Do you need a better GPU cooler? It wasn't long ago, that this question only referenced CPU coolers. Aftermarket cooling for your CPU used to be confined to the overclocking toolkit. If you were going to crank up the clock rates, over-volt everything, and then play hi-res 3D games on it for 6 hours straight, you didn't have a choice. The stock HSF that came bundled with your CPU wasn't going to keep it from having a nervous meltdown. All that's changed, though. Benchmark Reviews has tested a number of cooling solutions and we've found that not everyone buys an aftermarket cooler to max out their top-line processor. Some are building value systems for friends: start with an OEM E21x0 chip from Intel, put a decent cooler on it, heat-pipes and 120mm fan, and crank it up to 3.0 GHz without breaking a sweat or breaking the bank. It's a lot quieter, too...! Now we are seeing the same sort of awakening in the GPU world. The competition between ATI and NVIDIA is fierce; it's definitely a buyers market in video cards these days. New chips are coming out every six months and they're almost always running more transistors, faster. There's a fair chance that the hottest and noisiest component inside your PC is the video card. Fortunately, the PC cooling industry has responded with some excellent products to keep the GPU heat and noise down. Join Benchmark Reviews as we look at how the Zalman VF900-Cu Ultra Quiet Heat-pipe VGA Cooler saved the day for one system builder.

This article serves only one purpose: test three of the industry's most coveted coolers. Not very long ago Benchmark Reviews published the article Best CPU Cooler Performance - Q1 2008. At the time, the effort we gave in producing our test results seemed well worth the trouble. However, months later we see that there's a lot more to a cooler than just measuring performance with the same common fan. So after even more testing, we now have a full understanding of each CPU coolers individual characteristics and deliver the results to you. Benchmark Reviews is proud to present a three-way fight to the finish: The OCZ Vendetta 2 vs. Thermalright's Ultra-120 eXtreme vs. Xigmatek's HDT-S1283.

Xigmatek has really made a name for themselves over the past year thanks to the Heat-pipe Direct Touch technology that they have embraced. When Benchmark Reviews originally reviewed the HDT-S1283 cooler we were absolutely astonished by the incredible results. Once again, we are the very first to test the newest hardware, and you'll be impressed to know that this product delivers the performance needed by overclockers while fulfilling the enthusiasts wish list for attractive features. Benchmark Reviews introduces the Xigmatek Achilles S1284 HDT CPU Cooler CAC-SXHH4-U02 and tests the performance against the top competitors.

Noctua has always fascinated me with their cooling solutions. They take the concept of product refinement to a new level, and often times simply tweak key areas of an existing design rather than reinventing the wheel. A perfect example of their research and development is found in the NH-U12P CPU cooler. This new product replaces their older NH-U12F model, and now features a NF-P12 cooling fan. Through the use of four heat-pipe rods configured in a "U" design, the NH-U12P borrows from the well-established performance record of many top-level coolers. Additionally, Noctua emphasises the complete experience beyond simply cooling the processor, and optimizes their products to operate with very low noise levels.

Inheriting a design from the HDT-S1283 it is derived from, Xigmatek's Red Scorpion S1283 offers some additional glamour to the already market-proven cooling solution. With Nickel-plated copper heat-pipe rods and a transparent orange fan with four white LED lights, the Red Scorpion not only performs well but also looks very attractive. Benchmark Reviews has long since been a believer of the excellent performance Heat-pipe Direct Touch coolers have offered, and since the Xigmatek HDT-S1283 has been a fan favorite for almost a year it will be interesting to see how the nickel plating will impact performance.

There are times when Benchmark Reviews will test a product that seems very similar to another that we've already reviewed, with only subtle differences separating them. A much less common occurrence is when we see the exact same product, only wearing a different name. Kingwin is fortunate then to have built their RVT-12025 HDT CPU cooler from an award-winning mold. Designed from the Heat-pipe Direct Touch technology created by Zaward, and later incorporated into the award-winning Xigmatek HDT-S1283 CPU cooler, the new RVT-12025 is a chip off the old block... a very well established block.

Computer hardware is an ever-evolving industry, and since Moores law only applies to an exponentially growing transistor count then there should probably be another law for cooling. In the very recent past there have been two major trends which have accelerated the performance potential of CPU cooler. That first development was the use of heat-pipes to directly contact with the CPU surface; which resulted in the Heat-pipe Direct Touch technology. The second development is by no mean a new concept, just new to our industry in specific. For many years now heatsinks have been full of right angles, but very recently companies have begun to recognize the need to disrupt smooth airflow and reduce the laminar skin effect which allows air to travel just above the solid surface. Manufacturers like OCZ have used both of these trends in their new Vendetta 2 CPU cooler. Benchmark Reviews will see how much this effects the overall performance as we test OCZTVEND2 against a large segment of competitor products.

Benchmark Reviews strives to offer the overclocker and hardware enthusiast community solid evidence reflecting the true performance of computer products through rigorous testing and evaluation. We understand that many of our readers have been involved with other community websites for years, and take our test results personally; this was made clear to us when we released our 33-Way Thermal Interface Material Comparison article. So then after months of planning and preparation, we have worked to achieve the most complete source of test results possible, offering irrefutable test results gathered in a controlled environment. The purpose of this article is to document our findings and declare the best and top-rated CPU coolers available as of Q1 2008.