Low Profile Socket-A/Socket-370 Cooler Roundup - December 2001

Spire 5E198B1H3R

Installation

Installation is easy; a screwdriver is required. The cooler ships with thermal compound. Reversing the fan isn't possible since the screws are too short; however that shouldn't be necessary in a 2U case.

Performance and noise, conclusion

When it comes to size and performance, Spire's cooler for 2U cases is comparable to desktop cooling solutions. It does show the obvious - that a 2U case allows the usage of more efficient CPU coolers. Provided that the case cooling is good enough, this cooler should be suitable even for the Athlon XP 1700+.

Keep in mind that when you're using a 2U case, there's also lots of other choices - you can, for example, use a good heatsink designed for normal desktop systems (such as the Thermalright SK6), and install a compact 60x10mm fan on it.