MaximumPC 2008 12

C

ooler Master’s V8 CPU cooler off sets
a somewhat time-consuming instal-
lation process with near-record-
setting performance for an air cooler. The
sleek aluminum cooler’s 12cm fan sits
between two heatsinks on the device, spar-
ing fi ngers from the accidental nip of its
800rpm-to-1,800rpm variable fan.
The V8’s installation process is similar
to that of most other CPU coolers, but with
a few more screws involved. On an Intel
platform, you start by attaching two reten-
tion plates to the cooler itself. You then re-
move the motherboard from your case and
flip it upside-down, matching the ends of
the cooler’s four retention screws with the
mobo’s holes. You balance this contraption
in your lap while using four large nuts
to secure this beast of a device in place.
You can also use an included backplane
to mount the device, but we found the nut
method to be far easier.
The 16-centimeter-tall V8 emits a slight
red glow when you power up your machine.
You adjust the speeds of the included fan

using a knob that you can secure to your

PC using an included PCI bracket. At its

lowest setting, the cooler easily outper-

forms a typical Intel stock cooler and

comes within a few degrees of our top air

cooler, Thermaltake’s DuOrb. Cranking

the V8 to its highest setting makes for a

bit more noise than the DuOrb but pro-

duces only a meager two-degree increase

in cooling performance on both our idle

and burn tests.

This performance, nevertheless, plac-

es the V8 in the top echelon of coolers we

have tested—second place, to be exact.

The installation process isn’t a picnic, but

we’ve experienced worse. All and all, it’s

a great addition to a machine—both aes-

thetically and thermally. –D A V I D M U R P H Y

Cooler Master V8

A healthy cup of cooling for your CPU

We like that the V8 is taller than it is

wide. Unlike Thermaltake’s DuOrb,

this cooler doesn’t block any of the

parts on our motherboard.

VERDICT

$70, http://www.coolermaster.com

9

Nearly top-notch

cooling performance,

beautiful aesthetics.

Not that much of a

cooling difference

between low and high

fan speeds.

GIN

COOLER MASTER V8

JUICE

Best scores are bolded. Idle temperatures were measured after an hour of inactivity; load temperatures were measured after an hour’s worth of CPU Burn-In (four instances).
Test system consists of a stock-clock Q6700 processor on an EVGA 680i motherboard.

BENCHMARKS

V8 (low) V8 (high) Thermaltake DuOrb StockCooler

Idle (C) 34.8 33.3 33.5 38.5

100% Burn (C) 58.8 56.3 52.3 66.8

http://www.maximumpc.com | DEC 08 | MAXIMUMPC | 93