[nextpage title=”Introduction”]
We tested the SilverStone AR01 CPU cooler. It has a tower heatsink, three 8 mm heatpipes and one 120 mm fan, supporting up to two fans. With its conservative design, will it perform well? Let’s see!
Figure 1 shows the box of the cooler.
Figure 1: Package
Figure 2 shows the contents of the box: heatsink, fan, a small bag of thermal compound, a manual, and installation hardware.
Figure 2: Accessories
Figure 3 displays the AR01 heatsink.
Figure 3: SilverStone AR01 heatsink
This cooler is discussed in detail in the following pages.
[nextpage title=”The SilverStone AR01″]
Figure 4 illustrates the front of the heatsink. As we mentioned before, the AR01 uses a traditional design for tower coolers, with the heatpipes in a single row at each side of the heatsink.
Figure 4: Front view
Figure 5 reveals the side of the cooler. The fins are folded in the center, creating a partially closed surface. Check for the thick 8 mm heatpipes at the bottom.
Figure 5: Side view
The top of the heatsink is visible in Figure 6, showing the tips of the heatpipes.
Figure 6: Top view
[nextpage title=”The SilverStone AR01 (Cont’d)”]
Figure 7 shows the base of the cooler. The heatpipes make direct contact with the CPU. The surface is smooth but not mirrored.
Figure 7: Base
In Figure 8, you can see the 120 mm PWM fan that comes with the AR01. Its model is AS1225H12, with a nominal speed of 2,200 rpm and nominal airflow of 81.4 cfm.
Figure 8: Fan
Figure 9 presents the AR01 with the fan installed. The fan holding system is one of the best we have ever seen, with rubber pieces that connect to the sides of the heatsink. It is very secure and also easy to install and remove, while avoiding vibrations.
Figure 9: Fan installed
[nextpage title=”Installation”]
Figure 10 shows the backplate for use with AMD and Intel processors. The threaded holes on the “Intel side” are compatible with sockets LGA775, LGA1155, LGA1156, and LGA1366 CPUs. Socket LGA2011 systems will use the stock mounting system, and AMD systems use the other side of the backplate.
Figure 10: Backplate
Put the backplate on the solder side of the motherboard, and screw four spacers (shown in Figure 11) by the component side. Then, install the two bars shown in Figure 12.
Figure 11: Spacers installed
Figure 12: Metal bars installed
Then, install the heatsink over the CPU, holding it with two screws and a transversal bar.
Figure 13: Heatsink installed
Finally, install the fan.
Figure 14: Fan installed
[nextpage title=”How we Tested”]
We tested the cooler with a Core i5-2500K CPU (quad-core, 3.3 GHz), which is a socket LGA1155 processor with a 95 W TDP (Thermal Design Power). In order to get higher thermal dissipation, we overclocked it to 4.0 GHz (100 MHz base clock and x40 multiplier), with 1.3 V core voltage (Vcore). This CPU was able to reach 4.8 GHz with its default core voltage, but at this setting, the processor enters thermal throttling when using mainstream coolers, reducing the clock and thus the thermal dissipation. This could interfere with the temperature readings, so we chose to maintain a moderate overclocking.
We measured noise and temperature with the CPU under full load. In order to get 100% CPU usage in all cores, we ran Prime 95 25.11 with the “In-place Large FFTs” option. (In this version, the software uses all available threads.)
We compared the tested cooler to other coolers we already tested, and to the stock cooler that comes with the Core i5-2500K CPU. Note that the results cannot be compared to measures taken on a different hardware configuration, so we retested some “old” coolers with this new methodology. This means you can find different values in older reviews than the values you will read on the next page. Every cooler was tested with the thermal compound that comes with it.
Room temperature measurements were taken with a digital thermometer. The core temperature was read with the SpeedFan program (available from the CPU thermal sensors), using an arithmetic average of the core temperature readings.
During the tests, the panels of the computer case were closed. The front and rear case fans were spinning at minimum speed in order to simulate the “normal” cooler use on a well-ventilated case. We assume that is the common setup used by a cooling enthusiast or overclocker.
The sound pressure level (SPL) was measured with a digital noise meter, with its sensor placed near the top opening of the case. This measurement is only for comparison 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 i5-2500K
- Motherboard: ASUS Maximus IV Extreme-Z
- Memory: 16 GB G.Skill Sniper (DDR3-1600/PC3-12800), configured at 1,600 MHz
- Hard disk: Seagate Barracuda XT 2 TB
- Video card: MSI GeForce GT 210 1 GB
- Video resolution: 1920×1080
- Video monitor: Samsung SyncMaster P2470HN
- Power supply: Seventeam ST-550P-AM
- Case: Cooler Master HAF 922
Operating System Configuration
- Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit SP1
Software Used
Error Margin
We adopted a 2°C error margin, meaning temperature differences below 2°C are considered irrelevant.
[nextpage title=”Our Tests”]
The table below presents the results of our measurements. We repeated the same test on all coolers listed below. Each measurement was taken with the CPU at full load. In the models with a fan supporting PWM, the motherboard controlled the fan speed according to core load and temperature. On coolers with an integrated fan controller, the fan was set at the full speed.
| Cooler | Room Temp. | Noise | Speed | Core Temp. | Temp. Diff. |
| Intel stock cooler | 18 °C | 41 dBA | 2000 rpm | 97 °C | 79 °C |
| Cooler Master Hyper TX3 | 18 °C | 50 dBA | 2850 rpm | 69 ºC | 51 °C |
| Corsair A70 | 23 °C | 51 dBA | 2000 rpm | 66 ºC | 43 °C |
| Corsair H100 | 26 °C | 62 dBA | 2000 rpm | 64 ºC | 38 °C |
| EVGA Superclock | 26 °C | 57 dBA | 2550 rpm | 67 ºC | 41 °C |
| NZXT HAVIK 140 | 20 °C | 46 dBA | 1250 rpm | 65 ºC | 45 °C |
| Thermalright True Spirit 120 | 26 °C | 42 dBA | 1500 rpm | 82 °C | 56 °C |
| Zalman CNPS12X | 26 °C | 43 dBA | 1200 rpm | 71 °C | 45 °C |
| Zalman CNPS9900 Max | 20 °C | 51 dBA | 1700 rpm | 62 °C | 42 °C |
| Titan Fenrir Siberia Edition | 22 °C | 50 dBA | 2400 rpm | 65 °C | 43 °C |
| SilenX EFZ-120HA5 | 18 °C | 44 dBA | 1500 rpm | 70 °C | 52 °C |
| Noctua NH-L12 | 20 °C | 44 dBA | 1450 rpm | 70 °C | 50 °C |
| Zalman CNPS8900 Extreme | 21 °C | 53 dBA | 2550 rpm | 71 °C | 50 °C |
| Gamer Storm Assassin | 15 °C | 48 dBA | 1450 rpm | 58 °C | 43 °C |
| Deepcool Gammaxx 400 | 15 °C | 44 dBA | 1500 rpm | 60 °C | 45 °C |
| Cooler Master TPC 812 | 23 °C | 51 dBA | 2350 rpm | 66 °C | 43 °C |
| Deepcool Gammaxx 300 | 18 °C | 43 dBA | 1650 rpm | 74 °C | 56 °C |
| Intel stock cooler | 18 °C | 41 dBA | 2000 rpm | 97 °C | 79 °C |
| Xigmatek Praeton | 19 °C | 52 dBA | 2900 rpm | 83 °C | 64 °C |
| Noctua NH-U12P SE2 | 18 °C | 42 dBA | 1300 rpm | 69 °C | 51 °C |
| Deepcool Frostwin | 24 °C | 46 dBA | 1650 rpm | 78 °C | 54 °C |
| Thermaltake Frio Advanced | 13 °C | 56 dBA | 2000 rpm | 62 °C | 49 °C |
| Xigmatek Dark Knight Night Hawk Edition | 9 °C | 48 dBA | 2100 rpm | 53 °C | 44 °C |
| Thermaltake Frio Extreme | 21 °C | 53 dBA | 1750 rpm | 59 °C | 38 °C |
| Noctua NH-U9B SE2 | 12 °C | 44 dBA | 1700 rpm | 64 °C | 52 °C |
| Thermaltake WATER2.0 Pro | 15 °C | 54 dBA | 2000 rpm | 52 °C | 37 °C |
| Deepcool Fiend Shark | 18 °C | 45 dBA | 1500 rpm | 74 °C | 56 °C |
| Arctic Freezer i30 | 13 °C | 42 dBA | 1350 rpm | 63 °C | 50 °C |
| Spire TME III | 8 °C | 46 dBA | 1700 rpm | 70 °C | 62 °C |
| Thermaltake WATER2.0 Performer | 11 °C | 54 dBA | 2000 rpm | 49 °C | 38 °C |
| Arctic Alpine 11 PLUS | 11 °C | 45 dBA | 2000 rpm | 82 °C | 71 °C |
| be quiet! Dark Rock 2 | 10 °C | 41 dBA | 1300 rpm | 58 °C | 48 °C |
| Phanteks PH-TC14CS | 16 °C | 47 dBA | 1300 rpm | 58 °C | 42 °C |
| Phanteks PH-TC14PE | 16 °C | 48 dBA | 1300 rpm | 57 °C | 41 °C |
| SilverStone HE01 (Q) | 19 °C | 44 dBA | 1150 rpm | 63 °C | 44 °C |
| SilverStone HE01 (P) | 20 °C | 57 dBA | 2050 rpm | 62 °C | 42 °C |
| Thermaltake WATER2.0 Extreme (S) | 17 °C | 44 dBA | 1250 rpm | 52 °C | 35 °C |
| Thermaltake WATER2.0 Extreme (E) | 17 °C | 53 dBA | 1900 rpm | 50 °C | 33 °C |
| Deepcool Neptwin | 11 °C | 46 dBA | 1500 rpm | 56 °C | 45 °C |
| SilverStone HE02 | 19 °C | 49 dBA | 2000 rpm | 64 °C | 45 °C |
| Zalman CNPS9900DF | 23 °C | 45 dBA | 1400 rpm | 68 °C | 45 °C |
| Deepcool ICE BLADE PRO V2.0 | 22 °C | 43 dBA | 1500 rpm | 67 °C | 45 °C |
| Phanteks PH-TC90LS | 24 °C | 47 dBA | 2600 rpm | 95 °C | 71 °C |
| Rosewill AIOLOS | 20 °C | 40 dBA | 1600 rpm | 94 °C | 74 °C |
| Corsair H60 | 20 °C | 49 dBA | 2000 rpm | 64 °C | 44 °C |
| Zalman LQ310 | 27 °C | 51 dBA | 2050 rpm | 65 °C | 38 °C |
| Noctua NH-L9i | 24 °C | 44 dBA | 2500 rpm | 95 °C | 71 °C |
| NZXT Respire T40 | 20 °C | 45 dBA | 1850 rpm | 76 °C | 56 °C |
| NZXT Respire T20 | 21 °C | 45 dBA | 1900 rpm | 77 °C | 56 °C |
| Zalman LQ315 | 20 °C | 52 dBA | 1950 rpm | 57 °C | 37 °C |
| Corsair H80i (Quiet) | 19 °C | 44 dBA | 1100 rpm | 61 °C | 42 °C |
| Corsair H80i (Maximum) | 19 °C | 57 dBA | 2500 rpm | 55 °C | 36 °C |
| NZXT Kraken X40 (Silent) | 25 °C | 44 dBA | 1050 rpm | 66 °C | 41 °C |
| NZXT Kraken X40 (Extreme) | 25 °C | 53 dBA | 1650 rpm | 62 °C | 37 °C |
| Zalman LQ320 | 20 °C | 52 dBA | 2100 rpm | 57 °C | 37 °C |
| Corsair H100i (Quiet) | 22 °C | 45 dBA | 1150 rpm | 58 °C | 36 °C |
| Corsair H100i (Maximum) | 22 °C | 61 dBA | 2500 rpm | 54 °C | 32 °C |
| NZXT Kraken X60 (Silent) | 26 °C | 46 dBA | 1000 rpm | 62 °C | 36 °C |
| NZXT Kraken X60 (Extreme) | 26 °C | 60 dBA | 1650 rpm | 60 °C | 34 °C |
| Prolimatech Genesis Black Series | 25 °C | 46 dBA | 1150 rpm | 69 °C | 44 °C |
| Phanteks PH-TC12DX | 25 °C | 51 dBA | 1850 rpm | 74 °C | 49 °C |
| Corsair H90 | 23 °C | 51 dBA | 1550 rpm | 61 °C | 38 °C |
| Corsair H110 | 27 °C | 58 dBA | 1500 rpm | 60 °C | 33 °C |
| Evercool Venti | 23 °C | 49 dBA | 2250 rpm | 72 °C | 49 °C |
| Thermalright Archon SB-E X2 | 22 °C | 45 dBA | 1400 rpm | 68 °C | 46 °C |
| Scythe Kabuto II | 20 °C | 41 dBA | 1450 rpm | 67 °C | 47 °C |
| Prolimatech Megahalems Red Series | 20 °C | 51 dBA | 1500 rpm | 63 °C | 43 °C |
| Zalman FX100 (fanless) | 18 °C | NA | NA | 98 °C | 80 °C |
| Zalman FX100 (92 mm fan) | 18 °C | 50 dBA | 2850 rpm | 69 °C | 51 °C |
| Gelid The Black Edition | 21 °C | 45 dBA | 1650 rpm | 66 °C | 45 °C |
| Thermalright AXP-100 | 22 °C | 42 dBA | 2400 rpm | 76 °C | 54 °C |
| SilverStone NT06-PRO | 19 °C | 50 dBA | 2400 rpm | 72 °C | 53 °C |
| SilverStone AR01 | 11 °C | 46 dBA | 2150 rpm | 53 °C | 42 °C |
In the graph below, you can see how many degrees Celsius hotter the CPU core is than the air outside the case. The lower this difference, the better is the performance of the cooler.
In the graph below, you can see how many decibels of noise each cooler makes.
[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]
The main specifications for the SilverStone AR01 CPU cooler include:
- Application: Sockets AM2(+), AM3(+), FM1, FM2, LGA775, LGA1155, LGA1156, LGA1366, and LGA2011
- Dimensions: 4.7 x 1.96 x 6.3 inches (120 x 50 x 159 mm) (W x L x H)
- Fins: Aluminum
- Base: Direct-touch heatpipes
- Heat-pipes: Three 8 mm copper heatpipes
- Fans: 120 mm
- Nominal fan speed: 2,200 rpm
- Fan air flow: 81.4 cfm
- Power consumption: 2.76 W
- Nominal noise level: Not informed
- Weight: 14.8 oz (420 g)
- More information: https://www.silverstonetek.com/
- Average price in the U.S.*: USD 35.00
* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.
[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]
The SilverStone AR01 has everything we like on a CPU cooler: it is simple, elegant, quiet, easy to install, and relatively inexpensive. If it had shown an average cooling performance, it would be a good buy anyway. But best of all is that the SilverStone AR01 is a true performer, being on par with some of the best air coolers we have tested so far.
It is very simple: the SilverStone AR01 is one of the best options in the CPU cooler market today. It simply has no weak points. Obviously, it receives our Golden Award.
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