Test: Thermalright T-Rad ² VGA cooler

Expensive stainless cooler graphics – Qualitatively as constructively always wait with something special to enjoy products from Far Eastern Thermalright forge despite still strongly growing competition on the cooler market for a brief decade in the particularly demanding, performance-oriented customers a brilliant reputation. After initially only focused on processor cooler could Thermalright V1 since the series creative territory successfully on aftermarket cooler for graphics cards spread. With the “T-Rad ²” must now current thermal Rights VGA Cooler flagship in the comparative test to prove.
Delivery

The Thermalright T-Rad ² is in the typical fanless Thermalright-cartonnage delivered. Here are a total of 16 passive Cooling components the pasting of VGA memory and voltage converters, the compulsory fitting material for the supported graphics cards and their fan screws for fixation. An illustrated guide, a Thermalright sticker and a large syringe thermal silicon-based complete the delivery of nearly $65.

Key data

* Thermalright T-Rad ² graphics card cooler
* Dimensions without fan: 228 x 104 x 24,3 mm (L x W x H)
* Weight without fan: 360 grams
* Hybrid structure with 83 aluminum fins and copper base
* Nickel plated surface
* Six Heatpipes
* Fan options: 2 x 92 mm or 1 x 120 mm
* Fixation by screws
* Mounting holes on 75-mm spacing
* Compatibility List
More
o NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Series
o NVIDIA GeForce 7800 series (except AGP)
o Nvidia GeForce 7900 series
o Nvidia Geforce 7950 GT
o Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS
o Nvidia Geforce 8800 Series (G92 only)
o Nvidia Geforce 9400 GT
o Nvidia Geforce 9500 GT
o Nvidia Geforce 9600 Series
o Nvidia GeForce 9800 series (except for 9800 GX2)
o ATi Radeon X1800 Series
o ATi Radeon X1900 Series
o ATi Radeon HD 3850
o ATi Radeon HD 3870
o ATi Radeon HD 4850
o ATi Radeon HD 4870
o Complete on manufacturers website
Manufacturer Homepage
* Distribution and current prices: Caseking (about $65)

The Thermalright T-Rad ² is a material and very high quality from the exceptionally robust Machart heatsink. Based on six sides of the mighty, very flat copper base arising Heatpipes provide a total of 83 at a distance of about 1.5 millimeters aufgefädelte clean aluminum slats for a lush radiator surface. To visually uniform to act against oxidation phenomena and to protect, were both Leichtmetallfinnen, as well as the Cu-Heatpipes and copper plated baseplate.

Thermalright T-Rad ² Lieferbox Thermalright T-Rad ² Lieferbox Montagemateral and passive radiator

According to tradition, its delivers Thermalright cooler air from without, and also the user of the T-Rad ² Ventilierungsart free to the remains. Part Two on slats fastened brackets allow the inclusion of either of two 92-mm fans or a 120-mm counterpart, the latter about two centimeters above the cooler layout and protrudes away so much potential. The fixation of the fan is at a safe but somewhat laborious way using the supplied screws and two small, slightly less suggestively applied wire hangers in the 120-mm case. As is shown later, is a 92-mm-ventilation in a comparable volume of 120-mm version is preferable.

Thermalright T-Rad ² six-Heatpipe cooler and hybrid terminals for 120-mm fan support

In addition to the pure graphics chip-heatsink is the Thermalright flagship passive cooling total of 16 in three different versions of. They are both the graphics memory as well as the very temperatursensiblen voltage converter components to it. The aluminum mini heatsink with a good adhesive bonding film, and before the installation of the T-Rad ² on the cleaned parts are glued.

Clean Processing in Detail polished heat absorption schwungvoll reversed course Heatpipe

The positioning of the main heatsink after successful removal of the cooling series (Attention: Warranty loss) is very simple. First, the holding devices in the form of four bolts on the T-Rad ² appropriate and consistent with the matching Isolierringen provide. After that, the cooler is already on the thermal paste with prepared graphics core and set up according to the holes are threaded. Back again are Isolierringe aufgesteckt and the four thumb screws, alternating hand tight – ready.

The Thermalright-shoot only supports graphics cards with a hole distance (edge length of the square) of 75 mm. A compatibility list is exemplary online provided.

Only 75-mm drill support Marked by thumb screws finger tight fixed relatively flat structure

The Thermalright T-Rad ² is 24.3 mm tall (without fan) a relatively shallow but large heatsink. The manufacturer was anxious, depending on the motherboard layout and arrangement of the PCI-Express slots, even a SLI or CrossFire operation possible. However, one has to clean the building height, nor the fan rake, with which the T-Rad ² construction at least two, in the case of conventional fan with 25 mm thick even three slots filled. Again Thermalright holds a motherboard compatibility list prepared based on the SLI-/Corssfire-Möglichkeiten with just such “25-mm-ventilation” refers to.

Test system and procedures

* Intel Pentium XE 840, 3.2 GHz
* Zalman CNPS 9700 Cu (@ 5 volts)
* Intel D955XBK Mainboard
* 2x 512 MB Corsair CM2X512A-5400UL CL3
* Asus Radeon X1900 XTX
* MSI NX GeForce 8600 GT
* 6Y080M0 Maxtor, 7200 rpm (decoupled via Zalman ZM-2HC2)
* Silverstone Strider ST06F 600 Watt (with Pope F2GLL @ 1100 rpm)
* Thermaltake Shark (completely insulated, Pope F2GLL @ 1100 rpm case fan)
* Thermal: Arctic-Cooling MX-2
* Room temperature 21 ° C

ATI Radeon X1900XTX as the basis for the cooler test look into the test system for VGA Coolers

We test the Thermalright T-Rad ² ventilated operating on an ATI / AMD Radeon X1900 XTX, though performance is not quite up to date is more than a comparable basis, however, with full power dissipation up all time. Heatspreader Without equipment, the hotheaded graphics chip has only a small contact area to the cooler and thus the highest demands on the Kühlhardware. The testing provides concluded a 30-minute 3D-Mark-06-loop, which causes the system and specifically the video card is up and claimed. During this period are all important sensor parameters (temperatures, speeds, etc.) with the tool Everest documented. The maximum values of these measurements, we prefer to compare the products out.