900rpm. Nevertheless, the fans provide excellent performance, and according to a few heatsink retailers I questioned, they are also extremely reliable. The disadvantage is that they are very loud, especially the ones spinning at >4400rpm. When choosing a fan, the heatsink manufacturer always has to make a compromise between lower noise or better performance; Global WIN clearly opted for the "best performance" choice.

The VOS32 includes GW-101 thermal compound. This compound may not be the best available on the market, but nevertheless, performance-wise, it is substantially better than the thermal pads found on some other heatsinks.

 

Installation

 

The VOS32 comes with snap-in clips; you simply put the heatsink on the CPU and push down the clips, e.g. with a screwdriver (but a pencil will do if you don't have a screwdriver by hand). Installation is fast and easy; uninstalling the VOS32 is also easy, but it takes a bit more time and also requires a screwdriver. Both fans come with MOLEX connectors and support rpm monitoring; a MOLEX Y-adapter is included, which you can use if you have only one free fan connector on your motherboard.

 

Conclusion

 

The VOS32 provides excellent performance and great versatility, and it is also quite affordable. The only real disadvantage of the VOS32 is the high noise that it creates.
 
VOS-32 at a glance
Fans: Two 60x25mm YS Tech
Fan rpm (measured): 4450
Weight: 440g
Advantages
  • very good cooling performance
  • Suitable both for SECC1 and SECC2
  • not very expensive, considering the performance
  • fans can be mounted on the side, so that no DIMM slots are blocked
Disadvantages
  • very loud
  • needs minor modification to fit K7M


The Global WIN VOS32-plus
 
The VOS32-plus is an enhanced version of the VOS32; it also includes a fan duct and an additional 80mm case fan. This way, the hot air from the heatsink is sucked away and directly removed from the case. This works very well - the VOS32-plus has the best cooling performance of all heatsinks tested in this comparison, and in addition, it kept the case temperature down. However, keep in mind that a direct comparison of the VOS32-plus to the other heatsinks is a bit unfair, since the VOS32-plus is more than just a heatsink; rather, it's a heatsink/case cooler combo.

The major problem with the VOS32-plus is case compatibility. The fan duct can only be used if your PC case has a hole for an additional case fan directly behind the CPU. Most cases do, but sometimes the hole is not in the right location relative to the CPU, which means that the end of the fan duct won't be located in the center of the heatsink.

On the K7M, the VOS32-plus will block one DIMM slot. The trick of fixing the fans to the side of the heatsink to avoid this problem does not work in this case because of the fan duct.

 

The fans

 
The VOS32-plus uses the same 60mm fans as the normal VOS32, so all comments made there also apply to the VOS32-plus' fans. The additional case fan is a 80x25mm dual ball bearing fan, manufactured by T&T. It is rated at 30.71 CFM. This fan is not excessively loud; most of the noise generated by the VOS32-plus comes from the two 60mm fans.


Installation

 
Installation is easy and straightforward; you install the VOS32 normally, put the 80mm in the fan duct, and install the duct in your case. All necessary screws are included. Sometimes you need to cut the fan duct a bit to shape in order to fit your system. The VOS32-plus comes with one Molex Y-adapter, so you need two free fan connectors on your motherboard. The 80mm fan's rpm monitoring feature does not work with the K7M; with other motherboards, it seems to work fine.


Conclusion


 

This cooler is the perfect choice if you're into hardcore overclocking - but only if it fits your case. The fan duct, even though it looks a bit cheap, does its job very well. Also, the VOS32-plus is not very expensive, considering the performance and the fact that a case fan is included in the price - VOS32-plus costs less than an Alpha P7125! Even if you can't use the fan duct with your case, the VOS32-plus would be a good buy, simply because of the included case fan.

 
 
VOS32-plus at a glance
Fans: Two 60x25mm YS Tech, one 80x25mm T&T
Fan rpm (measured): 4450 (60mm fans).
Weight: 440g (heatsink w/2 fans only)
  • very good cooling performance
  • Suitable both for SECC1 and SECC2
  • not very expensive, considering the performance and the fact that a case fan is included
Disadvantages
  • Does not work with all cases
  • very loud
  • needs minor modification to fit K7M
  • Blocks one DIMM slot on K7M


Alpha P7125 w/ YS Tech fans
 
When Alpha first entered the market with their P125, everyone was amazed by the sheer size of the heatsink. Since that time, Alpha heatsinks have been extremely popular among overclockers. Their latest heatsink for Athlon CPUs is the P7125, which is about as big as the famous P125, but in one corner of the heatsink, the fins are a bit shorter, for better motherboard compatibility. This means that, despite the large size of the heatsink, it will still fit all popular Athlon motherboards. However, the heatsink might block one DIMM slot on some motherboards (e.g. on the rev. 1.04 K7M).
The major problem with Alpha fan/heatsink combos has always been that they are quite expensive. For this reason, most retailers who sell Alpha heatsinks don't buy entire fan/heatsink combos from Alpha, but instead buy only the heatsinks and sell them together with cheaper fans - usually YS Tech fans, supplied by Global WIN. For the customer, this is not necessarily a disadvantage, since the YS Tech fans are more efficient than the Sanyo Denki fans Alpha is using (26 CFM, as opposed to 20CFM) - but they are also much louder. We're reviewing both versions - let's have a look the P7125/YS Tech combo first:

A view from the back:
 

An interesting feature of the P7125 is the embedded copper plate in the bottom of the heatsink. This copper plate was first introduced by Alpha with their P3 heatsink P3125. With SECC2 CPUs, it is obvious that such a copper inlay makes sense - since the contact area between heatsink and CPU is very small, the copper plate helps the heat to spread out over the entire heatsink base. But does the copper plate also make sense with an Athlon CPU, where the contact area between CPU and heatsink is very big? To find this out, I took a P125 and cut off the fins in one corner in order to create a heatsink that is identical to the P7125 - except that it doesn't have the copper plate. This modified P125 did not perform as well as the P7125, so even with Athlon CPUs, the copper embedding improves performance. The performance gain achieved through the copper embedding is even more significant if you remove the Athlon's thermal transfer plate and mount the heatsink directly on the CPU - but that requires time and skill; you'll have to modify the heatsink, and you'll have to install "spacers" to cool the cache chips.



The heatsink comes with a small tube of Alpha thermal grease -- maybe not the best grease there is, but better than thermal pads.

The P7125 is also sold under the name "3dfxCOOL AlphaK7HO."


The fans


The fans that most retailers sell along with the P7125 are identical to the ones used on the Global WIN VOS32, so all fan-related comments made in the VOS32 review also apply to the P7125/YS Tech combo. To make it short: Good performance but very loud.
The Alpha heatsink was tested with fans blowing away from the heatsink - this is how it is recommended by Alpha (for a reason - mounting the fans in a way that they will blow towards the heatsink will decrease performance).


Installation


Installation takes a lot more time with the P7125 than with other heatsinks. The heatsink comes in totally disassembled form, but with a small "manual" that explains installation. The P7125 is attached to the Athlon using self-tapping screws, which will tap themselves into the holes of the Athlon thermal transfer plate. Under normal conditions, this screw mounting has no advantages over a good clip, but if you're planning to add a peltier element to the heatsink, then this is easier with a heatsink that is mounted using screws.

Conclusion

Thanks to the big heatsink, with its copper plate and the highly efficient YS Tech fans, the P7125 provides excellent performance - definitely a very good choice for overclockers. However, it is very loud and very heavy (560 grams!) - a heavy heatsink means that there will be a lot of mechanical stress on the motherboard if you're moving your PC around.
Also, the Global WIN VOS32 provides the same performance (and greater versatility) at a much lower price.

 
 
Alpha P7125/YS Tech at a glance
Fans: Two 60x25mm YS Tech
Fan rpm (measured): 4450
Weight: 560g (!)
Advantages
  • very good cooling performance
Disadvantages
  • high price
  • very heavy
  • blocks one DIMM slot on K7M
  • very loud


Alpha P7125CM60 w/ Sanyo Denki fans
 
After looking at the P7125/YS Tech combination, let's have a look at the "original" P7125CM60, as Alpha ships it:
 
The fans  

 

The Sanyo Denki fans used by Alpha spin at 3750rpm, and move 20CFM each, which means that they're not quite as efficient as the YS Tech fans, but much more silent. Lower noise or better performance is a choice that you will have to make. Personally, I'd rather chose the original Alpha with Sanyo Denki fans. It would be exaggerated to call the P7125CM60/Sanyo Denki "silent", but the noise level is much more bearable than with the YS Tech fans.
 

Installation

 
Everything said about installation in the P7125/YS Tech review also applies to this combo. Alpha does not include a Molex Y-Adapter, so you will need two available fan connectors on the motherboard.
 

Conclusion

 
This heatsink/fan combo is a very good choice for noise-sensitive overclockers. The problem is that this heatsink is not very widely available in the US, and it is very expensive if you buy it directly from Alpha.
 
Alpha P7125CM60/Sanyo Denki at a glance
Fans: Two 60x25mm Sanyo Denki
Fan rpm (measured): 3750
Weight: 560g (!)
Advantages
  • very good cooling performance
  • bearable noise level
Disadvantages
  • very high price
  • very heavy
  • blocks one DIMM slot on K7M
  • not very widely available


The Montac ArcticCircle
 
In the x86 PC world, CPUs with extremely high power usage (40W and more) are quite new -- previous x86 CPU generations used much less power. But the manufacturers of UNIX workstations had been confronted with the problem of very high heat emission long before, and thus have started developing their own cooling solutions. For example, HP is selling computers with CPUs that gobble up over 100W. It's obvious that they had to develop very efficient CPU coolers in order to cope with that heat. But HP's proprietary cooling technology was not available to PC users - until recently, when a surplus stock of a heatsink model that they're no longer using for their workstations was dumped on the market. A few heatsink vendors have started selling these heatsinks under various names ("Panaflo ORB", "HP Turbocooler", "HP/Polarlogic heatsink"), and two retailers are even selling these HP heatsinks with mounting mechanisms suitable for PC CPUs. The Montac Cable store is selling the HP heatsinks with a proprietary mounting mechanism, suitable for Athlon CPUs. They call this cooler the "ArcticCircle" - look at the picture to find out why:
 

As you can see, this unit looks a lot different from other heatsinks. The cooler is produced using CNC milling, which is a very expensive production method - but since these heatsinks are surplus, they're available at affordable prices, and even the ArcticCircle with Athlon clips is not extremely expensive.

HP's innovative heatsink design is certainly good.- Considering the compactness and the fact that it is only equipped with one fan, the performance is remarkable. Even though it does not cool as well as the Global WIN VOS32 and the Alpha P7125, it is still suitable for overclocking. One thing that helps the ArcticCircle to perform well is the fact that it is mounted directly on the Athlon CPU core, without the Athlon's thermal transfer plate. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage - the advantage is that there is less thermal resistance between CPU and heatsink; the disadvantage is that you'll have to open your Athlon (thus voiding its warranty) and remove the thermal plate. But since overclockers will have to open their Athlon anyway in order to install the "gold finger overclocking device", this disadvantage shouldn't really matter. Unfortunately, the ArcticCircle is not compatible with all Athlon overclocking devices - it won't work with the Outer Loop Afterburner card because of a mechanical problem. However, other overclocking devices will work.

If the Athlon thermal transfer plate is removed, the Athlon's cache chips aren't cooled anymore. To solve this problem, Montac includes tiny heatsinks for the cache chips with the ArcticCircle. Three of these mini-heatsinks (see picture) should be installed on each cache chip. Despite their small size, they definitely provide sufficient cooling for the cache chips - compared to the CPU, the cache does not emit much heat, and the ArcticCircle blows quite a lot of air towards the cache, so with the small heatsinks, the cache chips stay comfortably cool.

As interface material for the "main" heatsink, Montac includes a tiny ziplock bag with a drop of thermal compound.

 

The fan

 
The ArcticCircle comes with an embedded "Panaflo" fan, made by Panasonic. The fan is not extremely loud - the noise level is acceptable. The ArcticCircle's fan does not support rpm monitoring. The third wire coming from the fan is not an rpm signal wire, but a locked rotor signal wire, and PC motherboards don't support this method of fan monitoring. Also, the ArcticCircle isn't connected to the motherboard, it gets its power from a pass-through power supply connector.

 

Installation
 

The heatsink is attached to the CPU using four screws. The plastic case of the Athlon can be either left on or removed. If it is left on, you will have to cut out a part of it, and drill four holes into the case. Montac includes everything you'll need for installation: A printed manual with pictures, all screws, plastic spacers, and even alcohol swabs to clean the CPU core and the cache chips before installing the heatsinks. Installation is a bit time-consuming, but with some patience, the ArcticCircle can be installed easily, thanks to the installation manual. The weak point is the cache heatsink installation: They are fixed using thermoconductive tape, and it's quite difficult to get the protection film off the tape. Also, it remains to be seen whether the tape will hold the small heatsinks reliably over the years. The cache heatsinks could be removed very easily after the test. The mounting mechanism for the actual "CPU heatsink" is very good, it allows compressive mounting, which is good for thermal transfer between CPU and heatsink.

 

Conclusion

 
While not the top performer in this comparison, this heatsink was nevertheless very convincing: "Smart" design that combines compactness and efficiency, good mounting mechanism, and it can be mounted directly on the CPU core. However, the HP heatsinks on which the ArcticCircle is based are no longer in production, so it looks like this cooler will only be available for a limited time.

 
 
Montac ArcticCircle at a glance
Fan: One 60mm Panaflo
Fan rpm (measured): unknown


Weight: 400g

Advantages
  • Compact design - fits all motherboards, does not block any DIMM slots
  • Good performance, considering the size and the fact that it uses only one fan
  • Not very loud
  • Can be mounted directly on the Athlon CPU core
Disadvantages
  • Installation requires opening the Athlon
  • No rpm monitoring
  • Not compatible with OuterLoop Afterburner overclocking card


RDJD K701
 
RDJD, a division of JMC (a fan manufacturer), is a quite new heatsink manufacturer. They are specialized in "bonded fin" heatsinks, a heatsink design that allows compact, light, and yet efficient heatsinks. Here is the K701, RDJD's first Athlon heatsink:
 
 


The K701 fits all Athlon motherboards, and does not block any DIMM slots. It comes with a preinstalled thermal pad - for better performance, remove the pad and apply thermal compound. All tests were also run using thermal compound. To be honest, it was a bit unfair to include the K701 in this comparison, since it only has one small fan.

Here are two close-ups - one of the "bonded fins", one of the clip:

    

The RDJD K701 is also sold under the name "3DfxCOOL K7HO"

 

The fan

 

The K701 comes with a fan in a rather unusual format: 52x52x15mm. The fan is manufactured by JMC, so both heatsink and fan come from the same company, which is also unusual; most heatsink manufacturers buy their fans from third-part vendors. The fan spins at around 6000rpm, but the noise level is not very high.
 

Installation

 

The K701 comes with a unique mounting mechanism: It uses a clip, like most other heatsinks, but the clip can be tightened using a screw. That means that installation isn't tool-free, but the solution is still very convenient and allows secure mounting.
 

Conclusion

 

Considering that only one small fan is used, the performance of this heatsink is remarkable. This certainly isn't the heatsink hardcore overclockers will chose, but for those who aren't overclocking but want good cooling without excessive noise, the RDJD K701 is a good choice. This heatsink clearly shows that there's a high potential in the "bonded fin" technology. I'm waiting for the day RDJD decides to make huge Alpha-style heatsinks with two 60mm fans using this technology... Currently, RDJD offers two dual fan Athlon heatsinks, but heatsinks are not larger than the K701's, and the dual fan units do not fit the ASUS K7M.
 
RDJD K701 at a glance
Fan: One 52x15mm JMC
Fan rpm (measured): 5921
Weight: 250g (!)
Advantages
  • Compact and light
  • Not very loud
  • Remarkable performance, considering size, weight, and the fact that only one small fan is involved.
  • Fits all motherboards, does not block any DIMM slots
  • Inexpensive
Disadvantages
  • Not as efficient as the larger dual fan units in this comparison.


Global WIN FKK50
 
The Global WIN FKK50 has been available for a longer time than the VOS32, and it is also less expensive.
 

The FKK50 does not fit the ASUS K7M rev 1.04. It fits most other Athlon boards, and normally doesn't block a DIMM slot.

 

The fans

 
The FKK50 comes with two 50x15mm Delta ball bearing fans. These spin at more than 6000rpm; the noise is bearable.
 

Installation

 
Installation is very easy and fast: Simply place the heatsink on the Athlon and push it down, it'll snap in easily. The FKK50's clips don't press the heatsink as firmly to the CPU as the VOS32's clips, but still firmly enough to allow good heat transfer.
 

Conclusion

 
If you haven't got an ASUS K7M, and you want above-average cooling performance without spending big, then the FKK50 might be a good choice. It will be sufficient for some moderate overclocking, but hardcore overclockers should choose one of the bigger heatsinks.

 
 
Global WIN FKK50 at a glance
Fans: Two 50x15mm Delta
Fan rpm (measured): 6250 
Weight: 290g
Advantages
  • Above-average performance at a reasonable price
Disadvantages
  • Does not fit ASUS K7M
  • Not as efficient as the larger dual fan units in this comparison.


Global WIN FKK32
 
The Global WIN FKK32 is a product that was never officially released by Global WIN Taiwan. Global WIN's US distributor created this product by adding 60x25mm YS Tech fans to the FKK50 heatsink.
 

Motherboard compatibility is the weak point of the FKK32. It does not fit the K7M, among others.

 

The fans

 

The FKK32 uses the same fans as the VOS32, so all comments about fans made in the VOS32 section also apply.
 

Installation

 
The FKK32 uses the same clips as the FKK50, so all comments made about installation in the FKK50 section also apply.
 

Conclusion

 
The fact that the FKK32 uses powerful (and loud) 60x25mm YS Tech fans suggests that it is a product targeted at overclockers. But for these customers, heatsinks that provide both better performance and better motherboard compatibility are available - e.g. the VOS32 from the same manufacturer. At the time the FKK32 hit the market, it had a good price/performance ratio, but today, I would recommend another heatsink for overclocking. If you're already using an FKK32, no need to upgrade, though - the performance differences aren't huge.

 
 
Global WIN FKK32
Fan: Two 60x25mm YS Tech
Fan rpm (measured): 4450
Weight: 340g
Advantages
  • Good performance, but more efficient heatsinks that use the same fans are available
Disadvantages
  • Does not fit K7M and several other motherboards
  • Very loud


The Global WIN VEK32
 
The heatsink Global WIN is using for the VEK32 is probably the oldest of all heatsinks in this comparison. It was first used in 1998, for the VEK12, which, at that time, was the most powerful P2 heatsink available. In mid-1999, the VEK32 became available. It is almost identical to the old VEK12, but it has stronger fans, from YS Tech - the same fans used for VOS32 and FKK32.
 



As you can see, the heatsink is quite small - the fans take up more volume than the heatsink. This doesn't make very much sense, a larger heatsink with smaller fans (like the FKK50) is definitely better. In order to fit the K7M, one of the two fans must be slightly relocated.

The VEK32 comes with a thermal pad. For better performance, remove it and use thermal compound instead. All tests were done without the pad, instead using compound.
 

The fans

 
The VEK32 uses the same fans as the VOS32, so all comments about fans made in the VOS32 section also apply.
 

Installation

 
Installation is very easy and fast: Simply place the heatsink on the Athlon, push it down, and it will snap in easily.
 

Conclusion

 
Once, the VEK32 was a great heatsink - many months ago. Today, coolers that are both quieter and more efficient are available. Considering the high noise level of the VEK32, the performance is really mediocre.
 
Global VEK32 at a glance
Fan: Two 60x25mm YS Tech
Fan rpm (measured): 4450
Weight: 250g
Advantages
  • Relatively light
Disadvantages
  • Very loud
  • Mediocre performance, considering the noise level


TennMax VIVA STF
 
TennMax became famous with their "Lasagna" and "Stealth" series graphics card coolers. But they have also been offering dual fan CPU heatsinks targeted at overclockers for some time.
 

The VIVA STF (for STF stands for Super Twin Fan) is a "covered" heatsink, with two 50x15mm YS Tech ball bearing fans. The heatsink itself is quite small, it is the same heatsink that TennMax has been using for their VIVA P2 and VIVA TF heatsinks. The VIVA STF is very compact, will fit all motherboards, and does not block a DIMM slot.

The VIVA STF comes with thermal compound.
 

The fans

 
The "small" YS Tech fans used in the VIVA STF spin at 6750rpm; they are a bit louder but also a bit stronger than the Delta fans used on the Global WIN FKK50.
 

Installation

 
The VIVA STF comes with a very practical clip - like most other clips, it allows tool-free installation, but unlike most other clips it also allows the user to uninstall the heatsink tool-free.
 

Conclusion

 
The performance of the VIVA STF isn't exactly convincing. This is definitely not a heatsink recommended for overclocking. The VIVA STF might be a good choice for applications where a very compact cooler is required.
 
TennMax VIVA STF at a glance
Fan: Two 50x15mm YS Tech
Fan rpm (measured): 6750
Weight: 250g
Advantages
  • Light and compact
Disadvantages
  • Not very efficient for a dual fan heatsink


Conclusion
 
It's definately not possible to recommend a single cooler to everyone - the factors to consider are performance, noise, price, and case/motherboard compability. Which heatsink is best for you depends on how you set your priorities.
  • If you're a hardcore overclocker, and you've got a case that is compatible with the Global WIN VOS32-plus, then go for it. The fan duct system exhausts the hot air from the CPU directly out of the case definately makes sense; you'll get state-of-the art performance at a very reasonable price. But be prepared to having a noisy PC.

    If your case is not compatible with the VOS32-plus, and you want performance without compromise, then the two heatsinks to consider are the VOS32 and the Alpha P7125 with YS Tech fans. They provide very similar cooling performance; which one you pick is a matter of personal preference.
  • The VOS32 has better versatility (it's also compatible with SECC2 CPUs, the fans can be mounted on the side to avoid blocking a DIMM slot) and much lower price (around $30). However, it needs a small modification to fit the Asus K7M rev 1.04, so either buy a premodified VOS32, or use a side cutter to shorten some of the fins.

    The Alpha's advantage is its embedded copper plate, which further improves performance if you mount the Alpha directly on the CPU core, without the thermal plate. Keep in mind that this requires modifying the heatsink, which will take time and skill. The disadvantage of the P7125 is the high price (around $50), high weight, and the fact that it blocks a DIMM slot on some motherboards.

    Both VOS32 and P7125/YS Tech are also very noisy.

  • For the noise-sensitive overclocker, two heatsinks can be recommended: The Alpha P7125 with the original Sanyo Denki fans, or the Montac ArcticCircle.
  • The Alpha is more efficent and a bit louder, it's also very expensive and not very widely available - nevertheless, the P7125 with Sanyo Denki fans provides a better noise/performance ratio than the P7125 with YS Tech fans.

    The ArcticCircle is more silent and more compact (does not block any DIMM slots). Also, the ArcticCircle can be mounted directly on the Athlon CPU core, without the thermal plate. Since many Athlon overclockers remove that plate anyway, to find out which CPU core they have, it definately makes sense to mount the heatsink without the thermal plate.

  • If you're not overclocking, and simply want a good heatsink that keeps your CPU cool enough without too much noise, then consider the RDJD K701.
  • It's not as efficient as the dual fan heatsinks in this comparison, but thanks to its smart "bonded fin" design, it will keep all current Athlon CPUs cool enough with only a single 52x15mm fan. The K701 is inexpensive, not very loud, and fits all motherboards without blocking any DIMM slots.

    Another heatsink that is relatively inexpensive, but provides good performance without being excessively loud is the Global WIN FKK50. It is more efficient than the K701, and is also suitable for some moderate overclocking. However, it does not fit the Asus K7M rev. 1.04.

No matter which heatsink you chose - make sure you get some good thermal compound, apply a very thin layer on the CPU, and take great care when installing the heatsink. A high-end heatsink that's not properly installed (e.g. without thermal compound, or with too much thermal compound) will be outperformed even by cheap no-name heatsinks.
 

Manufacturer links

Special thanks go to:  Dominik from the ETV at the Darmstadt University of Technology, Clay from The Cable Store, and of course to all the heatsink manufacturers and retailers who have provided the samples for this review.

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