Gelid Tranquillo CPU Cooler Review

Intel Installation

To install the Gelid Tranquillo the first thing you have to do is select the proper backplate for you Intel system. This is required as Gelid has not gone for an all in one approach to the backplate but rather uses three separate and yet distinct back plates: one designed for 775 (smallest), one for 1156 (mid sized) and the largest being the 1366 backplate.


After you line up the holes of the backplate through your motherboards, you then have to install the Intel retaining brackets. Unlike the multiple backplate issue, Gelid has gone with a simple all in one Intel retaining bracket which is used on 777, 1155 and 1366. These brackets are a two part affair. To put this another way: you have to install two brackets irregardless of what Intel system you use, and install one bracket to each side of the base.

Unlike most other CPU cooling solutions which have used a two part retaining bracket scheme, the Gelid’s brackets are held in position by a combination of one screw and a lip and grove like clamping mechanism. The upper edge of these brackets has a slightly extended edge which when properly positioned fits snugly and securely into a grove in the aluminum edge of the top of the base of the Tranquillo.


When the cooler is properly positioned you then simply grab one of the four bolts and gently thread it into the backplate. We found it easiest if you give each of the four bolts one turn to get them started and then go onto another bolt in a diagonal pattern.

With the Gelid Tranquillo CPU firmly and properly mounted the last thing you have to do is install the fan. This cooler uses the tried and true wire tension and retention system that is found on most cooler out there and we have no issue with this whatsoever..


At this point we would like to take a moment and go over the compatibility issues we ran into with this moderate sized cooler and our Gigabyte 1366 motherboard. To be honest, since the fin array starts quite high, you shouldn’t run into many issues with motherboard compatibility unless your board has abnormally tall heatsinks.

The other crucial detail they got right was in not making this cooler so deep that the fan would overhang the ram. Even if your are running exotically cooled ram, there will be no problems as long as the sticks (or there heat-spreaders) are unusually wide.