Comparison ARCTIC Freezer i32 CO vs ARCTIC Freezer i32

The type of bearing used in the cooling fan(s).

The bearing is the piece between the rotating axle of the fan and the fixed base that supports the axle and reduces friction. The following types of bearings are found in modern fans:

— Sliding. The action of these bearings is based on direct contact between two solid surfaces, carefully polished to reduce friction. Such devices are simple, reliable and durable, but their efficiency is rather low — rolling, and even more so the hydrodynamic and magnetic principle of operation (see below), provide much less friction.

— Rolling. They are also called "ball bearings", since the "intermediaries" between the axis of rotation and the fixed base are balls (less often — cylindrical rollers) fixed in a special ring. When the axis rotates, such balls roll between it and the base, due to which the friction force is very low — noticeably lower than in plain bearings. On the other hand, the design turns out to be more expensive and complex, and in terms of reliability it is somewhat inferior to both the same plain bearings and more advanced hydrodynamic devices (see below). Therefore, although rolling bearings are quite widespread nowadays, however, in general, they are much less common than the mentioned varieties.

— Hydrodynamic. Bearings of this type are filled with a special liquid; when rotate...d, it creates a layer on which the moving part of the bearing slides. In this way, direct contact between hard surfaces is avoided and friction is significantly reduced compared to previous types. Also, these bearings are quiet and very reliable. Of their shortcomings, a relatively high cost can be noted, but in fact this moment often turns out to be invisible against the background of the price of the entire system. Therefore, this option is extremely popular nowadays, it can be found in cooling systems of all levels — from low-cost to advanced.

— Magnetic centering. Bearings based on the principle of magnetic levitation: the rotating axis is "suspended" in a magnetic field. Thus, it is possible (as in hydrodynamic ones) to avoid contact between solid surfaces and further reduce friction. Considered the most advanced type of bearings, they are reliable and quiet, but expensive.

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.

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.

— Latches. The simplest and most convenient type of fastening, in particular due to the fact that it does not require the use of additional tools. Plus, you don't need to remove the motherboard for snap-on installation.

— Double- sided (backplate). This type of fastening is used in the most powerful and, as a result, heavy and large-sized cooling systems. Its feature is the presence of a plate installed on the opposite side of the motherboard — this plate is designed to protect against damage and so that the board does not bend under the weight of the structure.

— Bolts. Fastening with classic bolts. It is considered somewhat more reliable than latches (see above), but less convenient, because. You can remove and install the cooling system only with a screwdriver. To date, bolts are mainly used to fasten case fans, as well as cooling systems for RAM and hard drives (see "Type", "Purpose").

— Silicone mounts. The main advantage of silicone fasteners is good vibration absorption, which significantly reduces the noise level compared to similar systems using other types of fasteners. On the other hand, silicone is somewhat less reliable than bolts, so both types of fasteners are usually supplied in the kit, and the user chooses which ones to use.

— Adhesive tape. Fastening with adhesive tape (adhesi...ve tape), usually double-sided. The main advantages of this mount are ease of use and compactness. On the other hand, it is difficult to remove such a cooling system. In addition, adhesive tape is inferior in thermal conductivity to the same thermal paste.

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.