Spire Verticool II SP601B3 Heatsink Review :: Installation and Mounting

I'd suppose that considering the cooler ships with the LGA775 bracket attached, that installation route will be slightly shorter. Well, you would expect that, apart from the fact that in order to get this cooler mounted, you've got to gut the motherboard - pending that it's not sitting over a hole at case's end, that is. But unlike the reference replacer we've just recently looked at, this cooler's back plate features two wee adhesive pads, which will affix the plastic back to your board for as long as need is be.

LGA775 Brackets

The Athlon 64 (K8) side of things is a little more frustrating, as it requires the user to remove two tiny screws, change the brackets, and re-install the screws. Granted, this process takes under a minute, but it does involve a fair mount of fumbling with trying to get my bulky fingers between fan and bracket. Once this is done, it's a matter of removing your motherboard (if you don't have a threaded post back plate), or simply removing your plastic retention frame, and screwing this sink down and into the threaded metal posts therein. Support for the burgeoning M2 socket isn't anywhere in sight, though with slightly modified brackets, Spire could target yet another market with this product. Unfortunately, K8 users will be limited to how their heatsink will be placed, meaning that users of motherboards with horizontal CPU sockets (such as the LANPARTY series from DFI) may end up with poor performance. Bolts thrown and plates locked, it's time to see how this little cooler puts the heat away!

K8 Plate

Threaded Plate Holes

Notch for the Plates

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