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Spire Skive Stream III Socket A Cooler Sponsored By Spire 01/16/04
Spire has provided our staff with one of their lower end CPU coolers designed to replace a stock AMD XP or Duron style socket cooler. They added a little spice with a ball bearing UV reactive fan, just in case you have a window and light setup. Spire is not boasting that the "Skive Stream III" is a super cooler, but they do say that it will get the job done. So keep that in mind when reading our review. This cooler is a low cost solution, not intended for over clocking.
Specs:
Main Features:
Newegg price $16.99 USD Purchase Link Any cooler that does the job and costs less then 20 USD is a good deal. As long as it can perform as well as stock, this price is very fair.
Installation: The installation is pretty strait forward. "Can you say STOCK?" Well, you know what I mean, it's a standard pressure bar install with a pre pasted lapped surface to make it one step easier. There is one cool thing I did like quite a bit about Spire's pressure bar, they put a hinge to make install a bit easier and eliminate the use of the screwdriver technique. Any one who has ever used the screwdriver pressure bar knows exactly my fear, every time the head of the screwdriver slips out of the slot..... So I definitely give Spire a big thumbs up on there pressure bar design.
Appearance: The overall appearance of this cooler is nothing to dote over, but it does look very stock with a stylish UV fan to give it a little extra pizzazz. This cooler is quite tiny though, so space will never be an issue no matter what size case you are using.
Performance: We are going to test the performance of the Spire III, using a 2400+ AMD CPU and our test machine. We will run a series of load and idle tests. We will start with an internal case temp of 70(f) or, in other words, B zone to simulate a standard scenario or average usage. If you want more details concerning exact procedures, feel free to contact us at preitschky@marnscda.com . We are more then happy to answer any questions. Please note all tests are static. The load situation is done identical from cooler to cooler to accurately collect data on multiple hardware pieces. Here are a few screen shots of the ASUS probe used to collect the data. I know they are a bit tough to read, but the resolution is pretty high so you can view them well if you print this at home, or just right click - go to properties - copy the URL and paste it in a Explorer address window.
Illustration 1.0 Stock Box AMD XP Cooler with 100% CPU load 36(d)
Illustration 1.1 Spire Skive Stream III with 0% CPU load 34(d)
Illustration 1.2 Spire Skive Stream III with 100% CPU Load 37(d) Celsius
As I stated earlier, if this cooler performs in the same way as a stock cooler for under 20 USD, it has done it's job. And as you can see, the performance temperature wise is right in par with the Box Cooler. Also note it is quieter and the long life expectancy of the fan shows the Skive Stream III performs more then satisfactory for this test.
The Spire cooler "Skive Stream III" does an adequate job of cooling the CPU. It runs at similar level's to the stock cooler, meaning I would probably stay away from over clocking with this cooler. However, this cooler will run fine running with defaults. Notice also that the Fan runs well and with a somewhat low noise level. The RPM's stayed at a pretty constant 3900, that is about 200 less RPMs then the stock, but this fan moves more air with less spine.
Quality: The quality of this product is standard. There is nothing too flashy but considering this a cost effective solution for replacing a base CPU cooler, not a high end OC cooler, it will suffice.
Pros: Price is right. Performs adequate for a stock replacement. UV bearing fan is made for long life expectancy. Very small, will fit in any case. Pressure bar design is easy to use and no need to screwdriver, reducing chance of motherboard damage. Cons: Not a great over clocker. No fan controls to reduce RPM's. Conclusion: When your stock cooler dies or if you build a ton of clone pc's and you are looking for an inexpensive cooler that will fit in almost any case then take a good look at the Skive Stream III. It is not a super cooler, but it gets the job done. We award the Spire Skive Stream III the Marns CDA Blue Ribbon Seal of Approval. Congratulations Spire.
Rating: 4 & 1/2 out of 6 Stars
Review Date: 01/16/05 Reviewer: pr101j (Paul)
Company Info
Spire - Headquarters
Spire - Branches
Marns CDA By pr101j |
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