The latest Venom CPU cooler from Akasa may not be much more than an upgrade of the older Nero S model but it does perform a little better and users who care about the appearance of their system will gladly pay the very small price difference. The Nero S is a very good product but the very simple appearance of the cooler did not appeal to modders who enjoy fancy, colorful designs. Akasa addressed this issue by simply adding a fancy sticker at the top side of the cooler and a yellow bladed UV reactive fan. The body of the cooler has been slightly redesigned which helps deliver a little extra performance.
Given its price range, the Venom does not really have any serious flaws. One could complain about the somewhat rough contact area of the cooler's base but that is a side effect of the direct contact design and all similar coolers face the same problem.
The Venom is currently being sold for about £36 inc VAT, a fairly logical price. We recommend it to enthusiasts who enjoy a capable, quiet cooler and modders who will be using UV lights or who simply like colourful solutions.