ARCTICFreezer 7 X CO - Compact CPU Cooler for Continuous Operation, 100mm PWM Fan, Multi-Compatible with Intel & AMD, LGA1700 compatible, 300-2000 rpm (PWM Controlled), Pre-Applied MX-4 Thermal Paste

I bought this to cool my 4790K cpu, running OSX 10.11.5.Pros:InexpensiveSurprisingly Quiet Fan -- just like a NoctuaNo problem cooling a 4790K chip, 4.0Ghz --- 22C idle temp as I type this...Cons:The bracket that is installed behind the motherboard is made of plastic and the arms bend.... sometimes you're not sure if you're just bending those plastic arms as you tighten the screws, or you're successfully pressing down the heatsink against the cpu. Other coolers like Noctua have metal brackets giving you a high confidence factor during installation. Not this i11.As I said, it is adequate to cool a 4790K chip running at stock settings. But you can't pretty much overclock your CPU and run stress test. Oh yes, your cpu will run just fine to complete a Geekbench benchmark, but running a stress test like Prime will almost for certain shut down your computer... i.e. the heatsink isn't big enough, heavy enough, running a single small fan is not enough to blow the heat away from the CPU as fast as possible. Your temps will rise slowly over time, and its clear the heatsink and fan just can't keep up with the heat.So if you plan on doing overclocking, look for something else... a big heatsink with dual fans -- this i11 isn't adequate for overclocking setups.Bottomline: It's good enough for basic needs, but don't expect high-end performance.Update: changed rating from 4-stars to 5-starsTurns out my motherboard BIOS needs an update. Installed latest BIOS update and my CPU isn't running as hot as before, and with even higher scores. Now this cooler will happily cool my rig running at 4.6Ghz, peaking at 74-76C, depending on ambient.

For the last 6 years, ever since I built my first computer. I made the mistake of purchasing an INTEL fan instead of AMD fan for my computer, so it didn't fit and forced me to use the stock fan that came with the AMD 8350-black edition. FOR 6 YEARS, I used that fan and assumed that the JET level noise that came from it was a normal thing.The reason why I didn't get a new CPU fan for such a long time, was because I spent 8 HOURS, trying to get the stupid Intel Fan to fit an AMD motherboard. I felt so stupid when I finally decided to double check the box and figured out the problem, that I just decided to leave it be and just be thankful I had a working computer.AND God help you, if you were playing an intense game like FF15, because that fan would be so loud...but I got use to it over time and learned to ignore it with headphones. But I finally decided nearly a month ago to try and purchase a new fan, since some of my compotents were getting on in the years and I wanted to add some new thermal paste to my CPU to keep it running optimal.Well, lo' and behold, I put this 7x Artic Freezer fan in my CPU and I freaked out for a second, thinking I didn't install it right, because I couldn't hear anything from it. But after 10 minutes of leaving my computer on and checking the fan, nothing was wrong... the fan was working, it was just quiet as HELL compared to the stock fan I'd been using for so many years.So yeah...this fan is amazing, and I'm upset with myself for not purchasing this sooner. I really am an idiot.

This cooler improved my temperatures across the board. 10 degrees cooler at idle and 18 degrees cooler under load using Prime95 benchmark testing. I was testing it against a stock Intel cpu cooler that comes with the processoer.The mounting system is very easy to figure out but slightly difficult to install IF your motherboard is already in the case. I had to pull the mobo out to get it installed properly. You might be able to get it installed easily if you have a big case. My case is medium sized and I did not have enough clearance to reach one of the screws on one side.When under full load the stock cooler was very noticeable in sound. I don't hear anything now when the CPU is under load. The large fan is quiet and has maxed out at 1,400 rpm.Great purchase. Very affordable, well built for the money and it gets the job done. First time using an Arctic product but I'll be looking to them in the future now.