Arctic's New $28 Freezer 36 Air Cooler & Contact Frame: CPU Cooler Review & Benchmarks
video description
Date: 2024-03-05
Related videos
Comments and reviews: 20
MrSmitheroons
Thanks for another robust review... Am I going a bit crazy though I thought AM4 was retired in the CPU cooler testing methodology in favor of AM5 ( LGA1700)
I suppose for this budget segment an AM4 CPU might have some budget synergy with such a cheap and cheerful (when on sale) cooler... But as other reviewers have shown, AM5 parts operate rather well for compute performance/gaming with cheap or basic coolers, even if they may run hot they are operating at very near full performance.
So in other words, this cooler should be fine on a Ryzen 7600x, I'm guessing. Are you planning on keeping AM4 CPUs in the comparisons going forward in addition to AM5 an LGA1700 Aren't AM5 CPUs going to be tested, are they coming back in future reviews Was this just a one-off thing Sorry for the confusion, maybe I missed it in the video, but this choice of testing just came as a surprise. I was thinking it would be just AM5 and LGA1700 going forward.
Thanks for any clarification (and thanks as always for the testing and reviews!).
reply
Thanks for another robust review... Am I going a bit crazy though I thought AM4 was retired in the CPU cooler testing methodology in favor of AM5 ( LGA1700)
I suppose for this budget segment an AM4 CPU might have some budget synergy with such a cheap and cheerful (when on sale) cooler... But as other reviewers have shown, AM5 parts operate rather well for compute performance/gaming with cheap or basic coolers, even if they may run hot they are operating at very near full performance.
So in other words, this cooler should be fine on a Ryzen 7600x, I'm guessing. Are you planning on keeping AM4 CPUs in the comparisons going forward in addition to AM5 an LGA1700 Aren't AM5 CPUs going to be tested, are they coming back in future reviews Was this just a one-off thing Sorry for the confusion, maybe I missed it in the video, but this choice of testing just came as a surprise. I was thinking it would be just AM5 and LGA1700 going forward.
Thanks for any clarification (and thanks as always for the testing and reviews!).
reply
lamikal2515
Steve, that fan mounting mechanism is MILES better than the classic thin clip thingy, one big reason :
You neither have to crush your finger's flesh to put the fan onto the cooler, nor have to bend a bunch of fins when you have to get it out, for dust cleaning for example. Not that it would matter in the long term, thanks to the gand total of 2 installation cycles you have before giving that flimsy clip an shape that make it unusable, thanks to the tolerances SO tight that the thingy can clip into the cooler with only the very shape it came from the factory, not a single micron different, unless you want to crush even more fins and inflict to yourself even more pain when trying to put the fan back on the cooler.
Anyway, back to you, Steve !
reply
Steve, that fan mounting mechanism is MILES better than the classic thin clip thingy, one big reason :
You neither have to crush your finger's flesh to put the fan onto the cooler, nor have to bend a bunch of fins when you have to get it out, for dust cleaning for example. Not that it would matter in the long term, thanks to the gand total of 2 installation cycles you have before giving that flimsy clip an shape that make it unusable, thanks to the tolerances SO tight that the thingy can clip into the cooler with only the very shape it came from the factory, not a single micron different, unless you want to crush even more fins and inflict to yourself even more pain when trying to put the fan back on the cooler.
Anyway, back to you, Steve !
reply
bomas_ulz
Regarding pressure measurement. Can you show how much pressure is each color It’s pretty misleading to not know how much difference in pressure there really is. Is it like between 50 and 500 newton which is both out of specifications for recent sockets. Or is it more like low is 224 newton and high is 230 newton which would be totally fine because it’s in the specs and more or less a little tolerance which won’t hurt.
The graphics without a legend don’t tell if it’s really good. If it’s totally the same pressure throughout the plate with almost no difference, but it’s a pressure like 600 newton, a cooler would be out of the specs and kill the mainboard. Same if the pressure is too low.
reply
Regarding pressure measurement. Can you show how much pressure is each color It’s pretty misleading to not know how much difference in pressure there really is. Is it like between 50 and 500 newton which is both out of specifications for recent sockets. Or is it more like low is 224 newton and high is 230 newton which would be totally fine because it’s in the specs and more or less a little tolerance which won’t hurt.
The graphics without a legend don’t tell if it’s really good. If it’s totally the same pressure throughout the plate with almost no difference, but it’s a pressure like 600 newton, a cooler would be out of the specs and kill the mainboard. Same if the pressure is too low.
reply
Mrdardas99
I wish there was a logistically and economically viable way to test fan longevity (noise and resistance). It really has a significant impact on overall value. I've built and fixed over two thousand desktops in 2012-2017, and I've found Arctic fans to be decent for their price - but certainly not anywhere close to the reliability of Noctua fans. The 80mm fans especially liked to start failing after 2-3 years. Meanwhile, cheap chinese-sourced case fans used by companies like Sharkoon and the like can barely make it a year of ongoing use before they started to grind, though you could usually keep 'em for another year if you open and oil them before it gets too bad.
reply
I wish there was a logistically and economically viable way to test fan longevity (noise and resistance). It really has a significant impact on overall value. I've built and fixed over two thousand desktops in 2012-2017, and I've found Arctic fans to be decent for their price - but certainly not anywhere close to the reliability of Noctua fans. The 80mm fans especially liked to start failing after 2-3 years. Meanwhile, cheap chinese-sourced case fans used by companies like Sharkoon and the like can barely make it a year of ongoing use before they started to grind, though you could usually keep 'em for another year if you open and oil them before it gets too bad.
reply
dil6969
While it does seem a little unusual to require a contact frame for a budget cooler, it's probably the most cost-effective means of improving cooling performance without making the unit itself impractically huge and expensive.
Cooler manufacturers are probably approaching the limit to how efficiently you can transfer heat between a CPU and cooler without really exotic mounting solutions and thermal interface material. Overall, it's nice to see a healthy number of cooler companies allocating the majority of their R&D towards performance. I don't think the cooler market has ever been this competitive before and we will all benefit as a result.
reply
While it does seem a little unusual to require a contact frame for a budget cooler, it's probably the most cost-effective means of improving cooling performance without making the unit itself impractically huge and expensive.
Cooler manufacturers are probably approaching the limit to how efficiently you can transfer heat between a CPU and cooler without really exotic mounting solutions and thermal interface material. Overall, it's nice to see a healthy number of cooler companies allocating the majority of their R&D towards performance. I don't think the cooler market has ever been this competitive before and we will all benefit as a result.
reply
valhallasashes4354
I really want to see an air cooler in this footprint, but in a 140mm form factor. I really want a single tower air cooler option that doesn't impede RAM installation/removal, that can cool a 7950X. If Arctic made this cooler in a 140mm version with maybe an extra heatpipe or two, I would seriously consider buying one.
I'd also like to see an offset mounting kit for AM5 included, or at the very least, make the tower unit itself compatible with Noctua NM-AMB15 offset mount so it at least leaves us the option to buy them separately if Arctic doesn't want to provide them.
reply
I really want to see an air cooler in this footprint, but in a 140mm form factor. I really want a single tower air cooler option that doesn't impede RAM installation/removal, that can cool a 7950X. If Arctic made this cooler in a 140mm version with maybe an extra heatpipe or two, I would seriously consider buying one.
I'd also like to see an offset mounting kit for AM5 included, or at the very least, make the tower unit itself compatible with Noctua NM-AMB15 offset mount so it at least leaves us the option to buy them separately if Arctic doesn't want to provide them.
reply
Qalibrated
For $50, it's really not that interesting. Aesthetics and performance is kinda meh for that price range. Overall, not a super exciting product. However, the one thing i absolutely love about it, is the fan mounting. There's a bloodstain on the Pure Rock 2 cooler in my M-ATX build, no kidding, because of the sharp fins and horrendous fan clips. The annoying fan clips that is standard on a lot of aircoolers is the reason i hate working with aircoolers. Some of them have crappy/outdated mounting hardware as well but i could easily live with that if the fan clips retired.
reply
For $50, it's really not that interesting. Aesthetics and performance is kinda meh for that price range. Overall, not a super exciting product. However, the one thing i absolutely love about it, is the fan mounting. There's a bloodstain on the Pure Rock 2 cooler in my M-ATX build, no kidding, because of the sharp fins and horrendous fan clips. The annoying fan clips that is standard on a lot of aircoolers is the reason i hate working with aircoolers. Some of them have crappy/outdated mounting hardware as well but i could easily live with that if the fan clips retired.
reply
JJW3
I think the new fan mounting solution is really neat, and its great that it is compatible with other fans if you wish to swap out the stock ones. I'm currently using the DeepCool AG500 on my 5800X3D and the AG620 on my 12700KF, which have been doing a great job on both of them. I don't see myself swapping out the AG500 until I jump to AM5 in about a year on my 5800X3D system, rebuild to a 9800X3D or whatever AMD calls it next gen. Depending on the thermal load on the next gen X3D part, I might stay with air cooling, or give an AIO a try with a 280mm-sized setup.
reply
I think the new fan mounting solution is really neat, and its great that it is compatible with other fans if you wish to swap out the stock ones. I'm currently using the DeepCool AG500 on my 5800X3D and the AG620 on my 12700KF, which have been doing a great job on both of them. I don't see myself swapping out the AG500 until I jump to AM5 in about a year on my 5800X3D system, rebuild to a 9800X3D or whatever AMD calls it next gen. Depending on the thermal load on the next gen X3D part, I might stay with air cooling, or give an AIO a try with a 280mm-sized setup.
reply
MrSamadolfo
To Arctic: bruh, go take a good look at the DARKROCK PX4, that is how u are suppose to design heat pipes in 2024, they have to be slanted towards the back a bit, get with the program and modern times, i better see this in the Arctic Freezer 37 Black ALSO get rid of that proprietary 1700 bracket, if u want to include a 1700 bracket then make a clone of the grizzly bracket. When I reuse ur cooler im not going to remove the 1700 bracket as well, nobody does that, what were u thinking So fix these two things today and then u should be golden.
reply
To Arctic: bruh, go take a good look at the DARKROCK PX4, that is how u are suppose to design heat pipes in 2024, they have to be slanted towards the back a bit, get with the program and modern times, i better see this in the Arctic Freezer 37 Black ALSO get rid of that proprietary 1700 bracket, if u want to include a 1700 bracket then make a clone of the grizzly bracket. When I reuse ur cooler im not going to remove the 1700 bracket as well, nobody does that, what were u thinking So fix these two things today and then u should be golden.
reply
GeekOfAllThings
Steve, thanks for the hard work and the great video.
Could I suggest using different colors for air and liquid coolers on your graphs to easier differentiate And maybe a different color for any setups that don't use the standard configuration, like different fans or more fans. I think that would make it easier to compare overall results as well as compare the same type of cooler in the same graph.
Different shades of blue should be fine, unless that won't work for accessibility for color blindness.
reply
Steve, thanks for the hard work and the great video.
Could I suggest using different colors for air and liquid coolers on your graphs to easier differentiate And maybe a different color for any setups that don't use the standard configuration, like different fans or more fans. I think that would make it easier to compare overall results as well as compare the same type of cooler in the same graph.
Different shades of blue should be fine, unless that won't work for accessibility for color blindness.
reply
godwhomismike
Tempted to grab the ARGB version of this for $33. Doing to pair this with a Ryzen 5700X3D, so it should be more than enough especially since I am keeping it stock (although it will be a tight fit in my ITX case (In Win A1 Plus), which I am tempted to replace with a DeepCool CH360 Digital since the cost of replacing the four old noisy fans in this case are approaching new case costs And would give me some better clearances and cooling potential.
reply
Tempted to grab the ARGB version of this for $33. Doing to pair this with a Ryzen 5700X3D, so it should be more than enough especially since I am keeping it stock (although it will be a tight fit in my ITX case (In Win A1 Plus), which I am tempted to replace with a DeepCool CH360 Digital since the cost of replacing the four old noisy fans in this case are approaching new case costs And would give me some better clearances and cooling potential.
reply
igor4knezevic
I love being this early for a GN video. But yeah, just wanted to say that I don't like Arctic killing LGA115x-1200 support even though it's a old platform with less and less users even though i7s and i9s are still relatively competitive, so I don't know. I mean 11900K came out a few years ago and cooling it is still very needed, but I guess it's a get another/older cooler type situation.
reply
I love being this early for a GN video. But yeah, just wanted to say that I don't like Arctic killing LGA115x-1200 support even though it's a old platform with less and less users even though i7s and i9s are still relatively competitive, so I don't know. I mean 11900K came out a few years ago and cooling it is still very needed, but I guess it's a get another/older cooler type situation.
reply
ELCrisler
It seems when I see a cooler with direct heat pipe contact performing worse on the newer AMD chips. Would like to have seen this with a solid spreader backplate and the AMD offset. As for the fan clips that is a neat idea. I wonder if instead of the friction mount, if they could not have done a magnet mounting solution so it would be a little easier to work with in the case
reply
It seems when I see a cooler with direct heat pipe contact performing worse on the newer AMD chips. Would like to have seen this with a solid spreader backplate and the AMD offset. As for the fan clips that is a neat idea. I wonder if instead of the friction mount, if they could not have done a magnet mounting solution so it would be a little easier to work with in the case
reply
gamersnexus
Arctic what is it with the contact frames I can’t recommend any of the new stuff to my friends who might be new to building PCs now who wants to go Intel
If I remember from a hardware canucks video, offset mounting for air coolers on AMD varies in effectiveness based on design, so maybe Arctic tried it out and it didn’t perform better and didn’t bother
reply
Arctic what is it with the contact frames I can’t recommend any of the new stuff to my friends who might be new to building PCs now who wants to go Intel
If I remember from a hardware canucks video, offset mounting for air coolers on AMD varies in effectiveness based on design, so maybe Arctic tried it out and it didn’t perform better and didn’t bother
reply
moldyshishkabob
Competition in the air cooler market is heating up (maybe wrong choice of words), but what I'm really wondering now is if GN is going to start benchmarking the usability of short form video content as forum weapons.
Between GN's pushing of Thanks, Steve and the reaching out for a comment videos, I think they have gained quite a few years of expertise,
reply
Competition in the air cooler market is heating up (maybe wrong choice of words), but what I'm really wondering now is if GN is going to start benchmarking the usability of short form video content as forum weapons.
Between GN's pushing of Thanks, Steve and the reaching out for a comment videos, I think they have gained quite a few years of expertise,
reply
danc4046
Any ram clearance issues on fully populated dimms with big heatsinks Without clips that you can adjust the fan up or down, seems like you lose some flexibility. If the single chonky tower design doesn't impact ram, then I really like the look of this. It doesn't bug me a lot but it is a little annoying when you have to adjust your fan up to account for RAM.
reply
Any ram clearance issues on fully populated dimms with big heatsinks Without clips that you can adjust the fan up or down, seems like you lose some flexibility. If the single chonky tower design doesn't impact ram, then I really like the look of this. It doesn't bug me a lot but it is a little annoying when you have to adjust your fan up to account for RAM.
reply
garrettkajmowicz
A few requests:
1. Might you be able to keep at least one of the stock coolers in the charts where applicable for reference It helps put the cost and performance of the products in perspective.
2. Might you measure the height of the center of mass of the cooler above the CPU surface I really prefer a low moment arm on my builds.
reply
A few requests:
1. Might you be able to keep at least one of the stock coolers in the charts where applicable for reference It helps put the cost and performance of the products in perspective.
2. Might you measure the height of the center of mass of the cooler above the CPU surface I really prefer a low moment arm on my builds.
reply
snowthearcticfox1
Any plans on testing the user experience of using handheld pcs such as the steam deck or legion go as a desktop replacement Ive used the steam deck as my main pc basically since i got it and while its not flawless its way better then most people make it seem and id love to see what its like on other devices.
reply
Any plans on testing the user experience of using handheld pcs such as the steam deck or legion go as a desktop replacement Ive used the steam deck as my main pc basically since i got it and while its not flawless its way better then most people make it seem and id love to see what its like on other devices.
reply
supra107
The snap-in fan mounting seems like a great compromise between getting rid of the annoying metal clips and the ability to easily replace the fan with any other standard fan. The 52$ MSRP price is a massive mistake though, completely kills off the value. Arctic is still great value as far as fans and thermal paste go.
reply
The snap-in fan mounting seems like a great compromise between getting rid of the annoying metal clips and the ability to easily replace the fan with any other standard fan. The 52$ MSRP price is a massive mistake though, completely kills off the value. Arctic is still great value as far as fans and thermal paste go.
reply
NANOTECHYT
While I absolutely hate the clips, they are good for RAM clearances, if you have for whatever reason very high chunky RAM heatsinks, you can just move the clips up and the fan sits a little above where it's supposed to. But with the Arctic mounting system for the fan, I don't think that's possible.
reply
While I absolutely hate the clips, they are good for RAM clearances, if you have for whatever reason very high chunky RAM heatsinks, you can just move the clips up and the fan sits a little above where it's supposed to. But with the Arctic mounting system for the fan, I don't think that's possible.
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
