Installation :

This heatsink will require motherboard removal for proper installation, no matter what platform you are using; this hefty copper heatsinks needs a strong back plate for obvious reasons. After attaching the K8 mounting plates it looks like this:



The fan mounting supports 80/92mm from the get go, when you want to use a 120mm fan you have to install the addition stand offs



On the DFI board it was a tight fit as the heat pipes are sticking out and they are touching some components around the socket; this same issue I experienced also with SP-94 on different Intel boards, so far they look similar and have the same installation concerns.



Screwed on tight the Red Shock won’t come of your motherboard “by accident”, although it weighs a lot I never had a feeling this was going to be a problem for mounting. The mounting method is tried and tested and provides for a “safe fit”. In the photo below the Red Shock heatsink is installed and you can see a slight bending of one of the caps on the motherboard.



The fan bracket clips on to the Red Shock easily and removal is straight forward also,





Performance and Noise :

I set of with a series of tests using different fans at different speeds, but it soon became clear that the ideal “mating partner” for this heatsink is not the 120mm fan. The Red Shock could not keep the CPU under safe temperature limits with the Papst 120mm.



As you can see from the results above, the Red Shock performs worse than the stock A64 cooling in the silent system test. Both CPU and PWM are dangerously high. Let’s see what happens when we add more case cooling:



With the Delta 92mm fan the Red Shock is now better than the stock HSF, but the heatsink really shines when paired up the high speed Vantec 92mm fan. When you want extreme performance at extreme noise levels the Red Shock delivers!



The last test confirms my previous results.


The Verdict:

The Red Shock’s full copper construction doesn’t make it a budget solution, and since it’s been sold without a fan, there’s an extra cost involved. It performed pretty much as I expected, a compact copper heatpipe powered heatsink that shines when paired with high output fans, but when tested with silent fans fails to impress, as the performance is on par with the stock A64 HSF which you get for free with your processor. Only consider this heatsink if you are looking for extreme performance and don’t care about noise.

PRO
Compatible with all current AMD and Intel sockets
Excellent performance with high output fans
Easy fan mounting and support for 80/92/120 sizes

CON
Disappointing performance with silent fans
Motherboard removal required for installation

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