SilentiumPC Air Cooler Challenge – 6 Way Round-up

1. Introduction2. Testing Methodology3. Spartan 3 LT4. Spartan 3 Pro5. Fera 36. Fortis 37. Fortis 3 Malik Customs Edition8. Grandis9. Big Picture Overview10. Closing Thoughts11. View All Pages

Moving on to the Fortis 3, with its MSRP of £28.90.

The Fortis 3 is a fair bit heftier than previous coolers we have seen so far, and SilentiumPC say it is ‘a large single tower type cooler with top tier performance at moderate price point.'

Specifications

• Dimensions (heatsink only): 125mm(L) x 125mm(W) x 155mm(H)
• Dimensions (with fan): 125mm(L) x 140mm(W) x 158mm(H)
• Weight (with fan): 820 g
• Heatsink: 5 x 6mm heatpipes, 38 x aluminum fins
• Fan: 140 x 140 x 25mm (with 120 x 120mm mounting holes)
• Bearing type: HSB / Hydraulic
• Fan speed: 500 – 1400 RPM +/- 10%
• Rated voltage: 12V
• Rated current: 0.15 A
• Air flow: 78.6 CFM @ 1400 RPM
• Noise level: 8 ~ 22 dBA
• MTBF: 50,000h
• Connector: 4-pin PWM
• TDP: max 220 W

Installing the Fortis 3 is exactly the same as with the Fera 3 – it uses a backplate, screws, spacers and then two side rails with are locked down using four studs. If you get stuck there is the excellent picture guide to help you, along with a QR code which links to an installation video.

The Fortis uses a 140mm fan, too, with 120mm mounting holes. There are also another pair of mounting clips to allow a push/pull configuration.

Testing

We are gradually beginning to see temperatures reduce. The Fortis 3 deals well with the overclocked CPU, coming in two degrees cooler than the Fera 3 under load. Just as a reminder, there is a full comparison between all the coolers on test at the end of the review.

At stock speeds, the Fortis is another stellar performer in terms of its noise output. Stretching to a 140mm Sigma Pro fan yields benefits as, when idling, it spins very slowly indeed. Under load, it does not ramp that much either – the larger heatsink must help dissipate the heat considerably. This keeps noise levels to the bare minimum, even on an open-air test bench.

When the CPU is overclocked, the fans do kick up slightly though – but it was still far from the racket of the Spartan 3 LT. Rather, in my experience, the noise just blends into the background – the low hum helps in this respect as it does not grab your attention like a high-pitched, whiny fan would.

• MSRP: £28.90
• Product code: SPC130
• EAN: 5904730204224

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