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Test procedure
As we usually test CPU coolers using a Z97 motherboard with an Intel Core i7-4790K, our tests today using the LGA 2011-3 platform are not comparable. However, we devised a special ‘stand-alone' method of testing the Predator 280.
First, we installed the Predator 280 to the CPU only. Our graphics card – the EVGA GTX 1080 FTW – was cooled by its out-of-the-box air-cooler. With the system in this configuration, we stressed the hardware using Prime 95 and 3DMark Fire Strike to get a ‘baseline' temperature reading for each component.
After that, we tested again, but this time with the GPU block installed to the GTX 1080, with the graphics card now cooled by the Predator 280 as well. This will show us any temperature improvements gained by watercooling the graphics card.
Test hardware
Our test system today consists of the following components:
- Intel i7-5820K CPU
- MSI X99A SLI Plus Motherboard
- 4X4GB Panram Ninja V 3000MHz DDR4 RAM
- EVGA GTX 1080 FTW GPU
- Corsair RM750i PSU
- OCZ Trion 150 SSD
Creating excess heat
To stress the CPU we ran Prime 95's (version 26.6) Small FFTs test for 15 minutes. At the same time, we ran 3DMark Fire Strike's built-in stress test – which simply loops the regular benchmark numerous times. This allows us to stress the CPU and GPU to 100%, generating maximum heat and thus pushing the Predator 280 to its limit.
Interesting cooler.
Can it run completely fanless in idle?
In theory I suppose so. However, at a low rpm the fans are really inaudible so it just feels a bit risky – if your CPU utilisation spikes without you knowing, it could overheat with the fans switched off
I’ve oc my 6800k 4GHz, after 3 hours of Gears of War 4, the maximum temperature was 49C. The Silverstone TD02-E was set at 65%, about 1600 rpm.
I like this design a bit more than the Switftech design for a semi open loop but I do wish the end reservoir was mounted in such a way that if you remove the fans, the front face of the radiator (side where the fans are normally mounted) would be flush with the res, I really would like a cooler like (so I can have some kind of loop) this in my Haf XB but given my graphics card is pretty long (it’s a triple fan Strix), this makes using a Switftech cooler or this cooler impossible unless the res with either unit could be remounted out of the way or was designed so that I can mount the radiator on one side, then the fans on the other side of a panel. Yes, I could go with an actual loop, but these semi open loops allow making one far cheaper, for cooling my graphics card, I just need to add 2 fittings, some tubing and a water block, which worst case would be $365 total