Socket-A Cooler Roundup: September 2001

Installation and clip

The Miprocool comes with a good clip that uses all six cleats on the socket. Although the cooler is pretty large, it is unlikely that it will interfere with components close to CPU socket, thanks to its narrow base. A thermal pad is preinstalled, which we removed for the test. We recommend to do the same - especially considering that thermal compound is included anyways.

Performance and noise, conclusion

The Miprocool definately isn't a good choice for overclockers - since the fan spins at max speed only when a relatively high temperature has already been reached. But for non-overclocked CPUs, the temperature control makes sense, and the way Tiger Electronics have implemented it is good. On the temperature-controlled coolers we previously tested, the thermal sensor measured only ambient air temperature, the Miprocool measures the temperature there where it counts - on the base plate.

Thanks to the temperature control, the Miprocool will be rather quiet in normal operation, especially when a CPU with low power consumption is being used. Not as quiet as the Alpha PAL8045 with Papst NGL fan, or the Silverado - but these units are much more expensive.

Performance-wise, the Miprocool wasn't too good - a pretty standard Aluminum heatsink, without any copper inlay, and a fan optimized for lower noise don't make a high performance cooler. Nevertheless, the Miprocool provides enough cooling Athlon CPUs up to about 1.2GHz (we wouldn't recommend it for higher clock speeds, though if you're lucky it might work). The simple design helps to keep costs down.

If you have no overclocking plans, a CPU with just 1.2GHz or less, and want an inexpensive, reasonably quiet cooler, then the Miprocool is a good choice. Tiger Electronics is a German company, though - so it remains to be seen whether this unit makes it to the US market.