CoolIT Freezone Elite CPU Cooler Review

Performance Tests (Default Settings)

To see how well mannered this unit can be the first round of tests will have the Advanced features of the MTEC controller software enabled with the default range of 20 min and 40 max. With this range setting the coolant temperature will be allowed to be rise to a maximum temperature of 40° Celsius before the software will take action and increase the TECs and Fan power. Conversely the software will also reduce levels (to a minimum of 40%) as needed to try and keep the coolant temperature above 20° Celsius. By doing this we will get a clear picture of what is the absolute minimum noise the Freezone Elite needs to use to give acceptable performance results. These results are for informational purposes only and will not be held against this unit in the Conclusion section; this is for the simple reason that this setting is designed to create as small a noise envelope as possible; even if it is at the expense of performance. In other words the first set of tests will show what this unit can do in low noise environments, where CPU temperatures are secondary to noise levels.

In the second set of tests we will max out the TECs and the Fan to see what this unit is really capable of (i.e. they will be running @ 100% even when idle). This will show exactly how much cooling potential this unit has; or to put it bluntly, this set of tests is all about raw performance with no worries about noise levels.

E4600 Temperature Testing

Idle Temperatures


Wow, just wow. Yes that is right folks even when our Dual Core was overlcoked to 3.2GHz it was idling at subambient temperatures and it wasn’t unitl we turned the heat all the way up to 3.5GHz did the core start to see ambient temperatures! The Elite is simply so powerful that even at it minium of 40% the cooling potential is more than the Dual needs to stay ambient. That is simply amazing.


Average Load Temperatures


Things certainly started out good but then as the heat was turned up the unit's performance did start to slip. Of course, the Switftech and Astek LCLC were both running at 100% fan speed whereas the Elite (at 3.5GHz) was only cruising along at about 60% or at this point. In other words a small difference in performance equaled a major difference in noise.


Q6600 Temperature Testing

Idle Temperatures


While they lack the wow factor of the dual core results these numbers are nonetheless very decent results. Once again the Elite was hardly phased by the thermal load of the idling CPU, and even when overclocked to 3.4GHz it was still only running at 40%. Actually, when you look at it from that perspective these numbers are down right impressive. After all, the Swiftech and Astek fan was going full speed and the Swiftech water cooling kit was only able to beat it by 1° Celsius @ 3.4GHz.


Average Load Temperatures


It is interesting how the advanced settings really do influence the Elite's performance. At stock speeds the Elite is only mediocre at best, whereas at 3.4GHz it owns first place as the unit ramps up. However, the really amazing thing is not the dramtic comeback but the very fact that the Elite’s fan and TECs were only cruising at 60% - 70% of its full potential. With numbers like that and it still only in the equivalent of 3rd gear we are itching to put the pedal to the metal and see what this baby can do at 100%!