CONCLUSION
When the first test results begun to come in i was quite surprised to see that the AXP-100 managed to surpass the Noctua NH-L9i by a quite large percentage without producing more noise. However just by looking at both solutions the performance part was not really something we didn't expect. I guess after working so long with "hot" and power hungry CPUs watching the i7-3770k being kept at such low temperatures just with something like the AXP-100 and under load was what really surprised me. Regardless of that what i stated earlier still stands and solutions like the AXP-100 and the NH-L9 are not really suitable for anything over the Core i7-3770k (and not even that with higher overclocks). Such solutions however are mostly aimed at people who want sufficient cooling for their ITX/HTPC systems and for that specific job the AXP-100 is really a great product.
Although the AXP-100 Low-Profile CPU Cooler by Thermalright just got released its availability around the world is in satisfactory levels and currently retails for around USD55 inside the USA and 44Euros inside the EU (Overclockers.co.uk) a price tag which may seem as a bit too much at first (always after taking into account the performance of the unit) but with other similar solutions such as the NH-L9 series that cost the same or more i don't think that's the case. Well not really more to say is there? The AXP-100 Low Profile CPU Cooler by Thermalright performs better than its immediate competition (the NH-L9) at the same price tag and with less noise (marginally less but still less) and that's why it gets our Golden Award.
PROS
- Quality
- Size / Low-Profile
- Performance (Compared To The Competition)
- Fan Mount For 120/140mm Fans
- Socket Compatibility
- Noise Level
- Price (For Some)
CONS
- Performance Only Suitable For ITX/HTPC Systems