We used the Z5 on both an Intel system and an AMD system to see how well it performed on either platform. The only tool you may need to use for installation is a small screwdriver, but beyond that it’s pretty tool free in its installation. When we were installing it on the AMD system we had to separate the fins and in doing so the thing came apart at its base, which was one of our voiced concerns about the Z5 earlier in the review. That is the one spot the Z5 is rather flimsily attached.
It was no big deal to reattach it, but novice users may freak and think its doomsday if this happens to them during installation. All of our tests in this review were done on an open bench environment, and frankly the Z5 would perform worse in a case without proper air flow. As is the Z5 worked adequately on the AMD and better on the Intel system, which is not strange now as Intel CPUs are running cooler now than the previous generation CPUs. The days of under 40c CPU temperatures are a thing of the past and more and more Quad-Core CPUs hit the market we will see temps on the rise. Installation is really no big deal, just make sure to be careful when expanding and retracting the cooling fins.
