Thermalright SI-97 Heatsink Review

Prior to receiving this product, my technological standpoint on heat-pipe technology was more one of curiosity rather than one of practicality. Experience gained from working on laptops had increased my interest, but I still saw heat-pipes as more of a necessary evil than anything else. Why do I say necessary evil? Well, I would never consider using a heat-pipe anywhere where there was any other option.

Finally, an opportunity to discover the true efficiency of heat-pipes arrived from the good folks at CrazyPC.com in the form of the Thermalright SI-97 Heatsink. Will this unique piece of CPU-cooling hardware turn my beliefs on their head or will conventional wisdom come out the winner? Read on to see who delivers the knockout punch!

First, let's delve into the nitty-gritty details regarding the SI-97's hardware specifications and features, as per Thermalright's web site:

• Multiple heatpipes for well spread heat around aluminum fins
• Enormous wingspan gives extra cooling to surrounding components
• Soldered fins to copper base (nickel plated) to make effective contact
• Light weight and easy installation

• Physical Dimensions: L116 x W96 x H75 (mm) heatsink only, without fan
• Weight: 280g (heat sink only)

There are a few things I would like to point out before we go on any further. First, this heatsink is very large. Thankfully, the "large portion" of the device is raised far above the surrounding motherboard by the heat-pipes, so compatibility issues should be minimal, if any. Second, don't let the size fool you. This device is very light. Compared to my Thermaltake Volcano 9 heatsink (which is in itself a fairly light heatsink compared to the giant copper monstrosities on the market), the SI-97 seems surprisingly light for its size.

The included fan

Here are a few statistics on the SUNON 92mm fan that CrazyPC.com graciously provided:

• Physical Dimensions: 92x25mm
• 12V DC, Brushless
• 0.2A, 2.4W
• 4 Pin Molex Connector
• 2 Ball Bearings
• 48.5 CFM, 2600RPM @ 33dBA