OCZ Vanquisher CPU Cooler

Rob Williams · 10-11-2007, 11:33 PM

There’s an ever-increasing variety of CPU coolers out there, each competing for your dollar with advanced features, high performance, and bling. We take a look at OCZ’s latest, the Vanquisher, a smaller tower-style cooler that features a large fin structure and a 92mm, frameless fan.

You can read Rory's full review here and discuss it here!

THUMPer · 10-15-2007, 10:47 AM

I am kinda disappointed in the performance of this cooler, and the set up. It's on an AMD system, and for the most part looks like it is facing the "wrong way". Compared to other upright coolers that face the rear fan in the case.

Rory Buszka · 11-11-2007, 04:17 PM

Yeah, the orientation of this cooler was limited by the orientation of the Socket AM2 bracket. Most all the newer boards I've seen use this vertical orientation, so you're pretty much stuck if you aren't using an LGA 775 processor. The new ZEROTherm Nirvana, on the other hand, features a clip that can be rotated 90 degrees, allowing the optimal front-to-back airflow.

Thermally, this cooler didn't really 'wow' me. Even on a high-power Athlon 64 X2 6000+ overclocked to 3.2 GHz (125W TDP), the fan on this cooler had to work hard to keep things under 70 C when loading both cores with F@H, ramping up to about 2200 RPM on the motherboard's smart fan controller. Now, to be fair, what the Vanquisher really has going for it is relatively compact size for a tower CPU cooler, but it seems to be the most 'budget'-oriented of the three offerings from OCZ. The heatsink base was also rough - it could have used a good lapping.

Merlin · 11-11-2007, 06:04 PM

You can't beat a Zalman 9700 LED, it's almost a chiller.
I had the Zalman on mine and now a Freezone, the dif is about 8 to 10 C warmer.

Rob Williams · 11-11-2007, 08:56 PM

I don't understand how the Freezone only improves the temperature 8C - 10C over an air cooler on a Dual-Core. What are your temperatures with the CoolIT installed?

10-11-2007, 11:33 PM	#1
Rob Williams Editor in Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 8,921	OCZ Vanquisher CPU Cooler There’s an ever-increasing variety of CPU coolers out there, each competing for your dollar with advanced features, high performance, and bling. We take a look at OCZ’s latest, the Vanquisher, a smaller tower-style cooler that features a large fin structure and a 92mm, frameless fan. You can read Rory's full review here and discuss it here! __________________ Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 @ 3.20GHz, ASUS P5K Premium WiFi-AP, OCZ 8GB PC2-6400, EVGA GTX 285 1024MB Seagate 500GB, 750GB & 1TB, Pioneer 22x ODD, Corsair 1000HX, Thermalright Ultra-120, CM Storm Sniper Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Ultrasone PRO 750, Gentoo Linux (KDE 4.3.2, 2.6.31 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter Profiles: Last.fm \| Xbox Live \| Steam

11-11-2007, 04:17 PM	#3
Rory Buszka Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 440	Yeah, the orientation of this cooler was limited by the orientation of the Socket AM2 bracket. Most all the newer boards I've seen use this vertical orientation, so you're pretty much stuck if you aren't using an LGA 775 processor. The new ZEROTherm Nirvana, on the other hand, features a clip that can be rotated 90 degrees, allowing the optimal front-to-back airflow. Thermally, this cooler didn't really 'wow' me. Even on a high-power Athlon 64 X2 6000+ overclocked to 3.2 GHz (125W TDP), the fan on this cooler had to work hard to keep things under 70 C when loading both cores with F@H, ramping up to about 2200 RPM on the motherboard's smart fan controller. Now, to be fair, what the Vanquisher really has going for it is relatively compact size for a tower CPU cooler, but it seems to be the most 'budget'-oriented of the three offerings from OCZ. The heatsink base was also rough - it could have used a good lapping. __________________ Rory Buszka

11-11-2007, 06:04 PM	#4
Merlin The Tech Wizard Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Woodstock,Ga Posts: 1,847	You can't beat a Zalman 9700 LED, it's almost a chiller. I had the Zalman on mine and now a Freezone, the dif is about 8 to 10 C warmer. __________________ WinVista 64 bit , Intel i7 920 watercooled loop #1red 1/2" tubing, MSI Platinum mobo, GTX280 GPU watercooled loop #2 blue 3/8" tubing... Silverstone Strider 1000 watt, HAF Coolermaster case...150 gig Raptor..2 ea. 1 TB WD Green Synology NAS 207 Network Server with 2 Hitachi Terabite drives

11-11-2007, 08:56 PM	#5
Rob Williams Editor in Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 8,921	I don't understand how the Freezone only improves the temperature 8C - 10C over an air cooler on a Dual-Core. What are your temperatures with the CoolIT installed? __________________ Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 @ 3.20GHz, ASUS P5K Premium WiFi-AP, OCZ 8GB PC2-6400, EVGA GTX 285 1024MB Seagate 500GB, 750GB & 1TB, Pioneer 22x ODD, Corsair 1000HX, Thermalright Ultra-120, CM Storm Sniper Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Ultrasone PRO 750, Gentoo Linux (KDE 4.3.2, 2.6.31 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter Profiles: Last.fm \| Xbox Live \| Steam

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10-15-2007, 10:47 AM	#2
THUMPer Coastermaker Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Indianpolis! Posts: 203	I am kinda disappointed in the performance of this cooler, and the set up. It's on an AMD system, and for the most part looks like it is facing the "wrong way". Compared to other upright coolers that face the rear fan in the case.