Heatsink testing methodology

• Each heatsink test consists of two parts, Real Test and Synthetic Test.
• Real Testing is performed in a real system, while Synthetic is done using methods that simulate thermal loads.
• Stable thermal loads are used in order to have accurate results, more specifically thermal load is produced by power resistors.
• The thermal load wattage is 30,60,90,120,150,180,210 watts. This covers a really wide range of processors and also overclocked states at wattages of 180 and 210 watts.
• Temp readings are taken from a sensor inside a copper plate that is the exact size of the processor tested in order to simulate the cpu with the best way.
• For reading the temperature I am using a high sensitivity digital multimeter.
• Thermal paste used in each test is Noctua NT-H1 because it has very quick break-in time.
• The copper piece that simulates the processor is not perfectly sanded, because the actual processor heatspreaders are never mirror polished.This happens again to have as accurate results as possible.
• Sound pressure levels are measured with a high sensitivity digital sound pressure meter, from 20cm away of the cooler inside a sound proof box to eliminate any external noise of echo.   

In order to have more clear results Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme will be compared with:

1. Intel Stock cooler
2. Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme(with the fan of Tower 120 Extreme)

TESTING PART 1 - Real Testing

System used for the test

• Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 @ 3.8Ghz
• Asus Striker Extreme
• MSI GTX260
• Seasonic M12D 850w

TESTING PART 2 - Synthetic Testing

Stable thermal loads are used in order to test the cooler at a wide variety of thermal loads, this test simulates cpu states from Idle to Overclocking

TESTING PART 3 - Sound Pressure Level