Coolink Silentator CPU Cooler Review

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Stock Thermal Paste vs. Arctic Cooling MX-2

Stock Thermal Paste vs. <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1lace w:st="on">Arctic</st1lace> Cooling MX-2

One of the concerns with any cooling solution is that the included thermal paste may not perform as well as retail thermal pastes. With this in mind, HC will attempt to provide comparisons between included thermal paste and a quality retail thermal paste for our air cooling reviews. In this instance Arctic Cooling MX-2 was used as a comparison and contrast between it and the “stock” TIM.

In the case of the Silentator, a difference of approximately 2*c was found between the factory stock compound and MX-2. While the differences are minor, they are still significant enough not to be discarded as a statistical anomaly due to slight temperature and/or humidity difference during testing conditions.

If one is so inclined, removing the pre-applied TIM and using an aftermarket thermal compound can help slightly increase the effectiveness of this CPU cooler. Not everyone has the aptitude or willingness to do this, and in the end it is safe to say that the factory applied TIM is a decent choice, not a great choice but still decent. However, this minor additional time and expense does make sense and will pay dividends if you are looking for as low a temperature as possible or even a slightly higher overclock.

 

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Conclusion

Conclusion

In the beginning I had my concerns about Coolink’s pretentiousness of calling this CPU cooler the “Silentator”. It has been our experience that the louder and more outlandish a self appointed moniker is the worse a product's performance will be. However, there are exceptions that buck this trend and I am happy to say that the Silentator is one of those exceptions.

As we saw in testing, this cooler does get the job done and even when it was only slightly better that Intel’s cooler at stock speed, it had a much higher overclock potential and was whisper quiet throughout all of the tests. While it may have an amusing name, it is like that famous old bard Will said: “A rose by any other name is still a rose”; so whatever else you call it, you certainly have to call it a quiet CPU cooling solution. By our standards those are some of the highest accolades a CPU cooler can receive.

Even this rose’s thorns are few and far between and the only quibble I have with it is over Coolink’s choice of fan. I honestly did not like the fan from the moment I picked it up and did my standard “tests” on it. However, it is hard to argue with results and as we saw even a Noctua NF-P12-1300 only decreased temperatures slightly. Creating a CPU cooler that is both quiet yet has overclocking potential is a fine and hard line to walk, and in the end I think Coolink did just that; they walked the line and did it with a style all their own.

If you are in the market for a quiet CPU cooler you should definitely give some serious consideration to the Silentator. It may not be for everyone, as it does have a few quirks, but if you can overlook these minor annoyances the Silentator easily pays for itself in its noise reduction abilities and good cooling performance.


Pros:

-Quiet fan
-Good Overclocking Performance
-Includes mounting hardware for 2nd fan
-Multiple Mounting Orientation Options
-Should fit most cases, and motherboards
-3 Year Warranty
-Fan Controller Included
-Fan can be easily removed
-Good High Quality Construction


Cons:

-Quirky Installation
-Less than optimal performance at stock speed
-Fan Longevity Concerns
-Not Cross platform compatible
-Potential Motherboard Capacitor Clearance Issues
-Fan bracket can rub surrounding parts

Thanks to Coolink for providing us with this product

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