Thermalright TRUE Black 120 CPU Cooler Review

Packaging and Accessories

When we first laid eyes on this glossy black box we had to check and make sure that it was actually a Thermalright box. This is because the normal Thermalright package is notorious for its drab and plain looks. As we have said before, Thermalright has always made a statement by going with a plain cardboard box which has no details and no writing besides the model of the unit (and “THERMALRIGHT”) printed on it. This all black box may be different than it brethren in color but it is still the same epitome of testosterone laden marketing. Unlike the other models which are saying “we don’t need to advertise ‘cause we are so damn good”, this box takes the exact opposite approach and is the perfect distillation of a primal roar we have ever had the pleasure to see!


This box speaks louder than anything mere words could say and it truly does bypass the rational part of your brain and instead speaks directly to our primordial lizard brain. If this box had been around when caveman walked the earth it would have been worshiped as a totem of some long forgotten dark god.


When you open up the box and cautiously peek inside (much like a youngster would look in their closet for the boogeyman) you are greeted to a classic Thermalright packaging scheme. It may be bland and boring in comparison to the ultra flashy (for Thermalright) exterior box, but it is never the less one of the best and most protective schemes on the market today. The nearly the full interior of the box is taken up with a solid chunk of medium density Styrofoam. This Styrofoam has been form fitted to the TRUE Black so it embraces and cocoon it in a loving protective embrace which can take a heck of lot of abuse before passing any onto its precious cargo.


To ensure this foam protector can not slide around the rest of the interior is filled up with the accessory box which contains a down right bountiful list of goodies.

The full list of goodies is as follows: backplates for Intel 775 and AMD 939/AM2 based systems, mounting screws to secure the TRUE Black to its backplate (once again two different ones are included, one for 775 the other for 939/AM2), two sets of fan mounting brackets (up from the usual one which the standard TRUE ships with), four anti-vibration rubber strips (two per side / fan), a tube of Chill Factor 2 TIM (also upgraded from the original Chill Factor which ships with the original TRUE) and two detailed installation instruction pamphlets which uses both written and pictographic instructions to show you how to properly install the TRUE Black and its fan(s).

Even better than complete list of accessories is the quality of these accessories; it appears Thermalright spared no expense with this CPU cooling solution and it really does show.

All in all this really is an amazing piece of kit which leaves you feeling like you are getting your money’s worth. Irregardless of price, we were left a downright amazing first impression and we could not find anything to fault besides the associated sticker shock. This is a very impressive feat in its own right as this is not a cheap unit and is in fact down right expensive, yet somehow Thermalright pulls it off. Maybe it’s the because this kit exudes enough self confidence and quality to overcome even Mr. Stevie J’s / Apple reality distortion field. However, no matter how good a first impression, it is only a first impression; so it better be able to walk the talk as good as it can talk the talk, or many customers are going to be down right angry at spending close on a hundred bucks for a cooler!