Number of fans
The number of fans in the design of the cooling system. More fans provide higher efficiency (all else being equal); on the other hand, the dimensions and the noise generated during operation also increase accordingly. Also, note that other things being equal, a smaller number of large fans is considered more advanced than numerous small ones; see "Fan diameter" for details.
Max. TDP
The maximum TDP provided by the cooling system. Note that this parameter is indicated only for solutions equipped with heatsinks (see "Type"); for separately made fans, the efficiency is determined by other parameters, primarily by the air flow values (see above).
TDP can be described as the amount of heat that a cooling system is able to remove from a serviced component. Accordingly, for the normal operation of the entire system, it is necessary that the TDP of the cooling system is not lower than the heat dissipation of this component (heat dissipation data is usually indicated in the detailed characteristics of the components). And it is best to select coolers with a power margin of at least 20 – 25% — this will give an additional guarantee in case of forced operation modes and emergency situations (including clogging of the case and reduced air exchange efficiency).
As for specific numbers, the most modest modern cooling systems provide TDP
up to 100 W, the most advanced —
up to 250 W and even
higher.
Min noise level
The lowest noise level produced by the cooling system during operation.
This parameter is indicated only for those models that have capacity control and can operate at reduced power. Accordingly, the minimum noise level is the noise level in the most “quiet” mode, the volume of work, which this model cannot be less than.
These data will be useful, first of all, to those who are trying to reduce the noise level as much as possible and, as they say, “fight for every decibel”. However, it is worth noting here that in many models the minimum values are about 15 dB, and in the quietest — only 10 – 11 dB. This volume is comparable to the rustling of leaves and is practically lost against the background of ambient noise even in a residential area at night, not to mention louder conditions, and the difference between 11 and 18 dB in this case is not significant for human perception. A comparison table for sound starting from 20 dB is given in the "Noise level" section below.
Heatsink size
The nominal size of the radiator provided in the water cooling system.
The radiator provides cooling of the heated coolant coming from the cooled components of the system. It most often works on the principle of a cooler — that is, it consists of the actual radiator and one or more fans. The size of the radiator is indicated by one number — by the largest dimension, length. And the width (on which the working area and, accordingly, efficiency depends) can be determined based on the length. The fact is that radiators use fans of two diameters — 120 and 140 mm; if there are several such fans, they are installed in a row. This means that the length of the structure will necessarily be a multiple of the fan diameter — 120 or 140 mm, and the width will correspond to this diameter. For example, a
120mm or
140mm product would have the same width and one fan, while a
240mm product would have two 120mm fans.
The described features lead to the fact that a larger size does not necessarily mean a more advanced design. So,
a 360mm or even
420 mm radiator with three small fans can have the same or even lower efficiency than a
280mm model. In addition, we recall that larger fans with the same performance are slower, and therefore quieter.
Also, the size o
...f the radiator must be taken into account when looking for a seat in the case for it. Be aware of the width as well: 140mm fan heatsinks are usually not compatible with 120mm fan heatsink slots. So, a 140 mm model will not fit in a 240 mm (2x120 mm) socket, and 280 mm (2x140 mm) will not fit under 360 mm (3x120 mm), although formally the size seems to be enough in both cases.Dimensions
General dimensions of the cooling system. For water systems (see "Type"), this paragraph indicates the size of the external radiator (the dimensions of the water block in such devices are small, and there is no need to specify them in particular).
In general, this is a fairly obvious parameter. We only note that for case fans (see ibid.), the thickness is of particular importance — it directly depends on how much space the device will take up inside the system unit. At the same time, it is customary to refer to
fans with a thin case for models in which this size does not exceed 20 mm.
