2011 CPU Cooler Roundup: Highlights (and Not-So-Highlights) of the Last Two Years

Most of the coolers I review don’t simply leave the test bed and head for the closet. They tend to get used for comparison units for other reviews, for builds I’m working on or just because it’s the first one I grabbed after a benched a budget cooler that I couldn’t leave on my rig for day to day use. There is also the fact that chips change, and so do the thermal properties of them. My go to Intel and AMD coolers are entirely different. And while my go to AMD unit puts up very good numbers on Intel, my favorite Intel unit is pretty mediocre on AMD chips. The point being, after extended practical use I have a bit more insight to these pieces, and a bit more info than when I reviewed them. We here at HTL thought it might be a good time to share those insights, and even dole out some awards. So, let’s start at the beginning…