INTRODUCTION

   No matter how many CPU air coolers pass through our lab the basic concept always remains the same so whenever a manufacturer wants to introduce a high TDP (thermal design power) model in the market the best way is to use a large heatsink which almost always assures high cooling efficiency levels. Some exceptions to that rule have emerged over the years but nothing really substantial to tip the scale. Thermalright is perhaps the only manufacturer in the market today that has focused their resources towards the release of models based almost solely on large heatsinks and what better example than their ever growing (16 models already and counting) and award winning Macho line of CPU coolers. The latest addition to that line is the Le Grand Macho RT model and we have it here with us today.

   Thermalright is an elite design house that manufactures cooling products for computer components for the best quality and performance your money can buy. In 2002, AMD released its first generation Thunderbird CPU and since then we have been there every step of the way to counter high voltage and high heat with innovative design and highly acclaimed cooling solutions not only for AMD but for Intel as well. One of early well known solutions was the SK-6. With many positive and rave reviews under its belt Thermalright bolted to the top as the heat sink manufacturer mostly preferred by Overclockers and enthusiasts around the World. To this day, innovation never left our vocabulary as we keep coming up with leading edge designs staying ahead of the competition.

   The Le Grand Macho RT is basically a Le Grand Macho bundled with a 140mm PWM fan and although it's not the first time Thermalright takes an already great product and improves it by adding something really tiny i can't say it came as a surprise. The reason is simple really, when you have a great passive CPU cooler in your hands then you also have an even better active one so instead of leaving it up to each and every consumer out there to make that decision why not do it yourself by using a fan you know works well with that particular model? In this case Thermalright has used their brand new TY-147B 140mm PWM fluid dynamic bearing fan which can spin up to 1300RPM to produce up to 73.6CFM of airflow with just 20dBA of noise. I don't really need to point out that we don't expect miracles with the addition of a single 140mm fan but the Le Grand Macho did extremely well with just a wind tunnel attached so results should be interesting.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Thermalright has once again used a green and white box that has a large product picture at the front just over their logo.

Some awards by international media are placed on the right side.

All of the product features are printed on the left side of the box.

At the rear of the box Thermalright has placed the product specifications in English, German and French.

As usual the heatsink and the fan are both placed inside 6 thin foam spacers while the rest of the bundle is placed inside a second cardboard box located at the top.

This may not be the richest bundle we've ever seen by Thermalright but still aside the Le Grand Macho heatsink and 140mm PWM fan you're also getting the installation instructions, pair of fan mounts, 4 fan pads, thermal paste tube, backplate and all the pieces needed to mount the cooler onto Intel LGA 775/1150/1151/1155/1156/1366/2011/2011-3 and AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+/FM1/FM2/FM2+ compatible mainboards.

THE LE GRAND MACHO RT

 As mentioned earlier the heatsink used in the Le Grand Macho RT is the same as the standalone Le Grand Macho so once again it weighs 900g and measures 159mm in height, 150mm in length and 125mm in width.

Just like with previous Macho models the top fin is painted black to improve the overall looks of the heatsink (obviously ment for cases with acrylic side panels).

The heatsink of the Le Grand Macho RT features a grant total of 35 aluminum fins (each 0.4mm thick) part of which is bend inwards to keep air from leaking to the sides.

Once again just like with the Le Grand Macho the RT model the five (out of seven) 6mm nickel plated copper heatpipes are placed in such a way (offset) to allow for zero clearance issues with memory modules and mainboard components (up to 46mm tall memory modules).

The pure copper nickel plated base has the same mirror-like finish we've learned to always expect from a Thermalright CPU cooler.

One TR-TY147B 140mm PWM fan capable of speeds up to 1300RPM and airflow levels up to 73.6CFM with just 20.dBA of noise is bundled with the Le Grand Macho RT model.

With the fan mounted the width of the RT model goes up to 152mm while the entire cooler weighs a total of no less than 1060g.

TEST BED

TESTING METHODOLOGY

   We always take things quite seriously when it comes to work so just like with the previous LGA1366 database we will not be testing each CPU Cooler on its own and with different ambient temperature levels and thus we can actually have yet another valid CPU Cooler database. Testing a CPU Cooler automatically means that you need to know where it stands against the immediate competition and to accomplish that we have spent both money and time through the years, something that we plan to continue to do so in order to get the most accurate results for the end consumers who read these lines. Every CPU cooler in this database is tested with the bundled 140mm/120mm/92mm/80mm fans while working at both idle speed and 100% of their speeds for all the temperature tests. CPU Coolers that do not come bundled with a fan/s are measured using a Noctua fan (size dependent on the model) to test for the temperature tests but due to the lack of a stock fan dBA level tests are obviously skipped. Single (120/140mm) watercooling solutions are tested with the radiator mounted at the rear of our test rig while dual/triple/quad (240/260/280/360/420/480/560mm) solutions with the radiator mounted at the top. For the dBA tests every cooler in the database was measured both while on idle mode or with the fan controller in the minimum setting and while on extreme load or with the fan controller all the way to the highest possible setting (PWM fans do that on their own without our intervention). Every single test takes place in a temperature controlled room of 23 degrees Celsius Ambient Temp with the help of two AC units placed diagonally inside the room. The Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste is used with every CPU Cooler in our latest LGA2011 database (although initially this was not the plan we had to change things to get the most accurate results). Finally it's very important to point out that just because a CPU Cooler is better than another when tested with our test rig that does not necessarily mean that the same performance differences will apply 100% for other CPU models and in other situations (such as different ambient temps and system configurations).

     To successfully record the load temperatures we use the latest OCCT application for around 6-10 minutes to push the processor to its limits and after that is done and the temperatures are recorded we wait for about 10-20 minutes for the CPU to cool down and record the idle temperatures. This is done to allow time for the thermal conductive material to achieve the optimal performance level. Same procedure is then repeated with the Passmark BurnIn Test as a failsafe just in case the OCCT results are wrong. This procedure takes a lot more time than the usual peltier/thermometer tests but this way not only can we deliver real world results to our readers based on real CPUs but we can also triple check the results using a variety of programs. Last but not least the temperatures were recorded using both the latest versions of AIDA64 and RealTemp while the noise level tests are performed using a high precision ExTech HD600 Decibel Meter placed about 10-15cm above the CPU Cooler. Still although the same testing procedure applies to all units do take into consideration that unlike the official numbers which are measured in special noise isolated labs with just the fans here we also have both the rest of the cooler and the rest of the system (although all system fans are turned off when recording noise levels).

TEST RESULTS

CONCLUSION

   When Thermalright released the Le Grand Macho passive CPU cooler they mentioned that pairing it with a 140mm fan would allow it to have a TDP of 300W so for us it was just a matter of time before they did exactly that. Of course as you might have noticed the official TDP reported by Thermalright for the RT model is 280W and not 300W but on one hand it's a very small difference and on the other you should be able to hit 300W by using a faster fan with higher airflow levels and pressure. Of course as expected performance is improved with the addition of the fan but the most impressive thing is the low noise levels even at full load. Leaving out the fan everything else we’ve seen in the past so excellent build quality and zero clearance issues are once again features of the new RT model.

   Unfortunately as I type these lines the Le Grand Macho RT CPU cooler by Thermalright is not available inside the USA (Amazon carries it but it’s out of stock) so currently you can only find it in the EU for a price of 69.99Euros (PC-Cooling.de). This may seem as a bit high to some people but the Le Grand Macho RT is actually cheaper than what the Le Grand Macho and a TR-TY147B fan would cost if bought separately so do keep that in mind. Overall the Le Grand Macho RT offers everything the standalone model did plus improved performance thanks to the 140mm fan and thus once again earns our Platinum Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Black Nickel Color
- Excellent Performance
- Zero Clearance Issues
- Low Noise Levels
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Size (Overall)