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  Tests & Temperature Readings:

Testing Methodology:

To test the 2CoolPC Plus we will measure the temperature of the specified system without the cooling system on idle and heavy loads.  We will then place the 2CoolPC Plus in the case and again test the temperature on high and heavy loads.  We will allow the system to run for 30 minutes after opening the case to allow it to reach it's normal temperature.  We will use Motherboard Monitor along with the built in thermal monitor on the motherboard to read the case temperature.

Here is the system configuration used for this test:

   System Configuration
  • Pentium III 550 @ 825MHz
  • Soyo SY-6BA+IV Motherboard
  • 128 MB CAS 2 Kingston PC-100 SDRAM
  • ELSA Erazor X2 DDR GeForce
  • Aureal SQ2500 Vortex2
  • D-Link DE-530TX+ NIC
  • Adaptec ISA SCSI card
  • Diamond SupraExpress 56i Sp
  • Pioneer 6X DVD Drive
  • Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 40 15GB HD
  • Quantum Fireball KA Plus 13.6 GB HD
  • Microsoft Windows 98 SE

 

Celeron 400 @540Mhz

Idle Heavy
Without 2CoolPC Plus 36°C 38°C
With 2CoolPC Plus 33°C 35°C

Please note that you're results may vary.  All cases are not created equal, nor do they all have the same cooling configurations. Also, the components may differ significantly from yours in both numbers and heat production.

One important thing to note is that I have an Alpha P3125 cooling the Pentium III 550 in this system.  The P3125 is an excellent cooler, but as a byproduct, dumps an incredible amount of heat into the case which is why the temperatures are a tad higher than normal.  When I don't overclock the CPU, the case temperature is a few degrees lower.

 
 Ratings:

 

  Area         

Score

  Price 90
  Performance 94
  Fan Quality 96
  Installation 100
  Noise Level 95
  Overall 95

 

  Conclusion:

South Bay Engineering's 2CoolPC Plus is a fantastic and incredibly easy way to cool your system down and increase airflow.  It's simple and effective design easily decreases your case temperature by a few degrees Celsius and even lets you overclock your video card higher because of direct airflow above and below the card.  Perhaps the only questionable thing about the system is it's price.  While $30 isn't too bad, some people might consider it a tad much for such a simple device.  However, what's $30 if it helps keep your $2000 machine running more smoothly and reliably?  The 2CoolPC Plus receives our gold editors choice award because of it's innovative design and effectiveness. 

If you would like to buy the 2CoolPC Plus, head over to the CoolerGuys.

Review Index:
Page 1 - Specifications & Pictures
Page 2 -
Test Results & Conclusion

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The Hardware Pros are not responsible from any damage resulting from overclocking.

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