Conclusion

Once again Thermalright has taken the lead in performance, construction and engineering with the release of their HR-03 GT heatsink. Considering this cooler is made to be compatible with some of the most popular cards on the market and there is (believe it or not) very little competition at this time, it will probably reign supreme for some time to come. There is always so much to like about Thermalright’s products and with what we have seen here today, they are continuing their tradition of excellence into the New Year.

Not only does the GT have awe-inspiring performance but there are so many other things to like about it as well. The installation of such a large cooler could post quite a few problems but with well-written instructions, the whole process is made much easier than it could have been. This may not even be a blip on most consumers’ radars but the inclusion of a full tube of thermal compound in a world full of pre-applied junk is great to see. We also like the fact that Thermalright doesn’t include a fan with any of their products. This means they can cut down on the cost while leaving the ultimate decision of which fan to buy in your hands.

However, this kind of performance does not come without any sacrifices. The height of the HR-03 GT is a bit extreme considering it takes the space of four expansion slots with the optional 92mm fan installed. There is also the small matter of price and at around $60 it is definitely not the least expensive solution on the market.

Since the 8800GTS 512MB is the hottest-running of the current cards the GT is compatible with, the performance we saw here today should be comparable or better with cooler-running cards as well. That means that for now, if you have an 8800GT, 8800GTS, 8800GS, HD3870 or HD3850, the Thermalright HR-03 GT provides the best cooling solution for your card. Period.


Pros:

- Amazing cooling performance
- Easy installation
- High quality construction
- Full tube of thermal compound included


Cons:

- Price
- Size