Value Award
GELID GX-7 CPU Cooler
RRP: $64.99 | Website: www.gelidsolutions.com
B
efore we go any further, I’d
like to let you know that I’m
well aware of how old this
CPU cooler is. In fact it’s over a
year old. Keep in mind though; this
isn’t a motherboard or some such
component. It’s a CPU cooler and as
such it tends to last a few generations
and platforms. Since TDPs generally
decrease the performance of a CPU
cooler stays the same for any given
system or improves with newer and
cooler CPUs.
Why again is this in the
lifestyle section? Well, it’s simply
because coolers are very hard to
differentiate, especially for my
purposes. Most of the time, I’m
not concerned with noise or a
CPU cooler that is one or even five
degrees cooler than another one.
What I am very much interested
in is how each CPU cooler holds
a specific load. By that I mean,
I’m well aware of the fact (and so
should you by the way) that CPU
coolers by and large don’t allow
higher clock speeds between each
other. Your 3770K that is at most a
4.9GHz CPU when using air cooling
(NOCTUA NH-D14 for instance) is
not going to miraculously change
into a 5.1GHz CPU when you use an
H100i or even a custom water loop.
44 The OverClocker Issue 22 | 2012
All that’s going to happen is that
you’ll get lower temperatures from
the same clock speed and CPU
voltage.
With the GX-7 then, depending
on how you look at it. It can be as
good as the NOCTUA NH-D14 or
be just as bad as the vast amount
of no name knock off 3rd party
coolers. It’ll obviously perform
better than all of them, but that
once again is entirely dependent
on your chosen platform. For
my Z77 test machine, I found the
GELID GX-7 to be typical of what
you expect of a performance CPU
cooler. That is there’s no cooler
on sale today that will have the
CPU operate 10’C lower under
load than what this one can. It’s
just not going to happen and as
such I’m wondering if paying an
additional $15 for the NOCTUA for
example is worth it. At least from
a performance point of view, there
isn’t much of a difference. The NHD14 for example held the CPU to a
wonderful 68’C at 4.6GHz with all
8 threads enabled. The GELID GX-7
managed 71’C. Indeed it’s always
better to see temperatures under
70’C, but like I said previously,
there was no clock speed to be
gained from the NH-D14.
As far as noise is concerned,
well the GX-7 is actually loud if
you use two fans on it. In single
fan configuration it isn’t quiet,
but it’s tolerable. Add another fan
and it starts to get concerning
especially for those who may
want a quiet system. I guess this
is where the $15 premium for the
NH-D14 comes into play. That CPU
cooler is still the quietest unit
I’ve ever tested over and above
being the best of the air coolers.
It may be unfair for me or anyone
to compare the two, but the fact
that I can concerning performance
speaks well for the GX-7.
There’s nothing wrong with the
GX-7, it performs well, looks good
and is keenly priced. You want a CPU
cooler that can hang with the best of
them, give the GX-7 a look.
[ The OverClocker ]
The Score
8/10