![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Thursday , November 01, 2007
- Author:
- Marc Adams
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
Mega-Heatsink Roundup - 0407
Big bucks for big units! We pull out the stops and put 10 big bad cooling systems and heatsinks to the test. What coolers deliver you the best temperature drop for your hard earned dollar? We spell it out for you on a unit by unit basis.
TUNIQ TOWER 120
A division of Sunbeamtech, Tuniq is relatively new to the world of computer enthusiasts. Their attempt at a stylish, durable and high performance cooler is what brings us the Tower 120 today. With a mid-mounted 120mm fan and a mix of copper and aluminum parts, the Tuniq Tower seems to have everything a winner needs. Countless reviews have shown this heatsink to be among the top performing air coolers on the market today. Let's see what makes this cooler so special.
Package & Specs
The box the Tuniq Tower 120 comes in is made of thick cardboard for added protection and has a plastic front so you can see your prize. The contents of the box, including the cooler, are stored in Styrofoam padding which ensures its safe arrival, even in the face or the harshest delivery person.
Dimensions: 153 (L) x 131 (W) x 108 (H) mm
Weight: 798g (Without fan)
Heat Pipes: 3 Full length
Compatibility:
- Intel LGA 775
- Intel Socket 478
- AMD AM2
- AMD 754
- AMD 939
- AMD 940
Fan:
- Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 25 mm
- Speed: 1000 - 2000 RPM
- Air flow: NO DATA GIVEN
- Noise: 20 dBA - 34 dBA
- Connector: 3-pin
Providing support for the older socket 478 CPU's out there is sure to earn this cooler some extra points. Including a fan and fan controller didn't hurt either though looking at the companies' web site reveals little data regarding the performance of the fan. It only goes as far to say that using the fan at its highest speed will yield the best results. Ya' think?
Contents & Finish
Tuniq includes everything you'll need to install the cooler including thermal paste, clamps, screws and even a fan controller. The included fan comes pre-installed which is nice should you decide to use it though in our case is worthless for comparative testing.
The base of the Tuniq Tower has no finish to speak of. While it appears flat and smooth, very tiny (and I do stress tiny) ridges could be felt. Lapping the heatsink should improve temps in this case.
Installation & Contact
Installing the cooler requires removal of the motherboard to install the backplate. Once you have it in place you'll need to flip everything over and place the appropriate clamp on the base. In our case we used the 'H' shaped clamp and tightened the four screws in alternating fashion to ensure even pressure across the entire CPU.
While Tuniq does include a rear-mounted fan controller with the heatsink, it uses a proprietary connection thereby rendering it useless for all but the included fan. This is a shame in my mind as it forces you to use their fan should you want the feature. Other coolers come with a standard three pin connection on the fan controller so you can use it with any fan of your choice. I can only hope Tuniq recognizes this oversight and corrects it.
Contact with the CPU was very good and shows how important it is to turn each screw slightly in an alternating fashion until fully tightened. Otherwise you could be left with a very uneven contact patch.