GlacialTech 5610 Igloo

GlacialTech has been on a rampage as of late, launching several new CPU coolers.  Today we look at one of the first designs, the 5610 Igloo PWM and the 5610 Igloo Silent.  The 5610 lineup enters in as part of the value segment for Intel CPUs.  Just because a cooler is cheap, however, does not mean that it can't perform, so we are going to do our best to determine if this cooler is worth a few of your hard earned dollars.

Features and Specifications:

First Impressions:

At first look, the 5610 series coolers appear diminutive in size compared to the many monsters on the market today.  It is almost easy to forget that "normal" size coolers still exist.  If you look closer, you will see that the only difference between the PWM and the Silent model is the fan connector.  The Silent version utilizes the older 3-pin style connector while the PWM model uses the newer 4-pin connector.  In every other aspect the two coolers are identical. 

Here is a close-up of the side.  As you can see, this is not a very wide heatsink either.  Two heatpipes bend to make a U-formation from one side to the other. 

Above is a picture of the rear end.  Here we can see one of the unique design features of the PWM.  Instead of using horizontal fins all the way down to the base, the 5610 has an almost old school looking vertical set mounted to the base, with the more modern horizontal fins above it.  As you can see, the fins are very thin and are packed very tightly. 

Finally, we have the base of the 5610.  The base is mirror finished with a layer of thermal interface material already applied for your convenience.  The paste appears to be thicker than Arctic Silver 5.   Also, notice the mounting bracket.  Each corner has a screw held in place by a plastic sheath.  Not pictured is a fairly standard backplate to go under the motherboard. 

Installation:

Installation on the 5610 series is pretty straight forward.  Unfortunately, because Socket 775 has neither a bracket or a backplate, even basic heatsink installs require motherboard removal.  This is not a ding against GlacialTech however, but a ding against Intel's poor choice in design.  One thing the GlacialTech backplate has going for it is the fact that the backplate itself is threaded.  This means no nuts to try and hold in place while you try and screw in the heatsink.

Four screws, and this puppy is in place.  As always, tighten down in opposite corners first, just as if you were changing a spare tire.  Can't get much easier than that.

GlacialTech warns in their documentation that good case airflow is vital for adequate cooling for higher end CPUs.  Thank goodness we just happen to have a 120mm fan in the area. 

Testing:

To test both flavors of the 5610, we will be using the above rig as a testbed.  We will be comparing performance to the stock Intel cooler that has Arctic Silver 5 applied for the TIM.  For each test, there will be five minutes of idle time followed by 15 minutes of full load on the CPU.  Idle is defined as sitting on the Windows Vista desktop, while the load is generated by Prime 95 version 25.4, using Large FFTs.  Temps are captured by SpeedFan 4.34 beta 36 in 3 second increments, looking at the external CPU temp as well as Core 0.  

Stock:

First off is our stock Intel heatsink results.  If there is one thing that has never changed, it is that the stock Intel heatsinks have always been good at being one thing: funky looking paperweights.  They surely have not been good heatsinks.  In this case, the CPU idles at around 32C and loads around 60C, while the Core 0 temp idles at 46C and loads all the way up to 72C or so.  Ouch.

Igloo Silent:

Next up is the Igloo 5610 Silent.  Locked in at 1800 RPMs, the Silent version has no fan control.  That didn't stop it from beating out the stock Intel by a good margin, however.  With the CPU idling at 30C and loading at 51C, and the Core idling at 44C and loading at 63C, occasionally spiking to 65C, the "Silent" version still knocks off the stock cooler by roughly 9C.  The cooler was completely silent, to boot.  Not bad.

Igloo 5610 PWM:

Finally, we have the 5610 PWM model.  This can be independently fan controlled by the motherboard to provide a greater control over the cooling.  At full bore, the CPU idles at 29C and loads at 44C, while the Core idles at 42C and loads at 57C.  Not too shabby at all, the PWM beats the Silent out by about 7C and the stock cooler by about 16C.  This is not without cost, however, as the fan at 3200 RPM is clearly audible, and is definitely more than my comfort level. 

Conclusion:

Looking at the size and price of the 5610 series, I clearly was not expecting it to take home any big time performance wins away from the likes of Thermalright, CoolerMaster or Scythe.  Nonetheless, the compact size of the 5610 belies the performance capabilities of these units.  For a small fee of $20, you can have a quality heatsink that clearly does a better job than the stock unit.  Just don't expect to hit any insane overclocks.  If you compare the 5610 next to the stock heatsink, the 5610 stands taller but takes up less real estate on the motherboard, though for all intents it is practically the same size.  Because of the size, silence, and price, I have decided to give the heatsink a "better than average" rating of 4.0. 

Pros:

• Cheap

• Easy to install (as 775 goes)

• Small

• Quiet at low speeds

Cons:

• Not breaking any records

• Loud at high fan speeds (PWM model only)

Note: Club Overclocker is now using a new rating system based on a score of 1 to 5.
Please go to our rating system page for more information.

Performance:	3 out of 5
Innovation:	4 out of 5
Quality:	4 out of 5
Stability:	N/A
Aesthetics:	3 out of 5
Software/Drivers Pack:	N/A
Overclocking:	N/A
Value:	4 out of 5
Project Skill Level (5 being most difficult)	2 out of 5