Thermaltake Frio CPU Cooler Review

Results Analysis

For each socket, we obtained four sets of results, testing with one fan installed at high and low speeds, and then with two at high and low speeds. We saw impressively low temperatures on our LGA1366 test rig, with the Frio out-cooling the excellent Titan Fenrir in most situations.

With one fan set to low speed, the Frio was 2˚C cooler than the Fenrir on low speed, while adding a second low-speed fan gave the Frio a 4˚C lead. With the fans on high speed, we saw even better results, with a single high-speed fan out-cooling the Fenrir with a high-speed fan by 5˚C, and by 6˚C when we added a second
high-speed fan.


We saw the same impressive cooling on LGA1156 with low fan speeds. The Frio was 3˚C cooler than the Fenrir with one low-speed fan installed and 5˚C cooler with two fans. The Fenrir’s cooling ability with its fan at maximum speed is greater than that of the Frio, even with both of its high-speed fans attached, however. The idle temperature was 2˚C lower on the Fenrir, while the load temperature was 1˚C lower.

The Frio is almost unique among modern coolers in allowing us to install it in a horizontal rather than vertical orientation in our AMD test rig. This only partially helped the Frio in our testing – even with two low-speed fans attached, the Fenrir with one low-speed fan managed an idle temperature that was 2˚C lower than that of the Frio and the same load temperature.

Ramping up the Frio’s fans to high speed saw a delta T that was 2˚C cooler than the Fenrir managed with its fan at full speed, however. Both coolers’ fans at full speed were very noisy, although the Frio’s fans at low speed are acceptably quiet.

Conclusion

Even with one low-speed fan attached, the Thermaltake Frio managed to provide better cooling than the excellent Titan Fenrir (with its fan at low speed) on both Intel sockets. Better still, for overclockers who can handle the noise, the Frio was the best cooler we’ve seen for LGA1366 with both fans at high speed. While the Frio’s cooling with low-speed fans was decent in our AMD system, it’s a great choice for taming your LGA1156 or LGA1366 CPU.

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• Performance
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• 9/10

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• 8/10

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• 9/10

Score Guide