Swiftech MCX64-V AMD Air Cooling Review :: Swiftech MCX64-V

As always, Swiftech packs the MCX64-V in a cardboard box with Styrofoam padding. This helps reduce possibilities of damage during shipping transit.

The MCX64-V comes with a small pack of accessories as well as an installation manual. The pack of accessories includes everything you need for a complete installation. Unlike the traditional small pack of grease of Arctic Alumina, the grease has been upgraded to a small tube. There is enough for a couple of applications, provided that you use the grease wisely.

The heat sink is a combination of a copper base with Swiftech's patented aluminum helicoid pins. The pins are bent at specific angles to provide maximum airflow and reduce noise levels. The base of the MCX64-V comes lapped to a fine 0.0003" and is polished to provide maximum thermal conductivity. The base is a beautiful mirror finish, indicated by the reflection of the nickel. The base is a single piece of copper, but has been cut at angles to accommodate the retention bracket frame. When placed, the MCX64-V sits perfectly inside the bracket, with no room to spare. It shows that the heatsink was well measured and calculated to provide exact dimensions to sit happily inside the frame.

There are two screws, two springs, two washers, and two tension limiters. The MCX64-V takes advantage of the stock Socket 754/939/940 motherboard retention bracket to provide users ease of installation. The spring-loaded assembly starts out with the screw, then washer, then spring, then the tension limiter. Simply remove the two screws from the stock retention bracket and replace it with the spring-loaded assembly. That's pretty much all you have to do. It's so easy that my young 4 year old nephew can do it. The reason for the included tension limiter is so that users wouldn't go overboard with the amount of pressure used while tightening the screws. This prevents a numerous number of accidents, such as breaking of screws and over-tightening the screw that it gets stuck inside the standoff.

It is rare that Swiftech bundles a fan with their heat sink. They usually leave it up to the user for options without spending the cash on something they don't plan to use. Since the MCX64-V is a heat sink targeted for enthusiasts on a budget, the fan is a good addition to the whole package. Many people will wonder why Swiftech chooses to bundle an 80mm fan and not at 92mm. The reason is that their heat sinks have been found to provide optimal performance with 80mm fans. It just goes to show that a bigger fan doesn't always mean better performance. It all depends on the design of the heat sink. Users will probably worry about the noise level of the fan, but no worries; the included fan produces a noise level of 28.0 dBA and pushes out a decent 31.4 CFM. While this is not whisper silent, it is nowhere near loud. A typical case fan will produce roughly 30-32 dBA. The noise can be easily drowned out by other parts in the system.

The MCX64-V was designed to meet AMD's thermal specifications. Because of this, the heat sink comes at rather light 440g with the fan included. It is light and faces no compatibilities since it fits right inside the retention bracket. Enthusiasts who move around their cases will no longer have to worry about the heat sink falling off.

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