Performance
All tests were performed on the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, one of the more demanding processors on the market. Additional components contain MSI X570 Unify motherboard, HyperX Predator 16GB DDR4-4600 memory kit (even though on the photos is G.Skill), and ASRock RX 6800 XT 16GB graphics card.
There are three tests. The first is simply called Idle, so an operating system without additional load besides standard processes in the background. The second test is based on the PCMark 10 Extended benchmark, which simulates daily work and simple games. The last one is a high CPU load tested with AIDA64 and AVX instructions.
Like in previous cooler reviews with the Ryzen 9 5900X CPU, I have to add that the presented results are not fully clear. The full story includes the CPU frequency, which depends on the cooling potential of the used cooler. In this case, Enermax ETS-F40 series coolers were keeping about 100-200MHz (depends on used core) higher frequency during work than Noctua NH-U9S. Their performance was about as high as that of Noctua NH-U12S redux/chromax.black. At the same time, we could see a bit higher frequency on Noctua NH-D15 or AIO coolers with 360mm radiators like Enermax LIQMAX III.
The ETS-F40-FS is performing well and is quiet, even at full fan speed. The same as in the Silent Edition cooler, also Solid Black was generating noise that was hard to register with the typical ambient noise around. We could register about 2-3dB higher noise during high load tests, which still keeps the ETS-F40-FS in the group of the quiet coolers and is hard to beat by most coolers on the market.
Results are about as high as that of the previously reviewed ETS-F40-FS cooler but also slightly better than Noctua NH-U12S chromax.black. The CPU could keep about the same frequency in all tests, and its temperature was about the same. The Noctua cooler was slightly louder under a high CPU load due to the higher fan speed.
Even though there is little difference between the ETS-F40-FS Silent Edition and Solid Black, the whole black cooler is somehow more convincing. Both coolers are great, but the black version would be my pick.
