nMedia SVC-737CU

Since the introduction of the newest video cards, namely the GeForce 8800 series, their hasn't been much attention placed on previously released products. Somehow, the media would like you to believe that everyone dropped whatever it was they were doing, and ran out to buy the latest greatest video card with their life savings. Despite this displaced attention, the aftermarket for video card cooling solutions still has something for everyone. nMedia System is a prominent manufacturer of HTPC components, and Media Center products. True to their efforts, nMedia System offers nMedia SVC-737CU Hydraumatic Pure Copper VGA Cooler for video cards destined for low-profile and small-form enclosures.

Intended to replace sub-par reference cooling solutions packed with previous GeForce generations (4-7), as well as Radeon and X series video cards, this all-copper performance cooling solution is an inexpensive improvement for high-output past-generation video cards. The nMedia System SVC-737CU I am testing was installed onto an ATI Radeon X1600 Pro and compared against the included HIS iceQ cooling solution from Arctic Cooling.

About the company: nMedia System

There is a company out there that is thinking of you, and they have built a line of enclosures that will have you replacing your DVD player, DVR, and stereo, all for a stylish HTPC. This company is nMedia System. Like most emerging companies that have made a success in the enthusiast market, nMedia System originates from overseas. With offices in Hong Kong and GunagZhou, China, as well as a stateside presence in Fremont, California, nMedia System offers a wealth of research and development for their enthusiast line of products.

Features and Contents

As noted in the dimension section above, using the SVC-737CU will take one additional device slot. On most motherboards this should not be much concern. However, when you begin to work with mATX motherboards with limited slot space to begin with, this could become an issue.

Looking at the SVC-737CU inside the clear retail plastic packaging, the heatsink fins take on the appearance of a butterfly or possibly some other winged creature. Clearly, the name SVC-737CU does not roll off the tongue quite like the names of other heatsink solutions on the market. But more important then the name is what nMedia System offers for the money. High performance at a low price is always a great combination.

Besides the full-copper heatsink, nMedia also includes a speed controller for the fan, and eight adhesive aluminum RAM heatsinks. On the ATI Radeon X1600 Pro, there are four RAM modules integrated into the video card, so half of the RAM heatsinks were applied to exposed RAM modules on the top and the remaining half to the bottom.

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Installation and Compatability

Unlike some aftermarket cooling solutions which simply supply the heatsink and possibly the fan, nMedia System includes additional aluminum RAM heatsinks and a fan speed controller.

Installation is easy completed by both amateurs and professionals alike. nMedia includes very detailed instructions to guide even the most novice consumer though the installation process.

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VGA Cooler Performance

At first, I felt like the HIS iceQ cooler built by Arctic Cooling would be untouchable. In my testing, I found that the SVC-737CU was a very worth adversary. Measured at a constant ambient temperature of 22° C, both VGA cooling solutions were very comparative at full load temperatures.Before I reveal the final performance figures, I want to mention some import notes. First, I am a huge fan of the AC cooling series because of their performance and exhausting design. Although Arctic Cooling makes a great VGA cooling product, it just simply isn't universally compatible. In fact, most of the AC Silencer products have a limited product application list for each series. While the price is comparative, the SVC-737CU is a solution which can find its application placement across a very long list of video card applications. Prior to taking temperature readings, I must admit being a little biased in favor of Arctic Coolings iceQ design; but it turns out that my faith was misplaced.

Test System

• Motherboard: ABIT NF-M2 nView
• Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+ 2.0GHz operating at 2.2 GHz (220 MHz FSB)
• Memory: 1 GB (512 MB x2 modules) Crucial DDR2-6400 SDRAM
• Video Card: HIS ATI Radeon X1600 PRO iceQ
• Hard Disk 1: Western Digital WD360GD Raptor 10,000 RPM SATA
• Optical Drive: Toshiba SH-S182M DVD R/W
• Enclosure: Antec P180B ATX Case with 120mm x3 cooling fans (on low setting)
• Operating System: Windows XP Professional SP-2 with IE7

Utilizing the same well-ventilated Antec P180B ATX enclosure, both cards received a fresh supply of cool air. Certainly, the HIS iceQ design will benefit in cases with no ventilation because it will expell heated air outside of the case, but the SVC-737CU offers an improved cooling solution with the solid copper design and vRAM heatsinks. At idle, both the HIS iceQ cooler by Arctic Cooling and the nMedia SVC-737CU averaged identical temperatures in the cool well ventilated environment. This was not surprising at all, since most better aftermarket cooling solutions often keep idle video cards very close to the ambient temperature.

When the heat was turned on, and the ATI X1600 PRO was treated to an artificial loading from ATITools' 3D test, the average maximum temperatures gradually increased. To my surprise, the HIS iceQ cooling solution, modeled after one of my favorite Arctic Cooling Silencer designs, was able to reach a modest 54° C when measured with an IR laser temperature sensor at full load. What really amazed me, was that the nMedia SVC-737CU performed equally well, measuring a cool 55° C at full load. Now this actually surprised me, to be honest, since the iceQ utilizes aluminum encased in plastic to channel heat out and away, while the SVC-737CU operates with an open design and less powerful fan. Ultimately, the improved copper mating surface and vast cooling fin surface proved to be just as good as the larger counterpart.

SVC-737CU Conclusion

I'm quite certain that manufacturers such as nMedia enjoy reading about how my low expectations of their product are proven wrong in the end. In my testing, the SVC-737CU certainly benefited from the well ventilated and cooled enclosure providing fresh air over the cooling fins of the copper heatsink. To be fair, when I turned all of the ventilation fans off, the measured temperatures did raise much higher then initially recorded, but then again so did all of the other components such as the CPU and hard drives. Common sense prevails here, because most enthusiasts and power users ensure that their internal components are kept from harms way. Plainly put, it's unlikely that the SVC-737CU would ever see a case that doesn't have at least one fan providing ventilation in today's computers.

The construction of the SVC-737CU is quite impressive. Pure copper earns a steep premium in today's economy, so finding it used in bulk on a product available at Newegg.com for $16.99 is very rare. With very good performance all around and excellent value, we should hope to see some more major online retailers picking up on this product soon.

Pros:

+ High-quality pure copper construction
+ Universal mounting system offers great compatibility
+ Aluminum video RAM heatsinks included
+ Long-life high-output fan
+ Fan speed controller included
+ Solid copper base and mating surface
+ Exceptional cooling performance

Cons:

- Heated air recirculates inside of poorly ventilated enclosures
- Occupies additional device slot
- Fan noise is audible at full speed

Ratings:

• Presentation: 7.25
• Appearance: 9.0
• Construction: 8.75
• Functionality: 8.0
• Value: 8.25

Final Score: 8.25 out of 10.0.

Special Thank-you: This review would not be possible if it weren't for nMedia System and their staff. I am grateful, and certainly appreciate the opportunity.

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