t_ski
10-12-2007, 07:06 PM
[page=Introduction]
Introduction
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasalogo.gif
I would like to thank Cate at Akasa (http://www.akasa.co.uk/) for supplying the review sample.
Features:
Dual platform: AMD and Intel
Utilizes new SilentFlux Technology
Revolutionary bubble pump with no moving parts
Unique radiator design with over 1200cm square of dissipation surface
Fan is mounted on four cushion dampers. Noise is virtually eliminated
Ultra quiet misty blue 92mm PWM fan silently cools the radiator
Specially designed fan bracket redirects part of the airflow onto motherboard zones cooling VRMs
Compatibility:
AMD Socket 939 / AM2
Intel LGA 775
Specifications:
<blockquote><table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="ramtable" width="450">
<tr>
<th scope="row">Dimension:</th>
<td scope="row">132 x 90 x 138mm (W, D, H)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Heatsink Material:</th>
<td scope="row">Aluminum</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan Dimension:</th>
<td scope="row">92 x 92 x 25mm</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan Speed:</th>
<td scope="row">600 ~ 2000 RPM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan connector:</th>
<td scope="row">4-pin (PWM)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan airflow:</th>
<td scope="row">11.44 - 41.96CFM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan air pressure:</th>
<td scope="row">0.85 - 3.13 mm H20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan life expectancy:</th>
<td scope="row">45000/hrs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Bearing type:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">Ball bearing</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Voltage rating:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">12V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Noise level:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">17 – 26 dB(A)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Weight:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">330g</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Product Code:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">AK-925</td>
</tr>
</table></blockquote>
About Akasa
From the Akasa website:
<blockquote>
The Akasa Group of companies was founded in 1997 with offices in Taipei and London. Our management team are all experienced in Electronic and Electro-mechanical product development. We currently have offices in London, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The core business is based around Heatsink design, manufacture and distribution to the PC manufacturing sector. We also supply the Distribution channel with leading edge PC thermal solutions. Our market leading portfolio of Retail based PC products aimed at the Custom PC market has been supplemented with a successful range of PC peripherals marketed into the mainstream PC channel.
The Akasa product range includes CPU coolers including heatpipe coolers, low profile heatsinks and high efficiency coolers for the specialist market. The Akasa product range also includes custom components such as ultra quiet amber fans, LED fans and fan controllers, advanced thermally efficient Cases, Paxpower Ultra Quiet PSUs, Power+ iQ performance PSUs and hi-efficiency 80+ PSUs. Stylish Integral external enclosures and colorful PC cables and lights. These components can be found in many award winning PCs. Our client list includes many well-known names, major OEM system developers and board manufacturers throughout the world.</blockquote>
[page=Packaging & Contents]
Packaging & Contents
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo01sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo01.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo02sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo02.jpg)
The Akasa Revo comes in a rather large box for a 92mm-based cooler. However, it is colorful and provides sufficient information about the features and specifications in multiple languages.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo03sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo03.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo06sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo06.jpg)
Inside the colorful outside box is another box which contains the components. Everything is separated into individual compartments, and the cooler is held in place with a cardboard insert.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo04sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo04.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo05sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo05.jpg)
There is not a lot of components in the kit, but as you will see later they are all that are needed. There is an installation manual written in multiple languages, as well as two mounting brackets and some thermal compound.
[page=A Closer Look]
A Closer Look
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo07sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo07.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo08sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo08.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo10sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo10.jpg)
The Akasa Revo is a bit of an unusual looking cooler. It looks like an "all-in-one" compact watercooling kit, but it is a bit different than that. In a sense, it uses bubbles to move the internal coolant around the loop instead of a mechanical pump. Here is the information straight from Akasa:
Heat is absorbed from the CPU into a chamber which stores a specially designed dual-component liquid-coolant.
From the CPU chamber heat moves to the radiator along the up-pipe of a hermetically sealed circuit. The specially designed dual-component liquid-coolant acts as a bubble pump to force the heat rapidly to the radiator.
Heat is dispersed from the radiator by a 92mm fan rotating at low speed.
The dual-component coolant is cooled by the airflow from the fan and returns along the down-pipe of the hermetically sealed circuit to the chamber for another round.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo09sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo09.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo11sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo11.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo12sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo12.jpg)
The Revo features an all aluminum structure, which consists of a base, supply tube, radiator and return tube. There is a clear plastic cover over the radiator and a black bracket on top of the base that will aid in the installation process.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo33sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo33.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo15sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo15.jpg)
The fan used is a 92mm model with a clear frame and transparent blue fins. This is a PWM style fan, so it comes complete with a 4-pin connector for use with motherboards that support this feature.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo30sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo30.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo31sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo31.jpg)
The clear plastic cover for the radiator makes the radiator look nice but it also helps to hold the fan in place. There are clips at each corner which hold the fan, as well as some tabs that tighten up the mounting and reduce vibrations. Also, in the left picture the fill port for the system can be seen more clearly. This has been sealed after filling, and it is highly recommended that this should not be tampered with.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo13sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo13.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo14sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo14.jpg)
The Revo we received was one of the initial production units, so there are some things to keep in mind while discussing the base. In the picture on the left there are some small circular marks and some darker spots around them. According to Akasa, the circular marks on the base are from the assembly process, but note that these marks are outside of the CPU contact area. The darker areas around the circular marks appear to be some residue left from the testing process. Akasa had tested each one of these early production models individually to make sure they were performing correctly. Unfortunately, the unit we received was not cleaned completely before being shipped to us. Akasa has assured us that all of the retail units will be thoroughly cleaned before packaging and shipping. Although not polished or shiny, the base does feel fairly smooth. With the razor blade test it was difficult to see exactly how flat the base was, because the edges were raised higher than the center. Again, the edges are far away from the area that will make contact to the CPU, so they should not have any effect on performance.
[page=Installation]
Installation
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo17sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo17.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo18sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo18.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo19sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo19.jpg)
To install the Akasa Revo the motherboard tray was removed from the case to make sure there was ample room around the CPU socket. The CPU heatspreader was thoroughly cleaned to remove all traces of the former thermal compound. Akasa recommends for best performance that the Revo be installed with the radiator on top. The cooler will also work with the radiator on the right side, but not with the radiator on the bottom or the left. This should be kept in mind when positioning the mounting bracket to allow enough room for assembly. The mounting bracket for LGA775 boards was used and installed in the same manner as a stock heatsink would be, by inserting the four push-pins and pressing down until they clicked into place. Then the two clips were lifted up to allow the heatsink to be installed.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo20sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo20.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo21sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo21.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo22sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo22.jpg)
Using the included thermal compound, a small thin line was placed across the core area, since this is the application method we will be using later with Arctic Silver 5. The wire clips on the mounting bracket were placed over the base of the Revo, and the cooler was lifted up and centered on the base while moving the clips down. With the base nestled inside the opening of the black mounting frame, the metal clips were secured by pushing them down and sliding them under two tabs on each side of the bracket.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo28sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo28.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo29sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo29.jpg)
The Revo was removed immediately to check the contact area. The thermal compound had spread enough to cover the core area, but due to the thickness of the compound it was harder to get as thin of a line as with the Arctic Silver compound. If using the stock compound, it would probably be better to apply it in a thin, even layer.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo23sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo23.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo26sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo26.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo27sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo27.jpg)
The compound was cleaned off and Arctic Silver 5 was applied, then the Revo was reinstalled. The 4-pin connector for the fan was placed onto the header of the motherboard. There was no interference around the CPU socket, and the Revo was high enough to clear the memory and the chipset heatsink.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo24sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo24.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo25sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo25.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo32sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo32.jpg)
Even when installed in the case there are no clearance issues. The Lian Li PC-A10 has the power supply located at he bottom of the case, which puts the motherboard right up against the top of the case. With the Revo there is still plenty of room to clear the 120mm fan located in the top.
[page=Performance]
Performance
The system being used to test the heatsink is as follows:
<table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="ramtable" width="450">
<tr>
<th width="100" scope="row">CPU:</th>
<td scope="row">Intel E6850 Core2 Duo</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th width="100" scope="row">Clock speed:</th>
<td scope="row">9 x 333 MHz = 3.0 GHz, Memory at DDR2-667</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Motherboard:</th>
<td scope="row">Asus P5W DH Deluxe</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Memory:</th>
<td scope="row">2 x 1GB G.Skill F2-6400CL4D-2GBHK</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Video Card:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">Sapphire HD 2900XT PCI-e</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Hard disks:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">3 x 36GB WD Raptor drives in raid 5
<br />Maxtor 200GB PATA drive</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Power Supply:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">ThermalTake ToughPower 750W</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Case:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">Lian Li PC-A10B</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Software:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">Windows XP Pro SP2, Catalyst 7.10</td>
</tr>
</table>
The motherboard fan speed control (ASUS Q-fan Control) was disabled in the BIOS, and the fan was run at full speed. Ambient temperature was kept to 22° Celsius (+/- 1 degree) and was measured by a standard mercury thermometer.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/graph1.gif http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/graph2.gif
At stock CPU speeds the Revo cools marginally better than the stock Intel heatsink, but only under load. Considering the Revo is not meant to be a performance cooler, but instead a quiet one, performance seems adequate.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/graph3.gif http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/graph4.gif
However, most of our readers want to know how the heatsinks we review will work on an overclocked system, so the Revo was tested with the CPU overclocked to 3.6 GHz at 1.45V. Again, the Revo does better than the stock Intel heatsink, this time beating it by 4°C.
Fan Noise
To measure fan noise we used an IEC Type 2 sound level meter on the dbA setting. Measuring distance was 10 cm from the heatsink fan hub. The short distance of 10 cm is necessary to get proper readings with very silent fans. All fans were tested outside of the case at 12V supplied by a lab PSU. On fans that come with a fan controller or allow control of fan speed in any other way, "low" and "high" indicate the settings on the fan controller. For fans that use a PWM style connector, "Full Speed" is with the fan connected to the lab power supply; "PWM Mode" is with the fan installed in the system without any case fans running, no optical drives connected and with a passively cooled Gigabyte n6200-TC video card installed.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/fannoise.gif
With the fan from the Revo running at full speed it is louder than the stock Intel heatsink. However, when the heatsink is ran off the PWM header and the motherboard is allowed to adjust the fan speed, the Revo becomes one of the quietest coolers in the test group. With the fan spinning at only 480 RPM, the Revo comes in at 44 dB.
[page=Value & Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The Akasa Revo sells for about 55.00 Euros or about $79 US Dollars.</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Lightweight
Easy to install
Fan is "whisper quiet" when in PWM mode
Performance better than the stock heatsink
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Expensive
Poor finish on the heatsink base
Performance is not as good as other similarly priced heatsinks
</td></tr>
<tr><th>7.8</th>
<td>
The Akasa Revo is a unique approach to CPU cooling. As an avid user of watercooling I like the idea of a non-mechanically pumped watercooler. When running the fan in PWM mode as it is intended, the fan is very quiet and ran at only 480 RPM. On top of that, the Revo was pretty easy to work with since it is lightweight and easy to install.<br />
<br />
However, the condition of the base was disappointing, and the performance was only marginally better than the stock Intel heatsink. I had seen reviews of preproduction Revos with mirror finish bases, and they seemed to perform better, too. Add to all this the Revo's high price, and it makes it hard to recommend the Revo.<br />
<br />
Overall the design of the Revo is interesting, but for about the same price users can purchase a high-end air cooler or a low-end watercooler and get better performance.
</td></tr>
</table>
Introduction
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasalogo.gif
I would like to thank Cate at Akasa (http://www.akasa.co.uk/) for supplying the review sample.
Features:
Dual platform: AMD and Intel
Utilizes new SilentFlux Technology
Revolutionary bubble pump with no moving parts
Unique radiator design with over 1200cm square of dissipation surface
Fan is mounted on four cushion dampers. Noise is virtually eliminated
Ultra quiet misty blue 92mm PWM fan silently cools the radiator
Specially designed fan bracket redirects part of the airflow onto motherboard zones cooling VRMs
Compatibility:
AMD Socket 939 / AM2
Intel LGA 775
Specifications:
<blockquote><table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="ramtable" width="450">
<tr>
<th scope="row">Dimension:</th>
<td scope="row">132 x 90 x 138mm (W, D, H)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Heatsink Material:</th>
<td scope="row">Aluminum</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan Dimension:</th>
<td scope="row">92 x 92 x 25mm</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan Speed:</th>
<td scope="row">600 ~ 2000 RPM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan connector:</th>
<td scope="row">4-pin (PWM)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan airflow:</th>
<td scope="row">11.44 - 41.96CFM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan air pressure:</th>
<td scope="row">0.85 - 3.13 mm H20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Fan life expectancy:</th>
<td scope="row">45000/hrs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Bearing type:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">Ball bearing</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Voltage rating:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">12V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Noise level:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">17 – 26 dB(A)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Weight:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">330g</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Product Code:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">AK-925</td>
</tr>
</table></blockquote>
About Akasa
From the Akasa website:
<blockquote>
The Akasa Group of companies was founded in 1997 with offices in Taipei and London. Our management team are all experienced in Electronic and Electro-mechanical product development. We currently have offices in London, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The core business is based around Heatsink design, manufacture and distribution to the PC manufacturing sector. We also supply the Distribution channel with leading edge PC thermal solutions. Our market leading portfolio of Retail based PC products aimed at the Custom PC market has been supplemented with a successful range of PC peripherals marketed into the mainstream PC channel.
The Akasa product range includes CPU coolers including heatpipe coolers, low profile heatsinks and high efficiency coolers for the specialist market. The Akasa product range also includes custom components such as ultra quiet amber fans, LED fans and fan controllers, advanced thermally efficient Cases, Paxpower Ultra Quiet PSUs, Power+ iQ performance PSUs and hi-efficiency 80+ PSUs. Stylish Integral external enclosures and colorful PC cables and lights. These components can be found in many award winning PCs. Our client list includes many well-known names, major OEM system developers and board manufacturers throughout the world.</blockquote>
[page=Packaging & Contents]
Packaging & Contents
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo01sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo01.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo02sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo02.jpg)
The Akasa Revo comes in a rather large box for a 92mm-based cooler. However, it is colorful and provides sufficient information about the features and specifications in multiple languages.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo03sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo03.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo06sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo06.jpg)
Inside the colorful outside box is another box which contains the components. Everything is separated into individual compartments, and the cooler is held in place with a cardboard insert.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo04sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo04.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo05sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo05.jpg)
There is not a lot of components in the kit, but as you will see later they are all that are needed. There is an installation manual written in multiple languages, as well as two mounting brackets and some thermal compound.
[page=A Closer Look]
A Closer Look
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo07sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo07.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo08sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo08.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo10sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo10.jpg)
The Akasa Revo is a bit of an unusual looking cooler. It looks like an "all-in-one" compact watercooling kit, but it is a bit different than that. In a sense, it uses bubbles to move the internal coolant around the loop instead of a mechanical pump. Here is the information straight from Akasa:
Heat is absorbed from the CPU into a chamber which stores a specially designed dual-component liquid-coolant.
From the CPU chamber heat moves to the radiator along the up-pipe of a hermetically sealed circuit. The specially designed dual-component liquid-coolant acts as a bubble pump to force the heat rapidly to the radiator.
Heat is dispersed from the radiator by a 92mm fan rotating at low speed.
The dual-component coolant is cooled by the airflow from the fan and returns along the down-pipe of the hermetically sealed circuit to the chamber for another round.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo09sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo09.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo11sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo11.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo12sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo12.jpg)
The Revo features an all aluminum structure, which consists of a base, supply tube, radiator and return tube. There is a clear plastic cover over the radiator and a black bracket on top of the base that will aid in the installation process.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo33sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo33.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo15sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo15.jpg)
The fan used is a 92mm model with a clear frame and transparent blue fins. This is a PWM style fan, so it comes complete with a 4-pin connector for use with motherboards that support this feature.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo30sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo30.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo31sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo31.jpg)
The clear plastic cover for the radiator makes the radiator look nice but it also helps to hold the fan in place. There are clips at each corner which hold the fan, as well as some tabs that tighten up the mounting and reduce vibrations. Also, in the left picture the fill port for the system can be seen more clearly. This has been sealed after filling, and it is highly recommended that this should not be tampered with.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo13sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo13.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo14sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo14.jpg)
The Revo we received was one of the initial production units, so there are some things to keep in mind while discussing the base. In the picture on the left there are some small circular marks and some darker spots around them. According to Akasa, the circular marks on the base are from the assembly process, but note that these marks are outside of the CPU contact area. The darker areas around the circular marks appear to be some residue left from the testing process. Akasa had tested each one of these early production models individually to make sure they were performing correctly. Unfortunately, the unit we received was not cleaned completely before being shipped to us. Akasa has assured us that all of the retail units will be thoroughly cleaned before packaging and shipping. Although not polished or shiny, the base does feel fairly smooth. With the razor blade test it was difficult to see exactly how flat the base was, because the edges were raised higher than the center. Again, the edges are far away from the area that will make contact to the CPU, so they should not have any effect on performance.
[page=Installation]
Installation
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To install the Akasa Revo the motherboard tray was removed from the case to make sure there was ample room around the CPU socket. The CPU heatspreader was thoroughly cleaned to remove all traces of the former thermal compound. Akasa recommends for best performance that the Revo be installed with the radiator on top. The cooler will also work with the radiator on the right side, but not with the radiator on the bottom or the left. This should be kept in mind when positioning the mounting bracket to allow enough room for assembly. The mounting bracket for LGA775 boards was used and installed in the same manner as a stock heatsink would be, by inserting the four push-pins and pressing down until they clicked into place. Then the two clips were lifted up to allow the heatsink to be installed.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo20sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo20.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo21sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo21.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo22sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo22.jpg)
Using the included thermal compound, a small thin line was placed across the core area, since this is the application method we will be using later with Arctic Silver 5. The wire clips on the mounting bracket were placed over the base of the Revo, and the cooler was lifted up and centered on the base while moving the clips down. With the base nestled inside the opening of the black mounting frame, the metal clips were secured by pushing them down and sliding them under two tabs on each side of the bracket.
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The Revo was removed immediately to check the contact area. The thermal compound had spread enough to cover the core area, but due to the thickness of the compound it was harder to get as thin of a line as with the Arctic Silver compound. If using the stock compound, it would probably be better to apply it in a thin, even layer.
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The compound was cleaned off and Arctic Silver 5 was applied, then the Revo was reinstalled. The 4-pin connector for the fan was placed onto the header of the motherboard. There was no interference around the CPU socket, and the Revo was high enough to clear the memory and the chipset heatsink.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo24sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo24.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo25sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo25.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo32sm.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/akasarevo32.jpg)
Even when installed in the case there are no clearance issues. The Lian Li PC-A10 has the power supply located at he bottom of the case, which puts the motherboard right up against the top of the case. With the Revo there is still plenty of room to clear the 120mm fan located in the top.
[page=Performance]
Performance
The system being used to test the heatsink is as follows:
<table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="ramtable" width="450">
<tr>
<th width="100" scope="row">CPU:</th>
<td scope="row">Intel E6850 Core2 Duo</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th width="100" scope="row">Clock speed:</th>
<td scope="row">9 x 333 MHz = 3.0 GHz, Memory at DDR2-667</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Motherboard:</th>
<td scope="row">Asus P5W DH Deluxe</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Memory:</th>
<td scope="row">2 x 1GB G.Skill F2-6400CL4D-2GBHK</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Video Card:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">Sapphire HD 2900XT PCI-e</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Hard disks:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">3 x 36GB WD Raptor drives in raid 5
<br />Maxtor 200GB PATA drive</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Power Supply:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">ThermalTake ToughPower 750W</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Case:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">Lian Li PC-A10B</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Software:</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">Windows XP Pro SP2, Catalyst 7.10</td>
</tr>
</table>
The motherboard fan speed control (ASUS Q-fan Control) was disabled in the BIOS, and the fan was run at full speed. Ambient temperature was kept to 22° Celsius (+/- 1 degree) and was measured by a standard mercury thermometer.
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At stock CPU speeds the Revo cools marginally better than the stock Intel heatsink, but only under load. Considering the Revo is not meant to be a performance cooler, but instead a quiet one, performance seems adequate.
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However, most of our readers want to know how the heatsinks we review will work on an overclocked system, so the Revo was tested with the CPU overclocked to 3.6 GHz at 1.45V. Again, the Revo does better than the stock Intel heatsink, this time beating it by 4°C.
Fan Noise
To measure fan noise we used an IEC Type 2 sound level meter on the dbA setting. Measuring distance was 10 cm from the heatsink fan hub. The short distance of 10 cm is necessary to get proper readings with very silent fans. All fans were tested outside of the case at 12V supplied by a lab PSU. On fans that come with a fan controller or allow control of fan speed in any other way, "low" and "high" indicate the settings on the fan controller. For fans that use a PWM style connector, "Full Speed" is with the fan connected to the lab power supply; "PWM Mode" is with the fan installed in the system without any case fans running, no optical drives connected and with a passively cooled Gigabyte n6200-TC video card installed.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Akasa/Revo/images/fannoise.gif
With the fan from the Revo running at full speed it is louder than the stock Intel heatsink. However, when the heatsink is ran off the PWM header and the motherboard is allowed to adjust the fan speed, the Revo becomes one of the quietest coolers in the test group. With the fan spinning at only 480 RPM, the Revo comes in at 44 dB.
[page=Value & Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The Akasa Revo sells for about 55.00 Euros or about $79 US Dollars.</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Lightweight
Easy to install
Fan is "whisper quiet" when in PWM mode
Performance better than the stock heatsink
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Expensive
Poor finish on the heatsink base
Performance is not as good as other similarly priced heatsinks
</td></tr>
<tr><th>7.8</th>
<td>
The Akasa Revo is a unique approach to CPU cooling. As an avid user of watercooling I like the idea of a non-mechanically pumped watercooler. When running the fan in PWM mode as it is intended, the fan is very quiet and ran at only 480 RPM. On top of that, the Revo was pretty easy to work with since it is lightweight and easy to install.<br />
<br />
However, the condition of the base was disappointing, and the performance was only marginally better than the stock Intel heatsink. I had seen reviews of preproduction Revos with mirror finish bases, and they seemed to perform better, too. Add to all this the Revo's high price, and it makes it hard to recommend the Revo.<br />
<br />
Overall the design of the Revo is interesting, but for about the same price users can purchase a high-end air cooler or a low-end watercooler and get better performance.
</td></tr>
</table>