Nofan IcePipe Fanless CPU Coolers

This next-generation fanless CPU cooler uses IcePipe technology - no fans, no dust, no noise. It is capable of silently cooling almost any modern processor with a TDP (thermal design power) output of up to 80 watts (CR-80EH) or 95 watts (CR-95C).

Fanless cooling - at last!

Probably the biggest technical advancement of the last decade in the field of PC cooling has been the invention of the thermal heatpipe. This has allowed a much greater efficiency of heatsink to be designed since heatpipes are good at moving heat from one location to another, both quickly and silently.

However, the performance of heatpipes has been limited by their internal design, which relies on cyclic evaporation and condensation of the water inside them. That is until now! The next generation heatpipe has arrived - it's smaller, lighter, wickless and offers a massive improvement in performance. Its design is patented by Nofan Corporation of South Korea, and it's called the IcePipe.

The holy grail of quiet computing is excellent cooling without resorting to the use of a fan. Rather than using forced airflow along with its associated problems (noise, dust-build up, bearing wear and limited lifespan), convection cooling is undoubtedly the technology of the future and because of the IcePipe, this is now a realistic possibility.

The exact details of how the IcePipe works are a trade secret, but in essence it operates by liquid capillary action. By making the pipe very small, natural perpetual circulation of the liquid inside takes place and heat is efficiently dissipated into the attached heatsink fins. Of course, like conventional heatpipes, the IcePipes are permanently sealed in the factory so that no liquid can ever escape.

Product differences

The CR-95C is Nofan's flagship CPU cooler and replaces the CR-100A which was a slightly larger first-generation version. Because the CR-95C is physically a little smaller, it has much improved compatibility because of reduced interference with other motherboard components. It is certainly a thing of great beauty and if you happen to have a side-window in your PC, a definite talking point!

The primary consideration with the CR-95C (like all CPU coolers) is its ability to cool hot-running processors. The heat generated by a CPU is defined by its TDP (thermal design power) and is measured in watts. Newer processors tend to run cooler than previous generation models, although there will always be a trade-off between speed and heat. The CR-95C can continuously and silently cool any processor with a TDP specification of 95 watts and under, which includes the majority of processors on the market today - even high performance ones.

More recently, Nofan launched another version of the IcePipe: the CR-80EH. This is a smaller, cheaper version but is still capable of cooling processors with a TDP figure of up to 80 watts. Motherboard compatibility is enhanced and because of its smaller radius, the likelihood of adjacent PCI slot obstruction is reduced.

Compatibility Considerations

Due to the size of the cooler special consideration must be taken into account when choosing a motherboard. While it will physically fit on all compatible boards, the location of the CPU socket may prevent the motherboard (with the cooler installed) from fitting in a suitable case. This can happen if the CPU socket is too close to the edge of the motherboard.

Ideally, with the motherboard already seated in the case, measurements need to be taken to ensure that there is no obstruction within a 92mm radius of the centre of the CPU socket. You can find a large list of all the known compatible motherboards .

Specifications