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Prolimatech Armageddon 140mm CPU Cooler Review

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AkG

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When Prolimatech burst on to the scene with their innovative Megahalems cooler we were extremely impressed to say the least by their first foray into this cut throat niche. The same cannot be said for their “Mega Shadow” since it was nothing more than a Megahalems with a fancy paint job and support for 1156 systems but it still performed up to our expectations. This time around Prolimatech has something which is sure to catch many people’s eyes: a standard tower-style heatsink that is able to mount not one but two 140mm fans and can be installed in no time at all. It’s called the Armageddon and it is aimed at a crowd that wants high performance but don’t want loud fans intruding on their peace and quiet.

Usually the ability to mount large fans and ease of installation don’t normally go hand in hand but Prolimatech designed this heatsink much in the way city planners look at skyscrapers. They figured that current products were getting too bulky and instead of building outwards, the built upwards. As a result, the Armageddon makes use of a thin yet excessively tall fin array in order to minimize compatibility issues with surrounding components. Pushing the limits of height does have its drawbacks though since there is a possibility of incompatibility some cases but we will be investigating this later on in this review.

Since the Armageddon is a relatively new cooler, finding one in Canada is going to be as tough as it was to find the Mega Shadow or Megahalems. What we can tell you is that it is has been seen at U.S. e-tailers for as little as $67. This is certainly less that the Mega Shadow’s or Megahalems’ original asking price was, but it’s still on the edge of the high priced “enthusiast” spectrum. Obviously there are a lot of expectations riding on this cooler and we’re about to see how it stacks up against some formidable competition.

photo_armageddon_01.jpg

 
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AkG

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Specifications

Specifications

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AkG

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Packaging and Accessories

Packaging and Accessories


Prolimatech_Armageddon_box_f_sm.jpg

As you can see the packaging the Armageddon comes in is shares much with the Mega Shadow we reviewed awhile back. Basically, it’s a rather large white box with silver highlights which actually looks quite good in a strictly minimalist way.

Prolimatech_Armageddon_box_o_sm.jpg

Opening up the box we can see that the accessories are housed in their own small container, which is placed along one side which will in effect give additional protection for the not-so-delicate heatsink. The Armageddon’s main protection takes the form of two form-fitting Styrofoam end caps along with a thick plastic shipping bag. Overall, it is a good compromise of weight and bulk versus expense.

Prolimatech_Armageddon_access_sm.jpg
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The list of accessories is all but a dead ringer for that which accompanies the Mega Shadow. You get the legendary Prolimatech mounting setup that is built from extremely thick, high quality material which allows the Armageddon to be used on Intel 775, 1156 and 1366 systems. Sadly, and continuing the trend of all to many other heatsinks, the Armageddon does not come with a stock fan nor AMD mounting hardware.

Where this is cooler does differ from the Mega Shadow is in the fan mounting scheme it employs. The Armageddon relies on “ArmaClips” which are basically small metal clips that will hold the fan(s) to the cooler. The upside to this is it looks like they should provide a very stable mounting platform and Prolimatech includes enough to mount two fans to the unit. The downside to using these is the fact that it makes mounting more typical 120mm fans impossible to the Armageddon and to make matters eve worst, only square framed 140mm fans can be used. This eliminates the Noctua NF-P14 fan as it has a round frame.

Since this is a review unit, Prolimatech has provided a pair of Xigmatek 140mm model XLF-F1453 fans for this review, but these are not standard items.
 
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AkG

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A Closer Look at the Armageddon

A Closer Look at the Armageddon


Prolimatech_Armageddon_ang_sm.jpg
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If there is one word that can be used to describe the Armageddon, it is “unique”. Unlike other 140mm compatible coolers we have looked at in the past, the Armageddon is extremely wide, yet thin and not overly tall…or at least until you install 140mm fans that is. In addition, the Armageddon is technically a dual tower cooler but unlike most dual tower designs, its two towers have been positioned side by side, with the intention of having one fan attach to both at the same time.

Much like the Mega Shadow we reviewed a little while ago, the Armageddon has be given a stunning black anodized finish which our pictures just don’t pick up.

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When compared to the Mega Shadow, it is quite obvious that Prolimatech substituted depth for additional girth and height. As we already mentioned, this can decrease compatibility issues with high memory and VRM heatsinks but may also cause problems with tall Northbridge coolers and even some smaller cases.


As mentioned earlier, the Armageddon is a dual tower cooler much like the Megahalems and as such sports a small gap between the two towers. However, unlike previous Prolimatech products, the gap here is miniscule and we doubt it does much to alleviate the dead zone in front of the fan hub. Their answer to the age old question of static pressure was to design two full height angled notches per array into the fins, with one angled to the right and the other to the left. These deep, yet narrow trenches will certainly help focus and channel the air into and over the heatpipes.

Speaking of heatpipes, these have been set up in an interesting way so they are all actively cooled by the fan’s airflow. The down side to this is not only increased manufacturing cost for the tights bends needed and more importantly the heatpipes are closely spaced which decreases the amount of fin surface area each has access to for cooling purposes.

In typical Prolimatech fashion the Armageddon’s top is interesting to say the least. Believe it or not, the reason for this cap is not for ascetic reasons (though it does give a very nice overall look to the cooler) but rather for structural reasons as it ties both of these narrow yet wide fin arrays together and keeps them from flexing.

Prolimatech_Armageddon_heatpipes4_sm.jpg
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If there is one area, which we were disappointed with the Armageddon, it has to be the base. We could easily see large swirl machining marks in its face which made it nowhere near the quality of past Prolimatech products.
 
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AkG

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Installation

Prolimatech Armageddon Installation


Before we begin we would like to state that the mounting equipment and installation method for the Armageddon lives up to our expectations of what to expect from Prolimatech. Everything was of the absolute highest quality we have seen in a long while and everything was perfectly executed.

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Once you have removed your motherboard from the case, the first step is to install the robust backplate. Then it’s simply a matter of putting the retention brackets and mounting the heatsink.

As with the Mega Shadow, this bracket has two “fingers” which line up with two small indents in the top of the heatsink’s base, allowing the bracket to freeze the cooler in place. The fact it has two of these fingers instead of the usual one also means this heatsnk won’t twist on you like the TRUE has been known to do. What also is noteworthy is this top bracket now has two large, metal lined sockets in which the spring reloaded screws can rest. This means that you can lay the screws in place before installing the Armageddon with no fear of them falling off.

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With the cooler secured you can then easily mount either one or two fans to it with the 4 included ArmaClips. To do so you simply slide them in and over the plastic frame of the fan, then place the fan into position on the Armageddon and then push in gently on the clips. By applying pressure on the sides of the clips (aptly labelled “press here”) the ArmaClips flex just enough to slide over and then into their notches on the sides of the Armageddon.

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When it comes to clearance issues we can say things were a darn sight better then they were with the Mega Shadow. Even with two 140mm fans attached there really is going to be very few potential issues you will run into. The fact that the fin array is not 140mm tall and starts far away from the motherboard means that you do have a lot of leeway with where your fan is attached to the cooler. So, unless your motherboard has extremely tall heatsinks you shouldn’t have any issues with the Armageddon.

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To be honest about the only real issue worth mentioning is the fact that this cooler can NOT mount 120mm fans. The above photo shows one ArmaClip attached to one side of the heatsink, yet as you can see the ArmaClips would need to be redesigned to reach a 120mm fan. This effectively reduces your fan choice to only a handful of somewhat expensive, low-RPM products which for the most part have been designed for case cooling applications.

Making things worse, is the fact that since ArmaClips need a flat surface on the side of fan housing you will not even be able to mount some 140mm fans to it. The best example of this is the Noctua P14 fan, which has a circular housing and as such is incompatible with the Armageddon.

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Honestly, we were expecting good things from the installation of this cooler and we weren’t disappointed with the setup, but the same cannot be said of the fan mounting issues we experienced. If you are going to take the time to make a cooler 140mm fan capable, please for all that’s holy take the time to make it reverse compatible with 120mm fans. The fact of the matter is you may be able to easily find low noise 140mm fans, but finding high performance high static pressure ones IS going to be difficult to say the least.

And then, you go to put it in your case and….

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….the darn thing won’t fit. Now granted, the pictures above show that it is impossible to install the Armageddon into a totally budget-minded Cooler Master Elite 430 but this clearly shows that height could become a serious issue in some cases. On larger more enthusiast-oriented enclosures this won’t be a problem unless your beastly case includes an equally large side panel fan. We nonetheless recommend you pay close attention to the specs we have listed on the second page of this review and take the necessary measurements before buying the Armageddon.

All in all, we’ll chalk this up to a combination of case and cooler limitations rather than placing the blame firmly upon Prolimatech’s shoulders.
 
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AkG

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Testing Methodology

Testing Methodology


To ensure that the results from one review to another are not only reproducible but actually pertinent to this review, the Testing Methodology will be the same throughout all reviews used. If something does change we will be sure to make a special note of it and explain why this change was done and more importantly why things had to be changed or altered.


Thermal Paste and Application Methods:

Arctic Cooling MX-2 thermal paste was used for all coolers during these tests unless otherwise noted.

For all non HDT coolers, application of thermal paste was in accordance with the TIM manufacturer’s instructions; and while not necessary, the TIM was allowed to cure for 24 hours under moderate to high loads (with periods of low loads) prior to testing.

For all 3 pipe HDT coolers two lines of TIM is applied to the two centre metal posts and for all 4 pipe HDTS three (smaller) lines of TIM are applied to the metal posts. This method has been found to provide significantly better coverage than the more typical methods.


Fans Used

120mm:
For all CPU Cooling Solutions which do not come with their own fan, a Noctua NF-P12-1300 and a Scythe S-Flex “G” 1900RPM fan will be used if it accepts 120mm fans. With these two fans we are able to simulate different fan speed conditions as indicated below.


Low Speed:

900RPM with a Noctua NF-P12-1300 with ULNA adapter. To be more precise our specific fan runs at 930RPMs. Any stock fan which comes with the ability of being controlled by means other than the motherboard (e.g. remote fan speed controller, potentiometer, rheostat, etc) will be set to this speed during the low speed test and BOTH sets of performance results will be included.


Moderate Speed:

1300RPM Noctua NF-P12-1300 with NO adapters used. To be more precise our specific fan runs at 1326RPMs. Any stock fan which comes with the ability of being controlled by means other than the motherboard (e.g. remote fan speed controller, potentiometer, rheostat, etc) will be set to this speed during the moderate speed test and BOTH sets of performance results will be included.


High Speed:

1900RPM Scythe S-Flex “G”. To be more precise our specific fan runs at 1860RPMs. Any stock fan which comes with the ability of being controlled by means other than the motherboard (e.g. remote fan speed controller, potentiometer, rheostat, etc) will be set to this speed during the High speed test and BOTH sets of performance results will be included.


Dual Fans*:

Dual NF-P12-1300s

*Dual fans only used if the cooler comes with the necessary mounting hardware.


92mm Fan:

If the cooler being tested only accepts 92mm fans, a Noctua NF-B9-1600 will be used.

If the given CPU cooling solution comes with a stock fan we will also include its numbers in the closest of the main tests BUT we will also include our standard fan results in that particular tests.


Fan Notes:

- If a heatsink cannot mount an aftermarket fan, we will be only including the stock fan results. However, if the stock fan speed can be precisely controlled by means other than the motherboard BIOS (an included remote fan speed controller, potentiometer, rheostat, etc), the cooler will be tested at different fan speeds.

- For dual fan results ALL coolers capable of mounting two fans (and come with the necessary hardware) will be tested with two NF-P12s and the Dual Fan graph will contain data for other such dual capable fan coolers.


We feel that the combination of multiple speeds and multiple fans will allow us to give you our readers clear and precise idea of the capabilities of a given unit, in an accurate comparison. It will also help eliminate the occasional “zinger” such as when a manufacturer includes an extremely high-speed fan in order to possibly offset poor heat sink thermal performance.


Environment:

All comparison testing was done on an open bench with a constant ambient temperature of 24°C. If at any time the room temperature increased or decreased by more than 1°C, testing was halted until the temperature constant was re-established.


Testbed:

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Unlike our previous methodology which used an open bench setup with a horizontally orientated motherboard, our new open bench is a modified Tech Station with a twist.

It has been modified so that the motherboard is in a more typical vertical orientation as it would be when installed in a case.

This has been done by the simple expedient of drilling out the bumper pads and threading long bolts (typically used for mounting fans to water cooling radiators) up through the top base of the tech station. Then by simply threading the bolts up through the motherboard we can then secure said motherboard to the tech station. Rubber mounts followed by a nut ensures that nothing moves. When the motherboard has been secured we simply tip the tech station on its side and using weights on the lower “legs” to keep it from tipping over we end up with a vertical orientated motherboard which is safe and secure yet still an open, controlled benching environment.


Mounting Orientation:

Only the typical East / West (aka forward / back) orientation will be used.


Temperature Recording:

Recorded temps were as reported via the Real Temp plug-in for the RivaTuner monitor program.

Max and Average load temps are based on 15 minutes of running Prime95 “small fft” and are taken directly from RivaTuner’s built in capabilities.

The maximum temperatures will be the highest recorded temp displayed for any of the cores during the 15 minute test. While RivaTuner will display each core's average temperature it does not easily show the average of ALL the cores. To this end we will be simply taking the average of all the cores adding them together and then dividing by the number of cores.

If during any test temperatures of 90°C or more are displayed in RivaTuner (for any core) for more than 10 consecutive seconds the testing will be halted and that test run will be considered a "fail".

Idle temperatures are the lowest recorded temperature during idle period as recorded by the RealTemp Rivatuner monitoring program.

All CPU throttling technology was disabled in the BIOS; as was all CPU fan speed control. In addition, Turbo Mode was disabled and Hyperthreading was enabled.

All tests are run a minimum of three times and only the best results are represented.


Charts & Graphs:

Due to clutter and confusion we now will only be including the best of the best. We understand that “best” does mean different things to different people, to this end we will only be including what we feel are the best representatives of the main price ranges. These main prices ranges approximately are Intel OEM (free), $30, $40, $50, $60, and unlimited. Please keep in mind that prices are variable and while we have done our best to pick what we feel best represents a given price range there can and will be some overlap as these price ranges are not set in stone (with the exception being the Intel OEM cooler). To further help clarify a given cooler’s performance we will also be including a seventh CPU cooling solution, a cooling solution which irregardless of price best exemplifies what a good “all round” dual fan capable cooler should be. For the time being this last will be the TRUE Black. After each published cooler review we will re-evaluate the coolers being included in the charts and based on the value or performance may swap out a cooler for a cooler that was just reviewed.

This way you will not only know how it compares to the Intel stock unit and the best Damn Good Value coolers but also the best of the best Damn Good coolers out there. In grand total there will only be 8 coolers represented in a graph. However, if the review is a “round up” review this limitation will be extended to include all coolers in that review plus the above 7 cooling solutions. We will endeavour to keep the number as low as possible while still giving an accurate picture of the performance of all coolers being reviewed.

Each chart will include the Maximum or “peak” temperature we recorded, the average temperature and the idle temperature.

No passive results will be shown UNLESS manufacturer claims the ability to passively cool a processor. If a manufacturer claims passive capabilities we will include the performance numbers in the charts. The only exception to this is if the review is a “review roundup” and to keep the charts from becoming confusing we may not do so.


Sound Pressure Testing:

To give a more accurate and less of a personal opinion on the noise level of the stock fan which accompanies the heatsink, we have included a new section for sound pressure testing. These tests are done in our open case setup outlined above with the meter positioned 30 inches away from the cooler and mounted on a tripod. To ensure the background noise does not skew the results all tests will start by recording the ambient noise of the room. Only when it meets our standards will the testing commence.

To ensure that no external noise unduly skews the results, the GPU used will be a passively cooled unit and the only active fan will be the one on the cooler while the PSU and HDD are isolated away from the immediate area.

These tests are run late at night when no other people or animals are awake and thus unable to influence the results.

All fans are run at their maximum speed with no voltage or PWM control being used during the sound pressure tests.

The sound pressure meter used is a DT-805 which has been professionally calibrated and NIST certified. We will record the highest levels obtained with said meter and record it as our result. The test will be 15 minutes long and will be run while the fan is running full speed via a Molex connector and the CPU cores are under a full load via Prime 95 Small FFT.

Please note: The Scythe S-Flex G and Noctua NF-P12-1300 (at 1300 and 900rpms) numbers are taken when mounted to a Cooler Master Hyper 212+. We feel that it would be extremely unfair and unrealistic to include noise rating for these after market fans if they were NOT mounted onto a cooler. They are included to help give some sense of proportion to the charts and allow you to more easily compare a stock fan against a known quantity.


Complete Test System:


Processor: Intel i7 920

Motherboard: Gigabyte X58-UD3R

Memory: 6GB Aneon Xtune DDR3-1600

Graphics card: EVGA 7300GT passive

Hard Drive: 1x WD 320GB single platter

Power Supply: Topower Powerbird 900W


Special thanks to Direct Canada for their support and supplying the i7 920 CPU.

Special thanks to Gigabyte for their support and supplying the i7 motherboard.
 
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AkG

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Mid-Speed Fan Performance Results

Mid-Speed Fan Performance Results


While we are unable to mount a 120mm fan to this unit due to its unique fan mounting setup, we can infer some details from comparing the Xigmatek 140mm fan to that of the Noctua NF-P12-1300. Basically, the Xigmatek units we received with the Armageddon are XLF-F1453 fans which work at a mere 1000RPMs. The P12 may move about 10CFM less then the Xigmatek's 63.5 CFM, but is fairly close to what we estimated the Xigmatek’s static pressure to be. All in all, it is a fairly generalized apples to apples comparison but it is as close as you can get without resorting to duct tape and bailing wire.

2.6GHz


<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Air_Cooling/Armageddon/Prolimatech_Armageddon_p12_26.jpg" border="0" alt="" />​

When all things are more or less equal this cooler is actually fairly impressive in its results. As you can see, it can actually come close to the results of the Megahalems which is amazing for a heatsink as slim as this one. However, when we look at the dual fan results, we can instantly see that this ultra thin cooler was made with two fans in mind.


3.42GHz


<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Air_Cooling/Armageddon/Prolimatech_Armageddon_p12_34.jpg" border="0" alt="" />​

While it’s single fan results did fall slightly off the pace ofthe mighty Megahalems, that didn't stop the Armageddon from putting on another impressive showing. t also appears that the stock speed, dual fan results were not an anomaly as once again we are seeing a nearly 5 degree improvement by using a second fan.


3.8GHz


<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Air_Cooling/Armageddon/Prolimatech_Armageddon_p12_38.jpg" border="0" alt="" />​

It seems that either the Xigmatek fans are holding the Armageddon back or it just NEEDS dual fans to keep temperatures down at these clock speeds. Unfortunately, we were stuck with the two woefully low RPM Xigmatek fans so these results are as good as its going to get in our testing.
 
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AkG

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Dual Fan Performance Results / Apples to Apples

Dual Stock Fan Performance Results


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Obviously, the Armageddon will not be the first choice for any enthusiast who wants the lowest temperatures they can get with a single fan. With that being said, if absolute performance is not a huge concern for you, then one and half degrees is really all not that much performance to give up if it means you end up with a system which will most likely be much quieter than the competition.

At an even more basic level, this small decrease in performance is really not all that important as this cooler is not designed to replace the mighty Megahalems. Rather it is meant for a different niche: consumers who want to get kick arse performance, yet don't want to deal with a lot of hassle installing their fancy new toy and would like the near-silence afforded by massive 140mm ans spinning at low RPMs.


Apples to Apples Comparison


While make it a rule to not do any modifications in order to test the review CPU cooling solution with our standard 120mm fans, we are going to break our own rule just this once and see what this cooler really is made of. Where the heatpipes are wider then a 120mm fan, these results are going to be extremely variable and unless you are fan of duct tape, you will not be running YOUR Armageddon with any 120mm fan. For this reason you can consider these tests here solely to satisfy our own curiosity and see exactly how good or bad this new design is compared to the Prolimatech Megahalems and other mainstream competitors.

NF P12-1300

Prolimatech_Armageddon_apples_to_apples_p12.jpg

When comparing the Armageddon with one low speed fan and the Megahalems with the exact same fan it is blatantly obvious that the Armageddon does not like low speed, low static pressure fans; or at the very least does not like being matched to ONE low speed, low static pressure fan. This really doesn’t tell us anything new as we saw huge performance gains with going to two Xigmatek low performance fans. More importantly, it still doesn’t really change our minds on this cooler as it really needs two fans, even less then optimal ones like the ones Prolimatech sent us, and that is how you should really run this cooler.


Scythe S-Flex G 1900RPM

Prolimatech_Armageddon_apples_to_apples_scythe.jpg


It seems that the Armageddon engineers may have been a tad too forward thinking in making this a 140mm fan only design. We say that as it is obvious that the Achilles’ Heel of this unit is its inability to mount high static pressure, high speed 120mm fans; fans which this cooler just adores. At this time finding 140mm high performance fans is like finding a single strand of hay in a stack of needles: it is going to be painful and most likely futile. You are most likely better off going with two more mundane 140mm fans then setting out on a Don Quixote'esque search for a single high pressure 140mm fan. This may change in time, but as it stands it is crying shame this unit does not accept 120mm fans without the need to resort to duct tape.
 
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AkG

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Value

Value


The term “Value” is such an amorphous term that it truly has different meanings for different people. For some a CPU cooler is only as good as it over-clocking potential, for others it is how quiet it does its job; for others still it’s how effective it is for its cost. We here at HWC try to provide as many answers as possible for the term “Value”. Hopefully by this point in the review people looking at OC potential or loudness levels will have a fairly good idea of what its Value is. For the “best bang for the buck” crowd we have included a chart below showing how much each 1°C less costs when compared to Intel’s FREE stock cooler. No consideration has been made for noise levels, “looks” or any other extraneous factors; this is just raw performance vs. monetary cost. For any cooler which performs worse than the Intel stock cooler a rating of “FAIL” will be given. For any cooler which has a “Value” of more than $10 per 1°C a rating of “FAIL” will be used in the graph but the chart will list its actual “Value”.

All prices are based on either their MSRP (if no e-tailer prices were available at review time) or the lowest price found in our Price Comparison engine at the time of their initial review for the "Original" chart and are the lowest price found in our Price Comparison engine at the time of this review for the "Updated" chart. If a CPU cooler does not include a fan the price of a Scythe S-Flex 1200RPM has been included ($12).

To make it as easy as possible for you to modify this ratio we have also included the various coolers temperature difference so if you do come across one of them on sale you can easily modify its “Value” rating. We here at HWC are in no way saying this is the definitive answer to “Value”, rather it should be considered another tool to help you make your final decision. After all something is only as “valuable” as what you consider it to be.


Please Note: This chart has be calculated based upon the differences between Intel stock cooler’s average load at its highest OC on a 920 @ 3.42GHz versus various after market coolers average load temperatures (in their stock configuration with MX-2 TIM) also on a 920 @ 3.42GHz.

Please Note: Where this cooler really is not meant for running 120mm fans we have included two sets of numbers: the value based on a 120mm Noctua fan results and the results of the Armageddon when equipped with a Xigmatek fan. Where we have included two sets of numbers



<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Air_Cooling/Armageddon/Prolimatech_Armageddon_value_up_chart.jpg" border="0" alt="" />

<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Air_Cooling/Armageddon/Prolimatech_Armageddon_value_up.jpg" border="0" alt="" />​

With a value of over 4 dollars per degree Celsius gained over stock, the Armageddon is obviously not what you would call a “great value”, but this chart only tells part of the story. What this chart cannot tell you is that when you pair two fans up to the Armageddon its value is high enough to compete against the Noctua D14. Add in the fact that you will run into almost no installation issues, and the fact you will end up with a dead silent CPU cooling solution (especially if you use 1000rpm fans) and you end up with a product that can in fact be considered a good value.
 
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AkG

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Conclusion

Conclusion


In the dark recesses of the tech industry there are whispers saying that Prolimatech products are the brainchildren of several rogue Thermalright engineers who wanted to cut loose and launch a viable competitor to what is still one of the most highly regarded manufacturers in the PC world. After seeing what the Armageddon was capable of, we’re inclined to believe those whispers and embrace them. On a road that is usually paved with disappointment, Prolimatech has now proven that the Megahalems isn’t just a one hit wonder and they are capable of producing a whole lineup of high performance heatsinks.

This heatsink simply excels in certain areas and it perfectly caters to a market that currently wants a high performance cooling solution without all the noise associated with quicker-running 120mm fans. Then there is the Armageddon’s installation process. Seriously, it should be used as a case study by every other heatsink manufacturer since it perfectly illustrates how things should be done. When one is able to install a heatsink with the bulk of the Armageddon in only a few minutes, you know there’s an engineer out there who deserves a glass raised in their name.

While it does target a specific niche very well, we have to wonder if the Armageddon isn’t just a bit ahead of its time. At this point, 140mm fans just aren’t as widely available nor do they provide the mid and high speed (and high static pressure) options of their smaller 120mm brethren. Even though they are some of the best fan mounting solutions around, the ArmaClips only allow certain 140mm fans to be installed which will only adds to the frustration of actually finding a perfect match for your brand new cooler. Seeing Prolimatech supply competitors’ fans with our review unit just illustrates this all the better and is actually quite hilarious in and of itself. It just brings yet another of this heatsink’s Achilles ’ heels into sharp contrast; it is completely unable to even mount a substitute 120mm fan without an ungodly amount of duct tape or a pair of seriously tight rubber bands. In our opinion, the Armageddon should have been launched as a kit with a pair of high static pressure 140mm fans included in the box…even if it meant raising the price to over eighty bucks.

Let’s be honest here. The two Xigmatek fans we tested the Armageddon with have the static pressure equivalent of a rat passing gas. They were designed to be more show than go when mounted in a case and have no business pushing air through the restricted confines of a heatsink’s fins. The resulting performance numbers were slightly disappointing but there is a silver lining lurking beneath the surface as well: if Prolimatech’s slim heatsink can do passably well with sub-optimal fans, imagine what it would do when paired up with the 140mm equivalent of the Scythe S-Flex. The possibilities are absolutely astounding but we weren’t able to test this theory out.

Prolimatech’s Armageddon is in our opinion a huge success for its target market. It makes use of an innovative design to maximize cooling potential with a pair of low RPM 140mm fans and it’s mounting method is simply second to none when it comes to ease of use. Unfortunately, the limited selection of 140mm fans and an inability to accept 120mm fans means it is currently unable to reach its full potential. That doesn’t stop the Armageddon from being one of the most innovative heatsinks we have seen in the last year.

Just remember to carefully take note of your case’s side panel clearance before taking the plunge or you could be in for a particularly nasty surprise.


Pros:

- Easy Installation
- Thin design makes mounting two fans easy
- Comes with enough clips to mount two fans
- Comes close to matching the Megahalems in performance
- Reasonable Price
- 140mm fan capable


Cons:

- ONLY 140mm fan capable, 120mm will not mount
- ArmaClips require square cased fans
- Needs higher CFM fans to really shine
- No stock fan included
- Possible clearance issues with some cases


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