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The Phanteks PH-TC12DX is an excellent CPU cooler that offers very competitive performance with acoustic levels that are lower than those of its main competitors.
Despite its modest size, the Phanteks PH-TC12DX possesses the cooing performance that allows it to compete with stiff competition from the likes of Corsair, Cooler Master and Thermaltake. The TC12DX was able to offer the same level of performance as Thermaltake's larger Frio and Cooler Master's liquid cooling Seidon 120M.
Increasing our CPU's thermal load by applying a 1.300V overclock didn't faze the PH-TC12DX. Phanteks' cooler was still able to offer excellent performance which placed it ahead of Sapphire's Vapor-X and Corsair's H60 in our cooling chart.
Acoustic performance is where the Phanteks PH-TC12DX really shines. While a noise output of almost 45 dbA isn't particularly noteworthy, when taking the thermal performance and acoustic levels of its closest competitors into consideration, it's easy to see that Phanteks' PH-TC12DX is a well-balanced cooling product.
Installing the heatsink to a motherboard is a simple task which we have no complaints about. The installation procedure was straightforward, clear and resulted in a secure mount.
Connecting the fan clips, on the other hand, wasn't quite as simple. Trying to bend and force a piece of metal wire through the hole of a small plastic clip isn't a very user-friendly procedure. The method does get more bearable after a few attempts, but we would still like to see a simpler solution being implemented.
Phanteks deserves credit for continuing to add style to each segment of the CPU cooler market. Yes, there are other mid-range CPU coolers which feature an attractive appearance, but we've yet to see a design which is as successfully implemented as that of Phanteks' PH-TC12DX. If the black colour scheme of our sample doesn't appeal to you, simply opt for one of the red, blue or white variants instead.
Available for £38.54 to £43.34 from Scan (dependent upon which colour you opt for), the Phanteks PH-TC12DX CPU cooler is priced very competitively.
Managing to match the cooling abilities of Cooler Master's Seidon 120M and Thermaltake's Frio, but with a lower noise output and price tag than both, Phanteks has an excellent CPU cooler in the PH-TC12DX. Style, balanced performance, ease-of-installation and good build-quantity, the Phanteks PH-TC12DX CPU cooler is well worth its very competitive price tag.
Pros:
- Very good cooling performance.
- Lower noise output than its main competitors.
- Competitive price tag.
- Very attractive style.
- Simple and secure heatsink installation.
- Flexible RAM clearance.
- 5 year warranty.
Cons:
- Irritating fan clip attachment method.
KitGuru says: A must have for mid-range users who want an attractive CPU cooler that offers well-balanced performance and doesn't break the bank.
