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We are using an AMD setup for today's testing. To simplify the installation of the heatsink the first step is to remove the fan from the front. This allows us unimpeded access to the mounting hardware that in turn screws on to the 2 metal retention brackets that secure the Freezer 13 Pro in place.
The plastic that houses the 120mm fan is quite sturdy and as always, we have high expectations for the quality of the fan used. Any fan used on previous Arctic CPU coolers covered by KitGuru were very quiet, even at their maximum rated RPM.
The images above are the step by step guides for AMD and Intel installations. Under normal situations we would remove all the components from the chassis to mount a heatsink of this size, however this time we decided to just remove the graphics cards and try a fitting in the chassis.
What we did was just start the threads of the screws through the mounting hardware into the retention brackets so that they would stay attached. Then very carefully we placed the Freezer 13 Pro in position above the processor making sure the retention brackets stayed in place as we tightened down the 2 screws. We thought it would be interesting to cover this method.
Also worth mentioning is our particular orientation chosen for our install. The Raven 2 chassis that I used for a long time was designed so that everything exhausted out the top which makes total sense … after all heat rises. The NXZT Phantom I am using for this build is currently configured with 2 x 120mm fans exhausting out the top. This is why we chose the direction in which we mounted the Freezer 13 Pro; however this may not be ideal if different hardware were used.
These images show the mounting bracket in place and the Freezer 13 Pro fully secured and operational. This installation method only takes a couple minutes and was stress free when compared to some other cooler installs we have experienced in the past. The only area of slight concern would be the pressure generated on the stock retention bracket.
