Subjective Tests

These tests are the main tests I do on any after market part that I am planning on using in a build. If they don’t sound or feel "right" I bin them and use alternatives. Whether that means a completely different brand or just another one from a different batch greatly depends on the priorities of the build (i.e. noise vs. performance vs. longevity vs. style vs. cost).


Finger Spin Test

Just as the name suggests I give the unplugged fan a quick spin with my right hand index finger while holding it vertically in my left. This is done to see how much friction a fan produces (via the length of time it takes to stop and perceived speed at which it rotates); but mainly it is done to feel how well balanced the fan is. If the fan feels unstable then it is most likely unbalanced. A fan that is unbalanced may have a drastically reduced life expectancy and may catastrophically fail taking other computer parts with it.

The TMG’s fan didn’t produce any telltale signs that occur in poorly made fans (ticking, clicking, wobble, etc). Overall it felt very well balanced and smooth.


Noise and Vibration

While holding the fan in my left hand, I plug the fan into a 3 to 4 pin molex adapter and then turn on the computer. This way the fan is running at full speed and I can easily feel for any vibration it creates and listen for any noise. I do this while holding the heatsink in the orientation that it will be when installed. In this instance, I held it horizontally (both “up” and then “down”).

Considering the price range of this unit the TMG was very quiet and didn’t create much if any vibrations. In my opinion the combination of the enter bearing design with those 4 little springs do a very good job of isolating any vibrations created.


Tap Test

While holding the heatsink and fan in my left had I gently “tap” both the heatsink and then the fan. In the case of the heatsink it allows you to hear and feel how well made it is. In this instance the aluminum fins felt fragile to me. I am sure that they are more than robust enough for their intended purpose but extra attention was taken during installation.

On the positive side the fan felt very well made and produced none of the telltale sounds that a sleeved or ball bearing fan do when tapped. In fact it felt and sounded a lot like a Scythe SFF120D even though it is an Everflow fan.


Weight and Construction

This test consists mainly on how it "feels" in you hands.

While nowhere near as heavy as some behemoths that I have used in the past the Thermaltake TMG A1 felt fairly light and I would have guessed its weight at well under a pound.

Overall it felt and looked like a cpu cooler that the engineers had to make compromises on to keep it in its intended price range. However, the same cannot be said for its mounting bracket. Relying on the motherboard's standard plastic bracket does not instill confidence and it screamed corner cutting and cost overruns to me. While there may be some concerns about its long term viability, in general Thermaltake appears to have made more good calls than bad with the construction of the TMG A1.