Installation:

AMD Bracket Installed	Locking Clip	Installed
Close Up	Close Up Side	Red LED's

    Before installing any component into a computer system, it's always a good idea to read over the manual first to gain a good understanding of the gear to be installed. For you Intel users, grab the Intel bracket and backplate. Then remove the fan from the cooler and screw the bracket to the bottom of the cooler. Next, grab the backplate, remove the paper and stick the backplate to the back of the motherboard. Apply thermal grease to the CPU and mount. For those of you who prefer AMD, the procedure is the same, except that the fan is not removed and the stock backplate is used.  The fan plug on the BTF90 is equipped with a 4pin plug.

Testing:

Test Rig:

BTF90 Conclusion:

    I want to start off by saying the BTF90 is installed incorrectly in my computer, with the fan on top and blowing down. I had to mount the cooler this way because the exposed fan blades were hitting the cooling fins for the chipset. I don't think the airflow hurt the performance of the cooler at all. Don't let the unique shape of this cooler fool you - the odd shape does offer a lot of cooling area.

    With the dual CPU running at 98% the max CPU temp was only 44c, which is right around the stock cooler temps. Is that good or bad for an aftermarket cooler? Well, that depends on the application and design of the cooler. For the overclocker, a cooler that performs like a stock cooler is no good, but for the average user or someone who just wants to add something a little different, then this cooler is a good choice.

    The installation for the AMD2 CPU took all of 10 seconds. I simply latched one end and snap the other end in place, and I was booting up the computer in no time at all. The fan is quiet and looks good with the red LED's glowing inside the case.

ZeroTherm GX815 Extreme Gamer GPU Cooler:

ZEROtherm GX815 Extreme Gamer GPU Cooler

Introduction:

    ZEROtherm offers a nice array of CPU and GPU cooling solutions, which is good because sometimes the stock cooling device on the new piece of gear you bought just doesn't cut it. Like on that new $250 video card you just bought. The cooler that may be able to get the job done is the GX815 Gamer Edition heatpipe GPU cooler. This cooler is designed to work with ATI and Nvidia cards, and is equipped with some nice features. The GX815 has a built in thermal sensor that automatically adjusts the speed of the fan depending on the thermal load of the GPU, and is designed to work with cards in a SLI or Crossfire setup. This makes the GX815 a versatile cooler for many users and setups.

Specifications:
 

Got News? Send 'em in!