Overview of the CPU cooler MSI Core Frozr L

Continuing to develop and improve its line of gaming products, MSI has invaded a previously unexplored part of the market – CPU cooling. MSI strive to make its Gaming series coherent, including in it all the necessary components: motherboards, graphics cards, gaming peripherals, and, now, even a CPU cooling system. The debut of the coolers was named Core Frozr L.

Equipment

The MSI Core Frozr L package, apart from a radiator and a fan, includes the following:

• • Installation guide;
• • Syringe with thermal interface;
• • Black upper cooler pad to change;
• • Two additional fan brackets;
• • Four rubber damper for the second fan;
• • Universal reinforcement plate;
• • Mounting bracket for the cooler;
• • Universal mounting frame for all socket types;
• • Four threaded metal stands with rubber pads;
• • Four long screws;
• • Four threaded stands with thumbscrews for the Intel LGA2011 socket;
• • Four short screws;
• • Four large plastic pads;
• • Four small plastic pads;
• • Two fixing screws for the Intel sockets;
• • Two mounting screws for the AMD sockets.

Specifications

The MSI Core Frozr L outside is pretty standard. It is made according to the classic U-shaped heatpipes’ allocation scheme and has average dimensions. Radiator symmetry axis is shifted aside in order to eliminate a possible conflict with the PCI-E socket when mounted on small-sized motherboards.

The fan is secured to the radiator using wire clips of quite a specific form. In size, the fan never exceeds the radiator body.

The top panel is has an attractive strip of gray color (it can be changed to black) with the illuminated Gaming-series logo – a dragon.

The fan has standard dimensions: 120x120x25 mm. Its corners have built-in red rubber vibration dampers. 14 of the impeller blades have an unusual shape and feature a sharp bend in the profile middle which should create a better airflow at a lower noise level. The rotor center is also pasted with the dragon-shaped logo. The power cord has a four-pin connector, short length and has no braid.

The propeller manufacturer is Power Logic. The use of a hydraulic type bearing (HDB) is stated, which should not be confused with a hydrodynamic (FDB) one. The latter may excel the first one in both quality and the duration of work to failure. However, it is still much better than the conventional sliding sleeve or noisy ball bearings. The impeller operating speed ranges from 500 to 1800 rev/min. It is relatively quiet on the segment from the start to 800 rev/min and 40 dB (A). When ranged 900-1,000 rev/min the blades’ noise becomes audible. Up to 1,300 rev/min the noise level can be described as average, and in the range from 1,400 to 1,800 rev/min the noise becomes strong and irritating. Fan speed is controlled by the PWM.

A splitter needed to connect a glowing MSI logo on the top panel of the cooler is supplied with the fan. And if the propeller power can be removed with no problems, then disconnecting the logo power supply without cable damage can be problematic. Unfortunately, a splitter to enable the second fan is not supplied.

A total of four copper nickel-plated heatpipes 8mm in diameter are used in the radiator. Solder at the places of contact with the ribs is missing; plates are simply pressed onto thermal channels, arranged cross-sectionally in a diamond shape both in the left and right sides.

The heatpipes are separated by staggered sides which ensure a good heat distribution at optimal air flow permeability. However, the ribs are located sufficiently close, with a total gap of just 1.8 mm, which deteriorates the radiator blowing at the fan low speed. The total heat dissipation is about 8,000 cm², and it is quite a good indicator for middle-class tower coolers.

The total height of the cooler, even with the plastic pad on the top does not exceed 155 mm, which means that it is definitely compatible in height with the vast majority of standard and even budget cases, in addition, there is enough space to connect any motherboard sockets.

Even if the fan covers the RAM slots on any small-sized motherboard, it will not interfere with the standard height sticks.

Cooler logo backlight on the cooler undoubtedly pleases: it looks good and does not blind eyes.

Technical Characteristics

• Compatibility with CPU sockets: Intel LGA 775 / 115x / 1366/2011 / 2011-3, AMD AM2 (+) / AM3 (+) / AM4 / FM1 / FM2 (+)
• Radiator dimensions (LxWxH) mm: 140h55h155
• Fan dimensions (LxWxH) mm: 120h120h25 120h120h25
• Radiator materials and construction: aluminium plates strung on 4 8 mm nickel-plated copper heatpipes, spaced in U-shape. The heatpipes are connected with a solid nickel-plated copper base
• Radiator weight: 722 g
• Radiator fins, pieces: 51
• Plate thickness: 0.5 mm
• Intercostal distance: 1.8 mm
• Estimated radiator area, cm²: ~ 8,000
• Fan model: MSI TORX FAN (Power Logic PLA12025S12H-4)
• Fan speed, rev/min: 500 ~ 1,800 with PWM
• Airflow, m³/h: 34 ~ 121
• Fan noise level, dB (A): 17.2 ~ 33.6
• Static pressure, water mm: 0.16 ~ 2.09
• Fan bearing type: Hydro-Dynamic Bearing (РВИ)
• Time to fan failure, h: 150 000
• Rated fan voltage, V: 12
• Fan amperage, A: 0.36
• Peak fan power consumption, W: 4.32
• Additional features: white MSI logo lights, two radiator wear pads.

Conclusions

MSI Core Frozr L is a debut cooler from the reputable manufacturer of computer components. Though being the very first one, the model is very good. Of the merits the following should be definitely noted:
• attractive looks and interesting backlighting
• wide compatibility with different processor sockets types (including the pending AM4 one)
• small size allowing to place it even in budget-class cases
• adequate cooling efficiency for up-to-date processors.

The only drawback is a reduction in the cooling capacity at low fan speeds, caused probably by the radiator design features.

Core Frozr L is a good CPU cooler, which will please all the MSI fans with an opportunity to assemble the system of one’s own using the components designed in the Gaming-series unified style.