Well, here we are with another contender for the top slot of HSFs! This time the Swiftech MCXC370 has a go!

Looks beefy!

Right, the specs of the contender:

Base dimensions: 2.5x2.5x.5" - 63.5x63.5x12.7mm Base material: Copper C110 Base flatness: better than .001" - 25µ Base micro surface finish: 8 or better Heat dissipation medium: 188 Helicoid pins, made of high conductivity aluminum alloy 1100 (218 W/m-K) Heat sink overall dimensions: 2.5x2.5x1.63" - 63.5x 63.5x41.4mm: Weight: 17 oz - 482 g

Shiney copper!

As we have seen many times, HSF manufacturers are now all going over to a nice copper base for some serious performance. The Swiftech is no different. It offers a full copper base, and also with a unique "pin" design to help dissipate the heat. Not many HSFs offer this design, so already we see this in a class of its own in terms of design. The included is a nice beefy 60mm papst fan:

Papst NHH612 - 60x60x25mm fan, 33 CFM Rotation speed: 6850 RPM Noise level: 43 dBA - No tachometer. 12 volt DC, 250mA, 3.0 Watts - 4 Pin Molex connector to the power supply (not to the motherboard) Mounting: 4 x 6-32 x 2.5" long screws and rubber spacers

I was very surprised as to how quite this fan was. I am used to a noisy 60mm delta of similar specs, but this one seemed very quiet. Swiftech obviously chose a good fan for the job:

mmmm, the thickness!

You can just see how the fan is powered, using a 4 pin molex. The wire also has a fabric wrap around it, great for protection.

WHAT?!? No chrome grill!

You may notice the fan doesnt come with a fan grill. IMO, a performance HSF should also come with a chrome grill. Not only for protection, but also adds a nice touch, as well as not imparing the fans CFM levels.

To install the HSF looks fairly complicated. But when you read the manual it becomes very apparent.

The installation clips.

Installing the HSF is slightly different to the "standard" method. Instead of using force to attach it, which can be dangerous towards core cracking, you simply screw the HSF on. How? Well, on top of the mounting clips is a screw. You mount the HSF just like any normal one (obviously applying some thermal grease), but to tighten it up you simply screw the screw ;) till its 1.5mm above the clip, make sure its secure, and there you go. I've never had an install go easier! Swiftech have hit the jack pot with this one. Very simple once you've read the manual, and also I didnt feel like I was going to crack to the core of my lovely XP 1600+ :P Thumbs up for installation!

The HSF installed.

Time to test this handsome feller! For the tests I ran SETI for 30mins to achieve a load test. For idle, I simply turned on the system and left it doing nothing for 30mins. Since this HSF is a performance HSF, I left my system overclocked. As I said above, its an XP 1600+ @ 1520MHz, not a large overclock for this CPU, but a nice one none the less!

Both compared.

I loved this idle temp! Even when only surfing the web, chatting on IRC, usual PC things, the temp only occasionaly rose to 32 dgrees! The load temp was also supreme for such an overclock. The only fan I have is next to the CPU extracting hot air is an 80mm evercool, and running at only 913RPM I think its pretty safe to say I dont need the evercool there! The papst does all the hard work!

To sum it all up, Swiftech have a winner! Its *almost* everything you need from a HSF. Only one thing missing, and thats a chrome fan grill!

Good and the BAD!

Good:

VERY easy to install
Excellent temperatures
Nice quite fan, but one hard working fan

the BAD!

No chrome grill

Go on, buy it! At £51.71 this is a worthy price for the performance it offers.

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