Written By:
Date Posted: September 9, 2002

Performance

AMD Thunderbird 1.4GHz (1.85v) @ 1.53, with
Abit KT7A-RAID, with socket thermal sensor touching the bottom of the CPU
Antec SX630 Case, with only the Enermax power supply fans on.
Prime95 is run for 20 minutes, or about 30 tests
Room temperature is maintained at ~23C/74F

Although I have access to the Athlon XPs, I still believe an overclocked Thunderbird 1.4 @ 1.53 is going to be more than enough to stress a heatsink. We'll be using VIA Hardware Monitor to measure temperatures. I'm sticking with Nanotherm Blue, as it's easy to clean up, and doesn't have any fancy "silver" stuff to sway temperatures (if you really believe that works).

Tests will be done with the Smart Fan 2 at full speed. We'll also be testing with the temperature probe, but I'm not going to bother with any low speed tests (via the dial) as I doubt many of our readers will go that route. For the record, I noticed 4C to 5C increases over full speed when using the "low" settings on the Volcano 9. You can do the math on the others.

Like I said earlier, the Volcano 9 is pretty similar to Volcano 7 in appearance. That being said, notice the temperatures. The same. So much for improving with age.

What has improved however, is the Smart Fan. In order to get the original Smart Fan to spin full speed, I simply shorted out the probe (this was done after the temperature probe tests, as this mod is permanent). The Smart Fan 2 does spin faster, and push more air, but we didn't get the huge temperature drops we had hoped for. Still, I'll take the extra degree Celcius drop. Keep in mind that this setup is loud. As for the temperature probe tests, the Smart Fan 2 simply blows away the original.

Here's a Fahrenheit chart for our friends south of the border...

Final Words

The results are somewhat of a mixed bag. As a complete package, we were dissapointed with the Volcano 9. The heatsink left a bitter taste in our mouths, as there was absolutely no improvement in heatsink performance, when compared with the Volcano 7, other than the improved clip. Granted, if you've snapped off a retaining, um, nub, this clip design would be exactly what you need, unless you go with a screw-in heatsink design.

The Smart Fan 2, especially when paired with the temperature probe, was a winner. It was a bit too loud for my likeing at full speed, and still hums noticably with the probe, but it works quite well. The Smart Fan 2 is sold as a separate product, and we're using it now in place of an 80mm Delta on one of my other systems.

Truth is, if Thermaltake went with a Volcano 7+ style heatsink, and pair it with the Smart Fan 2, I think we'd have a pretty impressive product. Although the fan was a step forward, the heatsink was a step back.

Pros: Smart Fan 2, lots of fan options. Clip is well done.

Cons: Heatsink was a step back engineering-wise, and probably hindered performance.

Bottom Line: A decent product overall, but power users should opt for the Smart Fan 2 only if seeking a temperature controlled 80mm fan.

Agree? Disagree? Discuss it in our forums

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