Xigmatek Dark Knight SD-1283 Night Hawk Edition CPU Cooler Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. Xigmatek Dark Knight Night Hawk Edition CPU Cooler4. Installation5. Testing Methodology and Performance6. Acoustical Performance7. Closing Thoughts8. View All Pages

The design of the Xigmatek Dark Knight Night Hawk Edition cooler is simple, but very effective – comprising a rectangular heatsink with a single 120mm fan for airflow.

Xigmatek have pushed the cooling performance a little further in terms of the Ceramic Coating Surface and the stealth technology they have incorporated. The heatsink can dissipate a high level of heat with ease and even without the fan in certain situations it would still perform quite well.

We have been less impressed with the choice of fan because even at 2,000 rpm it is clearly audible and compares badly against quality models from BeQuiet! Xigmatek could improve the product by using a higher grade 140mm fan with this cooler, driving more air while emitting less noise.

The installation is relatively easy however the mounting solution is not the greatest, being more complicated than it needs to be. Additionally, the fan mounting system could be improved because we feel using the fins of the heatsink in this way is not a good solution and it can be quite fiddly to mount.

We have no concerns with the thermal performance, the Xigmatek Dark Knight Night Hawk Edition beat both the Akasa Venom Voodoo and the Titan Fenrir Siberia Edition. These are both capable and competitively priced coolers. Additionally Xigmatek have offered the option to fit another 120mm fan to improve the thermal cooling capabilities.

The acoustic performance is a little disappointing and I would replace the supplied fan, opting for two silent 120mm or 140mm fans from BeQuiet!

The Xigmatek is competitively priced, at £34.99 inc vat from Overclockers.

Pros

• Very good thermal performance.
• Price is competitive.
• LED lit fan.
• An extra 120mm fan can be added.

Cons

• Fan isn't the greatest.
• Mounting is not straightforward.
• Install guide could be improved.
• Uses heatsink fins to hold fan in place.

Kitguru says: A quality product from Xigmatek, although we would swap out the fan for a higher grade model.

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