This new CPU cooler packs more of a
punch than you might think
The Argon AR01 forms part of a new lineup
of CPU coolers from SilverStone. An equally cheap 92mm fan based model is also
available, as is a heftier and costlier 120mm based one. The £25 price of the
AR01 certainly gets it off to a good start, though.
In basic design terms, there's little new
here, but it's no bad thing to stick with a tried and tested design principle.
The AR01 has three copper heat pipes that make direct contact with the CPU
surface and transfer heat up into a dense stack of thin aluminium fins, which
are in turn cooled by a single 120mm fan.
One advantage that cheaper air coolers have
over their more expensive brethren, and one that the Argon AR01 shares, is
being both small and light. The relatively compact dimensions mean that it
should be compatible with almost any ATX case around as well as even the
tallest of memory modules. Meanwhile, its light frame means that the strain it
places on motherboards will be minimal.
SilverStone
Argon AR01
The single blue and white fan has nine
sharply angled blades and supports PWM control, so you can use your motherboard
to adjust its speed. It's held in place by four unique and fully rubber white
mounts, which slot into place between the heatsink fins. An extra set of these
is also provided so users can add a secondary fan should they wish to increase
the cooler's airflow. The fan cable is has a quality sleeving on it, which
reflects the high build quality of everything in the package, from the metal
backplate to the main cooler itself.
Installing the Argon AR01 is fairly easy,
with most of the process only requiring your hands thanks to thumbscrews. The
first stage is to erect the mounting base, which consists of a backplate
(except for LGA2011 users), standoffs and mounting plates. The cooler is
attached to these plates by two screws, and finally the fan is fitted. The
whole process takes just a few minutes and can be done inside a chassis, and
the resultant mount pressure is wonderfully tight.
Installing
the Argon AR01 is fairly easy, with most of the process only requiring your
hands thanks to thumbscrews
For so cheap a cooler, its performance is
truly excellent. It outdoes competing products like Arctic Cooling's Freezer
i30 and Thermalright's True Spirit 120M, and is even able to outshine more
expensive models. Naturally, it's at its best with its fan at its relatively
noisy full speed, but using PWM control to limit the fan speed a little results
in only a small dip in performance but a much lower noise level. Overclocked
LGA1155 CPUs pose no problem for the Argon AR01, but it can even cope with the
high thermal output of a moderately overclocked LGA2011 CPU too.
For
so cheap a cooler, its performance is truly excellent
Simply put, the Argon AR01 is a brilliant
budget cooler. Its performance trumps certain mid-range models and is even hot
on the heels of premium air coolers like Noctua's NH-D14 (only while at its
noisiest, however). Its small design means it will fit into almost any ATX
build, and it's easy to work with and clearly well built as well. Unless you're
intent on pushing your CPU to its absolute limit or desire silence above all
else, the Argon AR01 would make a really fantastic purchase.
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Specifications
- Compatibility Intel:
LGA2011, LGA 1366, LGA1155, LGA1156, LGA775; AMD: AM3+, AM3, AM2+, AM2,
FM2, FM1
- Weight 420g (without fan)
- Size (mm) 120 x 75 x 159 (W
x D xH)
- Fan(s) 1 x 120mm (PWM),
1,000~2,200RPM
- Stated Noise 16.4-33.5 db(A)
- Extras Additional fan mounts
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