OCZ Gladiator MAX CPU Cooler Review

Conclusion

The OCZ Gladiator Max certainly is a very interesting cooler. We may not like its looks as much as the Vendetta 2's but this is a personal preference and we are sure a lot of people will actually prefer its more graceful lines to that of the stark lines of the Vendetta 2. Though when all is said and done a coolers looks will only get you so far; and when the heat is on and voltage is rising you want a cooler that can handle to heat with aplomb and this is one area the Gladiator Max would have been an absolute winner....if it had been released before the Vendetta 2.

No one can argue that this new cooler doesn’t have very good cooling performance and lets face it: this is the name of the game. Without the ability to properly cool your CPU the Gladiator Max would be nothing more than a fancy paper weight. Unfortunately, its cooling is very good but it is not as good as the cheaper Vendetta 2’s and quite honestly why would you pay more for less?

Without a doubt, the base design of this cooler seems to be a perfect match for AMDs AM2 processors or the upcoming i7. Those chips are bigger than the 775 and thus should make better contact with the CPU's IHS. The other big positive that this cooler has in its favor over the Vendetta 2 is the I7s from Intel will start to pop up at retail very soon. These chips are huge in comparison to the 775s and thus will also fill up those four heatpipes a lot better than a Vendetta 2s three heatpipes. We will just have to see if OCZ includes a conversion kit for the Gladiator Max.

When you add in future proofing with the fact the newer CPUs are going to be bigger, the Gladiator Max starts looking a heck of lot better. It may not be for everyone, as many people are not going to jump on the I7 bandwagon right away for fear of “revision 1 syndrome”; nor are there a lot people clamoring to buy enthusiast grade AM2 CPUs. If you are one of these people who are very happy with their Q6600 or the 9x50 line then the Vendetta 2 is a better, cheaper option. However, if you are an enthusiast who needs a very good 775 cooler for right now but plan on upgrading in the near future (say as soon as Xigmatek or OCZ releases an I7 backplate for it) then this cooler should be on your short list.. In the end you really need to keep yourself from getting caught up in the whole “not as good as a Vendetta 2” part as this cooler does have a lot to offer and will not disappoint you if you give it an honest chance.

Of course, with a sticker price that is so much higher than the Vendetta 2, no one would blame you for going the more efficient, yet less future proof route, as the savings from purchasing a Vendetta 2 would darn near allow you to purchase a Noctua NF-P12 (on sale) and the appropriate backplate for it! OCZ really needs to make this cooler a lot more cost effective ASAP or a darn good cooler is going to languish on the shelves because of its absurdly high sticker price.


Pros

-Very good performance
-Good packaging
-Unique Styling
-semi Tool-less installation (screwdriver required for 775 systems)


Cons

- Lower quality fan than the Vendetta 2s
- Not as good cooling performance as the Vendetta 2
- Price
- Still pushpin installation for Intel 775
- Fan installation issues