Final Thoughts

At this point I am going to get right down to reality. There is quite a bit to consider when looking at the Transformer 3. Most notable is the pricing - I mean there are only two coolers that come to mind that really compare here; the CM Hyper 212+ and maybe the AC Freezer 7 Pro. Both are relatively close in price and the Hyper 212+ was the budget cooler that gets recommended most. The Transformer 3 offers the same thing the Hyper did, and that is a good base for a really good price. As with the 212+, this cooler really needs a pair of fans, and ones with more potential than the one supplied with the Transformer 3, at least for me as an overclocker. If you plan on running your processor at stock speeds and just want to replace the boring Intel stock cooler, the Transformer 3 is the perfect solution, as-is!

I get that you really do get what you pay for, and this is no exception to that rule. The cooler feels light in your hand and isn't the most beefy cooler available, and the mounting hardware also takes a hit due to the pricing. With AMD mounting coming down to a stock style clamp, it's like why even try, really? The Intel hardware is a bit better, but I much prefer a cooler with a back plate to keep the socket supported and the board level and flat. On this note, even with the basic setup for Intel installation, the cooler mounted fine and there was no warping of the motherboard from the screw pressure. I get that everything involved in the system has to increase the price, but I would have liked at least a bolt-through system for AMD mounting, and while I am here, make it one that allows the cooler to be oriented correctly on any AMD board.

This whole review I kept leading back to the price of this cooler. The Transformer 3 is capable of handling what I dished out to it, but I can't really see enthusiasts buying these coolers unless it is to cool a secondary rig, as it needs some help to take on anything closer to that 160W capability that I wasn't even at yet with our testing. The front of the box hit the nail on the head when Evercool described the Transformer 3 as "cooling, silent, and shiny", as it is all of those things and very well priced to boot. With the price of $27.99 at Newegg.com the Transformer 3 is hard to ignore. Just be sure you are fully aware that you may need to add fans to take this cooler to its maximum 160W rating without running into scary temperatures.