SilenX iXtrema IXG-80HA2 Noiseless VGA Cooler w/IXG-3F2 Fan Kit Review

[ad#review959-top]Today’s GPUs get some really scary temperatures, it’s not unusual to see 80C-90C and even higher. For those of us that have been around awhile, we get pretty leery of anything over 50C, and the goal is to keep load temperatures as close to 50C as possible.

I have seen a few really good factory coolers, though most of them do a “just get by” job, balancing cost, aesthetics, and effectiveness. They are usually loud, commonly being the loudest fan in a rig. You still usually do better with getting an aftermarket VGA cooler.

Today I will be looking at the SilenX iXtrema IXG-80HA2 VGA cooler. It has five heatpipes directly touching the GPU, a large fin array, and fits most single-GPU video cards built in the last couple of years. Though the cooler can be used passively in total silence, I will be adding SilenX’s optional fan kit, consisting of three quiet 80mm fans. The cooler looks like it should do a great job of cooling down a hot GPU, but will it make the trip? Read on to see!

Specifications:

Dimensions: 228.4mm x 113.2mm x 33.2mm (appx 9″ x 4.5″ x 1.3″)
Base Materials: Exposed copper heatpipes/aluminum plates
Fin Material: Aluminum
Fin Surface area: 2800 sq cm (434 sq in)
Weight: 365g (12.87oz)
Noise: 8-18dBA with optional fan kit
RPM: 1000-2500 with optional fan kit
CFM: 10-96 with optional fan kit
Current draw: 0.30-0.90A with optional fan kit
Bearings: FDB, fluid dynamic bearings
GPU Compatibility:
– Most Radeon and GeForce graphics cards with mounting holes
– SLi and Crossfire supported

Packaging

The cooler is packaged in a hanging box with a sharp-looking red/black motif. A window on the front shows just how large the cooler is, and a window in the rear shows the five exposed heatpipes. Inside, the cooler is safely enclosed in a blisterpack.


SilenX iXtrema IXG-80HA2 Noiseless VGA Cooler w/IXG-3F2 Fan Kit SilenX iXtrema IXG-80HA2 Noiseless VGA Cooler w/IXG-3F2 Fan Kit SilenX iXtrema IXG-80HA2 Noiseless VGA Cooler w/IXG-3F2 Fan Kit

The fan kit is in a hanging blisterpack with the same black/red coloring. Both packages are thankfully not hermetically sealed.


SilenX iXtrema IXG-80HA2 Noiseless VGA Cooler w/IXG-3F2 Fan Kit SilenX iXtrema IXG-80HA2 Noiseless VGA Cooler w/IXG-3F2 Fan Kit

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