SilverStone Argon AR01 V3 Air Cooler Review

1. Introduction2. Unboxing and First Look3. The Installation Process4. Testing Methodology5. Performance and Comparisons6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

So to summarise, the SilverStone Argon AR01 V3 is a bit of a mixed bag. There are a few things I found to be a bit disappointing. Firstly the mounting is not the easiest process by any means and unfortunately it’s primarily let down by the included instructions.

Performance isn’t groundbreaking either, but it is a budget solution at just under £30. We have seen some very basic 120mm liquid coolers available for just a little more money which do provide better thermal performance, but considering the pretty basic nature of this air cooler the overall performance isn't terrible.

Noise levels do suffer, though, but we found the AR01 V3 was loudest when our 7700K was overclocked. At stock speeds, total noise output was pretty reasonable.

Aesthetically it’s quite an interesting cooler, it may not be for everyone but it’s nice to see Silverstone trying something new. You also have the guarantee that other products in the TUF Gaming Alliance will not only be compatible with this cooler, but the aesthetics will match as well.

So overall, we can't say this is the best cooler we've ever tested, and the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition does outperform it across the board for just £5 more. If you aren't looking to spend more than £30, though, this is a decent upgrade from a stock cooler.

The SilverStone Argon AR01 V3 is currently available from Overclockers UK for £29.99 inc. VAT HERE.

Pros

• Smart rubber fan mounting is a big improvement over fan clips.
• Well priced at £30 for a budget system build.
• Always nice to see additional fan mounts for push-pull configurations.

Cons

• Installation instructions could certainly be improved.
• Performance isn't groundbreaking.
• The yellow accents may not be to everyone's taste.

KitGuru says: The SilverStone Argon AR01 V3 isn't really a groundbreaking cooler and offers reasonable performance and noise levels, but if you are looking for an aftermarket cooler when building a budget system its £30 price point does make it one to consider.

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