OCZ Vendetta 2 CPU Cooler Review

Packaging and Accessories

When OCZ told us they were sending us a Vendetta 2 to review I must admit to a certain level of anticipation; for if anyone would be able to do a direct touch heatpipe cooler justice it would be OCZ. Needless to say when it arrived the box was ripped open post haste to see what OCZ had in store for us.

When it comes to the packaging of this extra special cooler we were quite disappointed as it appears that not only is the Vendetta 2 based off the Xigmatek reference design (and probably made in the same factory as the Xigmatek) it also appears the box was made by the same subcontractor as well. In all honesty we can cut Xigmatek a bit of slack as they are relative newcomer to the market and thus are allowed the occasional stumble; however, OCZ should know better. This package is made from the same flimsy recycled material as the Xigmatek and it feels cheap in your hands.


Maybe its just us, but a grey silver colour scheme just gives off the right connotations and the box has a palatable aura about it. It is almost as if it bypasses the ID and speaks directly to your subconscious saying: “here is something which is freezing cold so be careful or it will give you frostbite”. This of course is perfect for a CPU cooling solution and I’m sure the marketing wizards over at OCZ spent a lot of time and money coming up with it; its too bad they didn’t spend some of their budget on beefing up the thin cardboard so it wouldn’t be “all sizzle and no steak” so to speak.


When you open the box, (once again no knife is needed, just a simple finger will split the top open nicely) you are greeted to the exact same internal packaging scheme as the Xigmatek, further reinforcing our subcontractor theory. Of course, this is a darn good packaging scheme which can take a good beating before passing on trauma to the contents. Once again though it does have the same flaw as the fan is not as well protected (at all); but then again this is not which big a deal as the Adda fan is no Noctua NF-P12 so if it gets destroyed its not a big deal.


The list of accessories which come with the Vendetta 2 is quite complete with mounting equipment for both AMD 939/AM2 and Intel 775 systems (though in the later case it is still the pushpin style mounting system), a ketchup style packet of TIM, Molex power adapter, instruction pamphlet and four anti-vibration mounting brackets.