Cooler Master Eclipse Review - Testing the Eclipse
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To test the cooler I mounted the Eclipse to my new Core 2 Duo e6300 at stock and at a 30% OC, running 2.42GHz. Both times I ran it at idle for half an hour and recorded the temperature, then loaded up multiple tasks to check the temperatures at maximum load. I ran two instances of Prime 95 on each core and recorded the maximum temperature with the fan on low speed, then recorded the minimum temperature when I turned the fan on high.
Test Bed
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300
2x1024MB Crucial Ballistix Tracer
DFI Infinity 975X/G
256MB ATI X850XT
Enermax Galaxy 850W
iTower930 w/ 120mm exhaust fan
Results
The first thing I noticed is that in low speed mode, the cooler is very quiet and can keep the Core 2 Duo running at temperatures much lower than the stock cooler. Cranking the fan up on high considerably increased the noise of the fan, and quickly started lowering the temperatures; I noticed considerably more hot air dissipating from the heat sink initially. Once temperatures started to lower it was not nearly as noticeable.
The temperature of the processor at load is significantly lower than with the retail cooler. Lowering the temperature will certainly offer more headroom for overclocking, or prolong the life of the processor.
1.86ghz
Low - 37/46
High - 36/44
2.42ghz
Low – 42/55
High – 41/53
Idle/Load, Temps = C
Conclusion
The Eclipse certainly offers excellent performance for anyone looking at replacing the stock cooler and doesn’t mind removing their motherboard if they have an Intel setup. It effortlessly cools the latest dual core processors, and performs well enough to cool during extensive overclocking, which certainly makes the Eclipse an excellent deal for the majority of customers.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Decent performance and build quality.
- Unique design, cools surrounding components.
- Adjustable fan speed.
- Is compatible with most popular sockets.
Cons
- Intel motherboards must be removed for installation.
- Very tall, may cause some compatibility issues with side panel fans.
- I find the fan duct annoying and removed it for my installation.
- Expensive; costs around $55 at time of review.
Cooler Master has designed an excellent cooler with the Eclipse. It offers enough performance to cool the latest generation of processors adequately, provides enough headroom for overclocking, and has a great design for cooling components surrounding the processor. Users looking to get a fancy heat sink different from all the standard tower heat sinks and flower-shaped heat sinks should definitely check out the Eclipse. For the price though there are other coolers out there that perform just as well, although they won't look anything like this.
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