GELID Solutions Tranquillo CC-TranQ-01-A 120mm Hydro Dynamic CPU Cooler

Pros: Absolutely none. Maybe positive performance if you can actually get this installed.

Cons: Incredibly difficult to install to the point that it is near impossible.

Other Thoughts: This is the only regret of my recent PC build. This CPU cooler was recommended to me, and after doing some research it looked like a solid piece. I had read some reviews in the past that the cooler was especially difficult and frustrating to install, but I didn't think much of it since I was having a professional (a friend) oversee the build and help me out. It took about 2 hours to try and get this cooler secure with no success. I honestly should have listened to the feedback about how difficult this was because I ultimately had to give up trying to install it after getting nowhere and wasting time.

PLEASE do yourself a favor and DO NOT BUY THIS COOLER. I never got a chance to run it, so I cannot comment on the performance, but wow this thing is terribly frustrating to install.

Pros: Low temps, average installation difficulty, Shiny.

Cons: Blocked one of my RAM slots. Not enough to dock an egg.

Other Thoughts: Never had my temps go above 40C with I7 2600 at 100%

Pros: Quiet fan, low temps.

Cons: None

Other Thoughts: Awesome heat sink, I run the CPU at 100 constantly (no overclock) and it always maintains 3-4 degrees C warmer than room temp.

Pros: This is a continuation of my previous impressions. Idle core temps are between 30 and 35 C. My motherboard is set to allow a max mobo temp of 55 C and under full load on all cores, the temps stabilize at 56 - 57 C. I haven't tried locking all fans to maximum. Not overclocked yet, and using an Ivy Bridge 4C/8T 69W e3-1230 v2 chip. Might try thermal grease re-application, but I don't think those temps are too bad.

Easy and sane motherboard mounting.

Got the Rev. 2 version.

Cons: As previously stated, it's way to #$@*&%! hard to get the fan attached to the sink.

Pros: Easy to install. Does not interfere with low profile RAM, I suspect it would be just flush against extended heat sink RAM.

I haven't finished installing OS yet, but no matter how I configure fans in BIOS temps are between 35 and 38 C, which means ambient temp +8 to +11 C, though obviously bios temps to be taken with a grain of salt. Do think I might have used too much thermal paste. Once system is installed, will look for reading from OS. Depending, may re-seat. Not using stock paste.

CPU is an Ivy Bridge E3-1230 v2, so no idea how that measures.

Finish on the copper was quite smooth, not to the level of red rouge or micron abrasives, but definitely better than tripoli compound, I'd say.

I think putting the dimpled diamond texture on the fins is a good idea. Well

Cons: While the heatsink was easy to install, the fan was not. Attaching the fan to this thing is a pain, and I think I ended up adding a little curve to a couple of the heatsink fins.

Other Thoughts: Fan is not loud, but is louder than I expected. Depending on how things go, I might swap fans. Oddly enough I have a Gelid PWM 120mm case fan, and it's noticeably quieter than the CPU fan, not sure what's different between them. Also depends on how it sounds with case closed, haha. Regardless of this, it's far far quieter than my current PC's jet-engine fan whine.

I'd attach the mounting plate before casing motherboard. On my mobo the backing plate ends up really close to the edge of the open area on the mobo-tray. It fits, but a couple of the pins couldn't be inserted. Not a big deal.

Also, mine was the Rev. 2 version.

May post an updated review once I've got system really set.

Pros: Keeps my Phenom II X4 at 2.8 GHz around 30C at idle and I haven't seen it go above 42C under heavy load in games or Prime95 using Tuniq TX-2 thermal compound in an Antec 300 case with all case fans set to the lowest speed. Can't hear it at all, but I know it's doing its job.

Cons: Some mounting issues with the fan clips and the screw springs.

The fan clips were a bit confusing at first, but once I figured out that the long part goes into the slots on the heatsink, they were no problem. I did feel quite stupid for not figuring it out right away, though.

As for the screw springs (or whatever they're called), I ended up not using them since they were impossible for me to get on. As of yet, I've had no problems come from this.

Other Thoughts: Based on the other reviews here, I assumed that mounting this on my AMD board in a front to back configuration would be impossible, but I was able to do it. Can't explain some things, I guess.

Pros: The cpu cooler market has improved drastically and yet this one still keeps up with the new processors. Still as quiet as the day I bought it, but am replacing it as I have reached a thermal limit on a FX-8120. 4.4 GHz is the limit (if not a bit less) on this cooler if your case fans are fast. Ran at 4.6 but not for long...the fan is likely the limiting factor. Great cooler for a quiet and decent overclock.

Cons: Can't speed the fan much but then again it is very quiet.

Pros: Cools very nicely - I run my CPU at at least 75% at all times. Quiet w/included 4-pin 120mm PWM fan.

Cons: Had to use shorter memory to have cooler face upward in case.

Other Thoughts: No problem with Intel 1155 mounting unlike some others had noted. Just think through instructions/orientations/insulating rings before you commit. Make sure you prepare & clean the surfaces before applying the right amount of thermal paste in a good pattern.

Pros: Greater cooler. Keeps my CPU nice and cool under loads. Quiet fan is silent.

Cons: Can only mount one fan. Mounting bracket for AM3 can only mount 2 ways not 4, Top/Bottom or Bottom/Top. Wish i could have pushed the air out the back of my case rather then up into my PSU. Giving it 4/5 eggs for this reason.

Other Thoughts: Overall does a great job under-load on my AM3. If you have an Intel chipset you CAN mount 4 ways to blow out. the mounting bracket for the AMD is held into the heatsink by screws only giving you those 2 ways.

Pros: Lots of thermal area to the heat-sink and a nice smooth CPU contact point.

Cons: Mounting the modular retention clip to the heat sink can very tricky if not disastrous.

The problem I ran into is the two different metals used when screwing the bracket to the heat sink. The screw appears to be steel and the portion you screw into looks to be aluminum. When screwing in the the very first screw it stripped out one of the holes with out warning. Luckily, I got the other three to screw in correctly and its been working fine since install.

Be careful you don't strip the screw holes.

Other Thoughts: Good heat-sink for a good price but I wish they had either warned me that it would be that easy to strip out the screw holes or provide a different way to mount the heat-sink.