INTRODUCTION

   Nowadays it almost feels that wherever i look i see manufacturers doing their best to cover even the last person in the market with their products. Take AIO liquid CPU coolers for example. As i type these lines in the market there are numerous such models from a large number of manufacturers not only with different length (120/140/240/280/360mm) and thickness (25/27/30/32/38/43/45/49mm) radiators but also with different type of tubes (rubber/FEP) and various performance pumps (2400/2500/2600/2800/2900/3600/3800RPM). This of course is not the same as custom tailoring a AIO liquid CPU cooler for your system but with the amount of available models right now things have gotten really close to that. SilverStone recently updated their Tundra TD02 line to include three new models the TD02-E, TD02-Slim and the TD02-Lite which we have here with us today.

   Founded in 2003, SilverStone is an established leader in its field, with an elite team of engineers; we started our quest of providing products that create inspirations. We have since expanded the lines of products as well as types of products we produce, giving our customers a wide selection of choices. With distribution centers in different areas of the globe, SilverStone products can be seen all over the world, not just for computer users but also for home entertainment use. Providing leisure with integration of advanced technologies that is functional and making them enjoyable to use. Here at SilverStone Technology, we continue to pride ourselves in providing the highest level of standards in designing and manufacturing computer enclosures, power supplies, and accessories. Our pursuit for the first class aesthetic appeal is relentless; our teams of devoted engineers are constantly searching for the best technologies that suit end-users with different needs and will make our products as technologically sound as they are beautiful.

   Compared to the rather "old" Tundra TD02 the new models are quite different since not only has SilverStone skipped on using their patented brazing fin design (now they use the typical one found in most AIO models) and the radiator side silver panels (we really liked those with the original) but they've also used rubber tubes for increased flexibility (FEP ones were not that great). The Tundra TD02-Lite also gets bundled with the same two high speed 120mm fans (1500-2500RPM) and the same pump (2500RPM) but features a much thinner and relatively smaller aluminum radiator compared to the one used in the original TD02 (273x120x27mm vs 278x124x45mm) and a slightly larger water block (65x65x38mm vs 60x55x33.5mm). The size difference is not really that huge (the TD02-Slim is even smaller) but it still should allow the TD02-Lite to fit in cases where the TD02 couldn't.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Unlike the original Tundra TD02 and its colored box the TD02-Lite gets shipped inside a plain cardboard box that has a product drawing at the front right next to a list of the main features and beneath the company logo.

The features list is also present at the top of the box in 6 languages.

At the base we find the same features list in 4 extra languages alongside the specifications list.

4 drawings placed at the rear of the box are used to showcase the size of both the radiator and the water block.

Packaging is typical for this kind of product so no surprises here.

Inside the box SilverStone has placed the Tundra TD02-Lite, two high speed 120mm PWM fans, Y-fan cable, Molex to 3 pin fan adapter, thermal paste tube, user manual, backplate and all the necessary bits and pieces to mount the product onto Intel LGA775/1150/1155/1156/1366/2011/2011-3 and AMD AM2/AM3/FM1/FM2 compatible mainboards.

THE TUNDRA TD02-LITE

The TD02 featured a nice black, silver and white color combination but the all-black of the TD02-Lite although very typical is not bad either.

The 27mm thick radiator is not the thinnest one ever (it's actually 26.71mm thick) but still much thinner compared to the 45mm thick radiator of the original TD02.

The radiator fins are quite good in terms of quality and feature a density of 20FPI (fins per inch).

Surprisingly enough although the enclosure of the pump/water block combo is made out of plastic and not steel it’s actually larger compared to that of the TD02 (65x65x38mm vs 60x55x33.5mm).

The 310mm long FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene) tubes found in the original TD02 were quite flexible but nowhere close to the 310mm long rubber ones used in the TD02-Lite.

The all-copper base features a nice finish and almost no machine marks.

Just like with the TD02 SilverStone has bundled two 120mm PWM 2500RPM sleeve-bearing fans (92.5CFM/35dBA) that feature a special aerodynamic fin design at the edge of their blades.

With the fans installed the radiator now measures 51.48mm in height (thickness).

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

   It is important to realize that SilverStone didn’t introduce the TD02-Lite as a replacement to the TD02 (the TD02-E is that) but rather a smaller and lower-cost version which people can mount inside even mini-ITX/ATX cases. Unfortunately because of that it lags behind the TD02 in terms of cooling efficiency but at least in our system that difference was roughly 2 degrees at load so I don’t expect most people to mind much especially since the rubber tubings used are considered to be much more durable and flexible compared to FEP ones. Installation is typical for this type of cooler so no problems there although I did like the steel pump/waterblock enclosure used in the TD02 more compared to the plastic one used here (the same goes for the overall design). In terms of noise the TD02-Lite uses the same exact fans as the TD02 so it produces average levels so it’s far from inaudible.

   With a price tag currently set at USD73.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 105Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) the Tundra TD02-Lite by SilverStone indeed costs less compared to the TD02. The only problem would normally be that at around the same price point consumers can find higher performing 240mm AIO coolers but since the TD02-Lite with its 27mm thick radiator aims at a specific target audience that’s not the case. So if you need a thin radiator for your case and the TD02-Lite barely fits well you don’t have much of a choice but if size is of no concern then there are better options in the market currently. Still because of the specific target audience and because we feel that the TD02-Lite did very well for its size it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Size
- Very Good Cooling Efficiency
- Noise Levels
- Rubber Tubes (Compared To The TD02)
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- No Pump/Fan Control Software
- Plain Looks (Compared To The TD02)