LGA 1366 CPU Cooler Group Test

Results Analysis

Looking at the performance figures, what’s perhaps most surprising is just how closely all the different coolers on test perform thermally. There’s just 6°C between the very best cooling and very worst, although somewhat frustratingly from a reviewer’s perspective (but fantastic from a consumers) the Thermalright Ultra eXtreme 120 once again comes out on top, crushing the next best result by a full 5°C! We have to start asking, will we ever see a CPU cooler capable of besting Thermalright’s champion?

While performance might be similar across the board though, there is a remarkable difference between the coolers we tested in regards to pricing and noise levels.

We had high hopes for the Cooler Master V8, and it duly delivered, turning in the next best thermal result behind the TRUE when its fan is at full speed and only dropping a couple of °C with the fan all but silenced. Considering its cooling fan isn’t too intrusive to start with, we’re certainly impressed by the cooling on offer here and it looks like the performance on offer goes someway to justifying the hefty price tag, especially with the inclusion of a inbuilt fanbus and appropriate mounting bracket - we love fan controllers here at bit-tech and really like seeing manufactuerers allowing users to choose the compromise between cooling and noise.

However, the price, just as it is with the other premium coolers on test, will be tough to stomach for many, and spending £50 on air cooling your CPU is a serious investment. Considering that the Akasa Nero delivers performance just a few degrees warmer for less than half the price, and the 1366 version of the TRUE is availble for less while offering better cooling, the V8 finds itself in a difficult position in comparison to the very tough competition.

Cooler Master V8

• Features
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• 9/10

• Performance
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• 8/10

• Build Quality
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• 8/10

• Ease of Use
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• -
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• 4/10

• Value
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• -
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• 7/10

• Overall
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• 8/10

One of the bigger surprises from our testing was the performance of the Noctua NH-U12P, which stubbornly produced the exact same results no matter whether it was installed in a single or dual fan setup, in which case we have to wonder why Noctua included the second fan at all. Not that we’re complaining though, especially as the NF-P12 fans sell for £18 on their own and the Core i7 edition is just a few quid more than the standard model, although still pretty expensive at upwards of £50.

Our colleagues at Custom PC have also been testing the same cooler and found that performance also doesn’t dip if you drop the fan RPMs using the included voltage step down cables (albeit in a dual fan setup). Perhaps the cooling abilities of the heatsink are simply maxed out, and it doesn’t matter how much airflow you push over the fins, the performance is capped by the heatsink itself?

Nevertheless, the Noctua is still the stand out choice for those looking to cool their Core i7 CPU in silence. While just about audible at full speed, the included step down connectors all but mute the twin cooling fans, whilst still producing excellent performance that’s a full 26°C cooler than the reference HSF.

Noctua NH-U12P 1366 Special Edition

• Features
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• 9/10

• Performance
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• 9/10

• Build Quality
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• 9/10

• Ease of Use
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• -
• -
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• 7/10

• Value
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• -
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• 7/10

• Overall
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• 8/10