VapoChill LightSpeed [AC]

Name: VapoChill LightSpeed [AC] - Page 3
Brand: VapoChill

by Marco Chiappetta — Monday, August 09, 2004, 12:01 AM EDT

As we mentioned earlier, the ChillControl USB module monitors various aspects of the VapoChill LightSpeed [AC]. Temperatures, fan speeds, and the heating elements are monitored by the ChillControll USB, which can be configured using the supplied software...

ChillControl USB Software

A Cool Utility

For what is a relatively new piece of software, we found the ChillControl utility to be quite robust and it was very user-friendly. The five screen shots above represent all of the different tabs available upon installation. On the first screen, the temperatures being read from the thermal probes and the voltage being applied to the heating elements are displayed, along with fan speeds and ChillControl status. The second tab holds the tools necessary to configure the LightSpeed, like power-up and warning temperatures, and sliders to throttle fan speeds and dial the power being supplied to the heating elements.

The "System Info" tab, display just that - system information, but the fourth tab is home to some of the fun stuff. On the "Appearance" tab, users can customize the information that is displayed on the LightSpeed's LCD. Users can designate specific names for each of the probes, and change the information that cycles on the LCD during normal operation. On the final "Log Options" tab, users can enable a log that tracks the temperatures being read from all of the available thermal probes over a designated period of time.

The HotHardware Test System

Intel Powered Screamer

Processor -

Motherboard -

Video Cards -

Memory -

Audio -

Hard Drive -

Optical Drive -

Other -

Intel Pentium 4 3.4GHz "Extreme Edition"

Abit IC7-Max3
i875P "Canterwood" Chipset

GeForce 6800 Ultra

1024MB Kingston HyperX PC3500
CAS 2

Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS

Western Digital "Raptor"
74GB - 10,000RPM - SATA

Lite-On 16X DVD-ROM

3.5" Floppy Drive

Important Note: Throughout this review, we'll be comparing the Asetek VapoChill LightSpeed to a standard VapoChill (not an XE) and a stock Intel heatsink / fan combo. With each product, we were able to overclock our particular CPU to different levels. The graphs on the next page represent temperatures taken with our processor overclocked to its maximum stable speed (Intel Cooler - 3.7GHz, VapoChill - 3.85GHz, VapoChill LightSpeed 3.95GHz), both at idle and when under load. At like clock speeds, the temperature spread would likely be a bit larger and tip more in favor the VapoChill LightSpeed.

Tags: Speed, light, AC, AP

Marco Chiappetta

Marco's interest in computing and technology dates all the way back to his early childhood. Even before being exposed to the Commodore P.E.T. and later the Commodore 64 in the early ‘80s, he was interested in electricity and electronics, and he still has the modded AFX cars and shop-worn soldering irons to prove it. Once he got his hands on his own Commodore 64, however, computing became Marco's passion. Throughout his academic and professional lives, Marco has worked with virtually every major platform from the TRS-80 and Amiga, to today's high end, multi-core servers. Over the years, he has worked in many fields related to technology and computing, including system design, assembly and sales, professional quality assurance testing, and technical writing. In addition to being the Managing Editor here at HotHardware for close to 15 years, Marco is also a freelance writer whose work has been published in a number of PC and technology related print publications and he is a regular fixture on HotHardware’s own Two and a Half Geeks webcast. - Contact: marco(at)hothardware(dot)com