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Comparison Thermalright Macho 120 SBM vs Thermalright Macho Direct

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Thermalright Macho 120 SBM
Thermalright Macho Direct
Thermalright Macho 120 SBMThermalright Macho Direct
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Main specs
Featuresfor CPUfor CPU
Product typeair coolerair cooler
Air flow directionsideways (dispersion)sideways (dispersion)
Max. TDP200 W200 W
Fan
Number of fans11
Fan size120 mm140 mm
Bearinghydrodynamichydrodynamic
Max. RPM1300 rpm1300 rpm
Speed controllerauto (PWM)auto (PWM)
Max. air flow55.81 CFM73.6 CFM
MTBF50 K hours
replaceable
Noise level33 dB21 dB
Power source4-pin4-pin
Radiator
Heat pipes55
Heatsink materialaluminium / copperaluminium / copper
Socket
AMD AM2/AM3/FM1/FM2
 
Intel 775
Intel 1150
Intel 1155/1156
Intel 1366
Intel 2011 / 2011 v3
Intel 2066
Intel 1151 / 1151 v2
Intel 1200
AMD AM2/AM3/FM1/FM2
AMD AM4
Intel 775
Intel 1150
Intel 1155/1156
Intel 1366
Intel 2011 / 2011 v3
Intel 2066
Intel 1151 / 1151 v2
Intel 1200
General
Mount typebilateral (backplate)bilateral (backplate)
Dimensions130x111x150 mm159x129x159 mm
Height150 mm159 mm
Weight690 g810 g
Added to E-Catalogapril 2017june 2016

Fan size

The diameter of the fan(s) used in the cooling system.

In general, larger fans are considered more advanced than smaller ones: they allow you to create a powerful air flow at a relatively low speed and low noise level. On the other hand, a large diameter means large dimensions, weight and price. As for specific figures, 40 mm and 60 mm models are considered miniature, 80 mm and 92 mm are medium, 120 mm and 135 / 140 mm are large, and even 200 mm fans are found in the most powerful case systems.

Max. air flow

The maximum airflow that a cooling fan can create; measured in CFM — cubic feet per minute.

The higher the CFM number, the more efficient the fan. On the other hand, high performance requires either a large diameter (which affects the size and cost) or high speed (which increases the noise and vibration levels). Therefore, when choosing, it makes sense not to chase the maximum air flow, but to use special formulas that allow you to calculate the required number of CFM depending on the type and power of the cooled component and other parameters. Such formulas can be found in special sources. As for specific numbers, in the most modest systems, the performance does not exceed 30 CFM, and in the most powerful systems it can be up to 80 CFM and even more.

It is also worth considering that the actual value of the air flow at the highest speed is usually lower than the claimed maximum; see Static Pressure for details.

MTBF

The total time that a cooling fan is guaranteed to run before it fails. Note that when this time is exhausted, the device will not necessarily break — many modern fans have a significant margin of safety and are able to work for some more period. At the same time, it is worth evaluating the overall durability of the cooling system according to this parameter.

Noise level

The standard noise level generated by the cooling system during operation. Usually, this paragraph indicates the maximum noise during normal operation, without overloads and other "extreme".

Note that the noise level is indicated in decibels, and this is a non-linear value. So it is easiest to evaluate the actual loudness using comparative tables. Here is a table for values found in modern cooling systems:

20 dB — barely audible sound (quiet whisper of a person at a distance of about 1 m, sound background in an open field outside the city in calm weather);
25 dB — very quiet (normal whisper at a distance of 1 m);
30 dB — quiet (wall clock). It is this noise that, according to sanitary standards, is the maximum allowable for constant sound sources at night (from 23.00 to 07.00). This means that if the computer is planned to sit at night, it is desirable that the volume of the cooling system does not exceed this value.
35 dB — conversation in an undertone, sound background in a quiet library;
40 dB — conversation, relatively quiet, but already in full voice. The maximum permissible noise level for residential premises in the daytime, from 7.00 to 23.00, according to sanitary standards. However, even the noisiest cooling systems usually do not reach this indicator, the maximum for such equipment is about 38 – 39 dB.

Socket

Socket - processor connector - with which the corresponding cooling system is compatible.

Different sockets differ not only in compatibility with a particular CPU, but also in the configuration of the mounting place for the cooling system. So, when purchasing a processor cooling system separately, it is worth making sure that it is compatible with the socket. Nowadays, solutions are mainly produced for the following types of sockets: AMD AM2/AM3/FM1/FM2, AMD AM4, AMD AM5, AMD TR4/TRX4, Intel 775, Intel 1150, Intel 1155/1156, Intel 1366, Intel 2011/2011 v3, Intel 2066, Intel 1151/1151 v2, Intel 1200, Intel 1700.

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.

Height

The cooling system should fit into the computer case without any problems. The vast majority of case manufacturers indicate in the specifications the maximum height of the cooler that can be installed on their chassis. It is from this value that it is necessary to build on when choosing a cooling system. With an oversized cooler, you will have to leave the side wall of the case wide open, which violates the built-in air circulation pattern and provokes dust pollution of the internal space of the system unit.
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