This CPU cooler is more easily capable of keeping temperatures much lower than the Mars cooler. There is only one more copper pipe than the Mars cooler, but due to its design, air flow, and surface dissipation area it all adds up. The gliding fan duct actually helped the FOXCONN chipset fan out and the temperature dropped a couple of degrees. It's always a nice thing to cool off the chipset, especially when you're over clocking.

Idle CPU Fan on High

Loaded CPU  on High

Overclocked CPU Fan on High

When running NVIDIA Monitor, I noticed that the temps began to rise pretty quick at first and then slowed becoming more steady and only slightly increasing. The Eclipse even out paced my Hyper 48 which had been my favorite since it reached the retail shelves. Under full load, the CPU temp didn't go above 40 C despite running various other programs and benchmarks trying to completely heat up the processor. And this time around, I was able to reach the 2.8Ghz limit of the system which wasn't quite achievable with the Mars.

The fan noise wasn't bad measuring in at about 30dB from about one foot away while running on high. In most any computer case, the noise will be cut down considerably and match CoolerMaster's rated specification average. With the Eclipse fan speed on low, it's actually very quiet. It's definitely more quiet than the retail CPU coolers.

If you're a mini-ATX or Shuttle style PC user, you'll probably have to pass this one up. Unless you have enough space to maneuver the cooler and your hands in to mount it, you will probably want something just a bit smaller. Just make sure you measure for at least 7 inches of space before running out to buy the Eclipse.


Conclusion:

Compared to past performance coolers, the CoolerMaster Eclipse has something new and technically artistic to offer that provides very good cooling. It's a whole new look in terms of CPU coolers and a bold break from the common design users are familiar with. In spite of first impressions, the Eclipse's performance can't be ignored as it can easily replace your bland performance CPU cooler. Besides, can you remember the last time a CPU cooler provoked a response or made such a statement?