Coolink ChipChilla Chipset Cooler Review

First Impressions

When you first look at the ChipChilla you get the distinct impression that you are holding a mini tower-style CPU cooler meant for a model computer or some other children’s toy. This is an understandable reaction and is to be expected as in a lot of ways that is exactly what the ChipChilla is. It is a mini cooler that is based heavily off Coolink’s (and Noctua's) CPU coolers. This is certainly not a bad thing as we have shown in the past the Silentator is a very efficient cooler and if this one cools chipsets as well as the Silentator cools CPUs, it will be a true sight to behold!

In many ways the ChipChilla reminds me of the Noctua NC-U6 chipset cooler and this is also understandable as Coolink does make them for Noctua; just as the Silentator looks a lot like a scaled down version of the Noctua’s NH-U12F so is the ChipChilla a scaled down version of the Noctua NC-U6. Of course, there are some differences and the main one being this is "only" a single heatpipe cooling solution. Instead of having two large U shaped heatpipes that start at the top right of the heatsink and go down through the base and then exit at the top left side (as it does in the Noctua) Coolink obviously felt that one would be enough.


This does unfortunately give the cooler a rather lopsided look to it when viewed from both the top and the side. The downside to this single off center heatpipe is that the fan either has to blow over it first and then the majority of the aluminum fins or alternatively over the majority of the fins first and then the heatpipe. Either way this may cause some inefficiency in its design and lead to reheating where heat taken from the fins are deposited onto the heatpipe (or vice versa) instead of being blown away in the air stream. We will see later in the testing phase if this decision turns outs to be smart or very, very rash.

The other difference between the aptly named ChipChilla and the Noctua NC-U6 is that this chipset cooling solution comes with a fan. In fact Coolink has gone with a rather striking looking blue 60mm fan for active cooling instead of making it a passive cooler like the NC-U6. It may not have any LEDs but its deep blue coloration stands out in striking contrast against all the metallic silver of the heatsink which does give it a high “bling” factor that would make any motherboard more attractive (especially if the motherboard scheme includes this colour blue).


While at first glance the ChipChilla may look like a tiny version of a CPU cooler there are some differences which stand out once you start to look for them. When you flip the unit upside down you are greeted to a sight that you would never see on any self respecting CPU cooler. Unlike the Silentator that has a seamless base the ChipChilla is a two part affair. The center of the base is where the cooling takes place; however, since a NB or SB chipset is so small and this unit is relatively high, Coolink widened this base by running a strip of aluminum up the left and right side of it. This gives the illusion of a copper coloured racing strip one the bottom but the aluminum strips are not just there for filler. These two strips contain the pin mounting bracket arms that allow you to mount this cooler off center. The copper base itself is fairly well polished and given the price point of this unit is certainly above average.

Overall this little cooler gives a very good first impression and there is nothing that really stands out at being bad or out of place with it. In fact when the very first thing you think of is a high end cooler that costs a heck of a lot more than this one does, you can't help but think good things. Hopefully, upon closer inspection of its design and construction this first impression will be carried over.