SUMMARY: Due to new chipsets hitting the streets, the Pentium 4 processor is starting to gain in popularity. And with a larger share of folks going back to Intel, the overclocking game is beginning to come around full swing with these processors. So cooling is now becoming a vital necessity once again, and what better way to test some coolers than by having them sweat their way through some testing in 30C ambient temperatures? Come join Jon "Albinus" Albiez as he does his best to torture the Evercool NW6-610 and the GlobalWin WBW-76 in a head-to-head shootout to the death.
First Impressions
This impressive looking lump of metal is GlobalWin’s entry into the Socket 478 CPU Cooling market. It comes with thermal grease already applied, a welcome change from the thermal pads so commonly used. The retaining bracket is included, and actually needs to be installed for the clipping mechanism to work. Fortunately, the necessary screws, bolts and washers are supplied, and following the instructions is a no-brainer.
The fan is a 70x70x15mm unit that delivers over 50% more air than the Evercool unit. Unfortunately, because 70mm fans are rather hard to come by this limits the range that can be clipped on to the heatsink. The fan itself is held on by GlobalWin’s usual wire clipping mechanism, which negates the need for screws. Here is the spec sheet on the unit (from GlobalWin’s website):
One unusual thing I noticed was the fan disagreed with the specs above. Whilst the specs on the website state that there is one ball and one sleeve bearing, the unit supplied to me had “dual ball” written on the sticker. I certainly hope this is the case, as dual ball-bearing fans have a longer life expectancy than sleeve or sleeve/ball hybrids.
The clipping mechanism is something that GlobalWin should be commended on. Instead of the much criticized clips used on the FOP series of coolers, there are two nice clips with protective plastic pads to make installation a breeze. Unlike the Evercool unit, the clips are fixed to the retention mechanism, making installation of the retaining bracket essential.
