[nextpage title=”Introduction”]
Today we are benchmarking Cooler Master Vortex Plus CPU cooler, which has a horizontal heatsink, four heatipes and a 92-mm fan. Let’s check out its performance!
Vortex Plus seems to be an evolution of Vortex 752 from the same manufacturer, using four heatpipes instead of only two. This new cooler also seems to use the same fan found on Cooler Master Hyper TX3.
The box of the cooler is relatively small and uses the same color pattern used on newer cooler models from this brand.
Inside the box we found the heatsink, fan, user manual, installation hardware and a tube of thermal compound.
In Figure 3 you can have a general view of Vortex Plus heatsink, which does not come with the fan installed.
In the next pages we will analyse this cooler in detail.
[nextpage title=”Cooler Master Vortex Plus”]
In Figure 4, you can see the front of the cooler. Note it has two independent heatsinks, one at the base and one on the top, which is connected to the base through four heatpipes.
In Figure 5 you have a side view of the cooler, where you can check the shape of the heatpipes.
In Figure 6, you can see the back of the cooler. We did not like the position of the heatpipes at the base: they don’t pass by the center of the base, which is the are from the CPU where most of the heat is generated.
[nextpage title=”Cooler Master Vortex Plus (Cont’d)”]
In Figure 7, you can see the base of the cooler, with a smooth but not mirror-like finishing. As we said before, there is no reason for the heatpipes be closer to the edges of the base rather than on its center.
The 92-mm fan is the same model used on Hyper TX3, with automatic PWM speed control.
[nextpage title=”Installation”]
Installation of Vortex Plus is relatively simple, because there is no need to remove the motherboard from the case. First, you need to attach two clips to the motheboard, using pegs similar to Intel stock cooler’s. In Figure 9, you can see these clips in place.
Figure 9: Clips installed on the motherboard.
Then put the cooler in place and attach it to the clip, using only one screw.
Figure 10: Coolr installed on the motherboard.
After that you need to install the fan on the cooler, as you can check in Figure 11.
In Figure 12, you can see the cooler installed in our case.
Figure 12: Installed in our case.
[nextpage title=”How We Tested”]
We are adopting the following methodology for our CPU cooler reviews.
First, we chose the CPU with the highest TDP (Thermal Design Power) we had available, a Core 2 Extreme QX6850, which has a 130 W TDP. The choice for a CPU with a high TDP is obvious. To measure the efficiency of the tested cooler, we need a processor that gets very hot. This CPU works by default at 3.0 GHz, but we overclocked it to 3.33 GHz, in order to heat it as much as possible.
We took noise and temperature measurements with the CPU idle and under full load. In order to achieve 100% CPU load on the four processing cores we ran Prime95 with the "In-place Large FFTs" option, and three instances of the StressCPU program, all at the same time.
We also compared the reviewed cooler to the Intel stock cooler (with copper base), which comes with the processor we used, and also with some other coolers we have tested using the same methodology.
Temperature measurements were taken with a digital thermometer, with the sensor touching the base of the cooler, and also with the core temperature reading (given by the CPU thermal sensor) from the from the SpeedFan progra
m, using an arithmetic average of the four core temperature readings.
The sound pressure level (SPL) was measured with a digital noise meter, with its sensor placed 4" (10 cm) from the fan. We turned off the video board cooler so it wouldn’t interfere with the results, but this measurement is only for comparative purposes, because a precise SPL measurement needs to be made inside an acoustically insulated room with no other noise sources, which is not the case here.
Hardware Configuration
- Processor: Core 2 Extreme QX6850
- Motherboard: Gigabyte EP45-UD3L
- Memory: 4 GB G.Skill F2-6400CL5S-2GBNY (DDR2-800/PC2-6400 with 5-5-5-15 timings), configured at 800 MHz
- Hard drive: 1 TB Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 (ST31000528AS, SATA-300, 7200 rpm, 32 MB buffer)
- Video card: PNY Verto Geforce 9600 GT
- Video resolution: 1680×1050
- Video monitor: Samsung Syncmaster 2232BW Plus
- Power supply required: Seventeam ST-350BKV
- Case: 3RSystem K100
Software Configuration
- Windows XP Professional SP3
Software Used
Error Margin
We adopted a 2 °C error margin, i.e., temperature differences below 2 °C are considered irrelevant.
[nextpage title=”Our Tests”]
On the tables below you can see our results. We ran the same tests with the coolers shown on below tables. Each test ran with the CPU idle and then with the CPU fully loaded. On BigTyp 14Pro, TMG IA1, NH-U12P and ISGC-300 the tests were done with the fan at full speed and at minimum speed. The other coolers were connected directly to the motherboard and it controls the fan speed based on CPU load level and temperature on PWM models. ISGC-400, iCEAGE Prima Boss, Megahalems Rev. B, Thermaltake SpinQ VT, Zalman CNPS10X Flex, Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme, Tuniq Propeller 120 and Zalman VF2000 LED were tested at minimum speed on idle test and at maximum speed on full load test.
CPU Idle |
|||||
Cooler | Room Temp. | Noise | Fan Speed | Base Temp. | Core Temp. |
Intel stock | 14 °C | 44 dBA | 1000 rpm | 31 °C | 42 °C |
BigTyp 14Pro (min) | 17 °C | 47 dBA | 880 rpm | 29 °C | 36 °C |
BigTyp 14Pro (max) | 17 °C | 59 dBA | 1500 rpm | 26 °C | 34 °C |
Akasa Nero | 18 °C | 41 dBA | 500 rpm | 26 °C | 35 °C |
Cooler Master V10 | 14 °C | 44 dBA | 1200 rpm | 21 °C | 26 °C |
TMG IA1 (max) | 16 °C | 47 dBA | 1500 rpm | 22 °C | 30 °C |
TMG IA1 (min) | 16 °C | 57 dBA | 2250 rpm | 21 °C | 30 °C |
Zalman CNPS10X Extreme | 16 °C | 44 dBA | 1200 rpm | 21 °C | 29 °C |
Thermaltake ISGC-100 | 18 °C | 44 dBA | 1450 rpm | 35 °C | 49 °C |
Noctua NH-U12P (low) | 15 °C | 42 dBA | 1000 rpm | 20 °C | 30 °C |
Noctua NH-U12P | 15 °C | 46 dBA | 1400 rpm | 20 °C | 28 °C |
Noctua NH-C12P | 17 °C | 46 dBA | 1400 rpm | 23 °C | 28 °C |
Thermaltake ISGC-200 | 21 °C | 43 dBA | 1100 rpm | 31 °C | 35 °C |
Schythe Kabuto | 22 °C | 42 dBA | 800 rpm | 29 °C | 34 °C |
Arctic Cooling Alpine 11 Pro | 20 °C | 43 dBA | 1500 rpm | 32 °C | 39 °C |
ISGC-300 (min) | 18 °C | 42 dBA | 800 rpm | 26 °C | 30 °C |
ISGC-300 (max) | 18 °C | 46 dBA | 1400 rpm | 24 °C | 26 °C |
SilverStone NT06-E | 21 °C | 66 dBA | 2600 rpm | 30 °C | 41 °C |
Zalman CNPS9700 NT | 22 °C | 48 dBA | 1700 rpm | 28 °C | 35 °C |
Scythe Mugen-2 | 17 °C | 41 dBA | 700 rpm | 25 °C | 30 °C |
ISGC-400 (min) | 17 °C | 44 dBA | 850 rpm | 24 °C | 30 °C |
Cooler Master Vortex 752 | 20 °C | 48 dBA | 1700 rpm | 32 °C | 44 °C |
iCEAGE Prima Boss (min) | 22 °C | 42 dBA | 1000 rpm | 29 °C | 36 °C |
Evercool Buffalo | 17 °C | 51 dBA | 1850 rpm | 22 °C | 29 °C |
Scythe Big Shuriken | 20 °C | 42 dBA | 900 rpm | 31 °C | 39 °C |
Cooler Master Hyper TX3 | 21 °C | 44 dBA | 1700 rpm | 30 °C | 39 °C |
Titan Skalli | 20 °C | 43 dBA | 1200 rpm | 27 °C | 34 °C |
Prolimatech Megahalems Rev. B | 21 °C | 40 dBA | 800 rpm | 28 °C | 32 °C |
Zalman CNPS9900 NT | 23 °C | 45 dBA | 900 rpm | 30 °C | 34 °C |
Cooler Master Hyper N620 | 21 °C | 44 dBA | 1200 rpm | 28 °C | 34 °C |
Nexus LOW-7000 R2 | 23 °C | 46 dBA | 1400 rpm | 33 °C | 42 °C |
Evercool HPK-10025EA | 20 °C | 54 dBA | 1900 rpm | 27 °C | 34 °C |
Evercool HPH-9525EA | 23 °C | 50 dBA | 1900 rpm | 38 °C | 49 °C |
iCEAGE Prima Boss II | 23 °C | 42 dBA | 1000 rpm | 29 °C | 35 °C |
Thermaltake SpinQ VT | 24 °C | 45 dBA | 950 rpm | 32 °C | 39 °C |
Titan Fenrir | 21 °C | 42 dBA | 950 rpm | 29 °C | 35 °C |
Zalman CNPS 10 Flex | 23 °C | 40 dBA | 800 rpm | 32 °C | 39 °C |
Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme | 24 °C | 43 dBA | 1100 rpm | 30 °C | 37 °C |
Gelid Tranquillo | 22 °C | 41 dBA | 850 rpm | 29 °C | 36 °C |
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus | 20 °C | 45 dBA | 1200 rpm | 27 °C | 35 °C |
Spire TherMax Eclipse | 20 °C | 58 dBA | 2300 rpm | 25 °C | 34 °C |
Tuniq Propeller 120 | 20 °C | 43 dBA | 1050 rpm | 24 °C | 33 °C |
Nexus VCT-9000 | 20 °C | 44 dBA | 600 rpm | 28 °C | 37 °C |
Coolink Corator DS | 19 °C | 45 dBA | 1050 rpm | 32 °C | |
CoolIT ECO | 17 °C | 43 dBA | 900 rpm | – | 32 °C |
Zalman VF2000 LED | 17 °C | 43 dBA | 1300 rpm | 28 °C | 36 °C |
Cooler Master Vortex Plus | 17 °C | 45 dBA | 1400 rpm | 23 °C | 34 °C |
CPU Fully Loaded |
|||||
Cooler | Room Temp. | Noise | Fan Speed | Base Temp. | Core Temp. |
Intel stock | 14 °C | 48 dBA | 1740 rpm | 42 °C | 100 °C |
BigTyp 14Pro (min) | 17 °C | 47 dBA | 880 rpm | 43 °C | 77 °C |
BigTyp 14Pro (max) | 17 °C | 59 dBA | 1500 rpm | 35 °C | 70 °C |
Akasa Nero | 18 °C | 48 dBA | 1500 rpm | 34 °C | 68 °C |
Cooler Master V10 | 14 °C | 54 dBA | 1900 rpm | 24 °C | 52 °C |
TMG IA1 (max) | 16 °C | 47 dBA | 1500 rpm | 27 °C | 63 °C |
TMG IA1 (min) | 16 °C | 57 dBA | 2250 rpm | 25 °C | 60 °C |
Zalman CNPS10X Extreme | 16 °C | 51 dBA | 1900 rpm | 24 °C | 50 °C |
Thermaltake ISG-100 | 18 °C | 50 dBA | 1800 rpm | 58 °C | 93 °C |
Noctua NH-U12P (low) | 15 °C | 42 dBA | 1000 rpm | 28 °C | 59 °C |
Noctua NH-U12P | 15 °C | 46 dBA | 1400 rpm | 25 °C | 54 °C |
Noctua NH-C12P | 17 °C | 46 dBA | 1400 rpm | 37 °C | 76 °C |
Thermaltake ISGC-200 | 21 °C | 48 dBA | 1900 rpm | 42 °C | 68 °C |
Scythe Kabuto | 22 °C | 47 dBA | 1200 rpm | 38 °C | 63 °C |
Arctic Cooling Alpine 11 Pro | 20 °C | 51 dBA | 2300 rpm | 49 °C | 85 °C |
ISGC-300 (min) | 18 °C | 42 dBA | 800 rpm | 36 °C | 64 °C |
ISGC-300 (max) | 18 °C | 46 dBA | 1400 rpm | 31 °C | 56 °C |
SilverStone NT06-E | 21 °C | 66 dBA | 2600 rpm | 39 °C | 96 °C |
Zalman CNPS9700 NT | 22 °C | 56 dBA | 2600 rpm | 34 °C | 63 °C |
Scythe Mugen-2 | 17 °C | 46 dBA | 1300 rpm | 28 °C | 54 °C |
ISGC-400 (max) | 17 °C | 47 dBA | 1400 rpm | 36 °C | 69 °C |
Cooler Master Vortex 752 | 20 °C | 55 dBA | 2300 rpm | 48 °C | 92 °C |
iCEAGE Prima Boss (max) | 22 °C | 53 dBA | 2000 rpm | 35 °C | 59 °C |
Evercool Buffalo | 17 °C | 51 dBA | 1850 rpm | 32 °C | 67 °C |
Scythe Big Shuriken | 20 °C | 50 dBA | 1500 rpm | 51 °C | 85 °C |
Cooler Master Hyper TX3 | 21 °C | 53 dBA | 2700 rpm | 39 °C | 66 °C |
Titan Skalli | 20 °C | 47 dBA | 1550 rpm | 37 °C | 69 °C |
Prolimatech Megahalems Rev. B | 21 °C | 61 dBA | 2600 rpm | 30 °C | 51 °C |
Zalman CNPS9900 NT | 23 °C | 56 dBA | 2000 rpm | 34 °C | 54 °C |
Cooler Master Hyper N620 | 21 °C | 50 dBA | 1650 rpm | 32 °C | 56 °C |
Nexus LOW-7000 R2 | 23 °C | 53 dBA | 1900 rpm | 45 °C | 74 °C |
Evercool HPK-10025EA | 20 °C | 54 dBA | 1900 rpm | 39 °C | 69 °C |
Evercool HPH-9525EA | 23 °C | 50 dBA | 1900 rpm | 58 °C | 100 °C |
iCEAGE Prima Boss II | 23 °C | 56 dBA | 2100 rpm | 32 °C | 56 °C |
Thermaltake SpinQ VT | 24 °C | 52 dBA | 1500 rpm | 40 °C | 68 °C |
Titan Fenrir | 21 °C | 50 dBA | 1600 rpm | 33 °C | 58 °C |
Zalman CNPS 10 Flex | 23 °C | 61 dBA | 2600 rpm | 33 °C | 59 °C |
Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme | 24 °C | 56 dBA | 1900 rpm | 35 °C | 60 °C |
Gelid Tranquillo | 22 °C | 46 dBA | 1450 rpm | 31 °C | 60 °C |
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus | 20 °C | 52 dBA | 1900 rpm | 32 °C | 64 °C |
Spire TherMax Eclipse | 20 °C | 58 dBA | 2300 rpm | 29 °C | 73 °C |
Tuniq Propeller 120 | 20 °C | 55 dBA | 1900 rpm | 36 °C | 68 °C |
Nexus VCT-9000 | 20 °C | 50 dBA | 850 rpm | 43 °C | 88 °C |
Coolink Corator DS | 19 °C | 56 dBA | 1800 rpm | 32 °C | 62 °C |
CoolIT ECO | 17 °C | 54 dBA | 1850 rpm | – | 62 °C |
Zalman NF2000 LED | 17 °C | 51 dBA | 2200 rpm | 43 °C | 97 °C |
Cooler Master Vortex Plus | 17 °C | 57 dBA | 2700 rpm | 33 °C | 78 °C |
The next graph shows how many degrees Celsius the CPU core was hotter than room temperature during our idle tests.
The next graph gives you an idea on how many degrees Celsius the CPU core was hotter than room temperature during our full load tests.
[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]
Cooler Master Vortex Plus main features are:
- Application: Socket LGA775, 1156, 1366, AM3, AM2+, AM2, 940, 939 and 754 processors.
- Fins: Aluminum.
- Base: Aluminum, with heatpipes touching the CPU.
- Heat-pipes: Four copper heat-pipes.
- Fan: 92 mm.
- Nominal fan speed: 2,800 rpm.
- Fan air flow: 54.8 cfm.
- Maximum power consumption: 3.12 W.
- Nominal noise level: 35 dBA.
- Weight: 15.7 oz (445 g).
- More information: https://www.coolermaster.com
- Average price in the US*: USD 30.00
* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.
[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]
Vortex Plus is not a cooler targeted to overclockers and enthusiasts. Its main audience are computers mounted in SFF or HTPC (Home Theater PC) cases. It is relatively inexpensive if compared to top notch coolers.
With this in mind the conclusion we get is that it is a mid-range cooler compared to other products with the same target-audience. It is important to consider, however, that Vortex Plus achieved better performance than its predecessor, Vortex 752.
It was noisy when our CPU was under full load, but since it will probably be used with lower TDP processors this may not be a problem (its noise level when the CPU was idle was low).
In summary, if you need a relatively inexpensive CPU cooler to use in an SFF case you can think about Vortex Plus. If this is not your case, look for another option.
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