Conclusion and Verdict
To be fair here we have really pushed this cooler to the limit by testing it with a Haswell processor that is known to run warm under normal situations and even more so under overclocked conditions. This cooler was most certainly not designed or targeted for such conditions.
The EVERCOOL HPL-815 Low Profile CPU Cooler is a nice little cooler that has a specific purpose. That purpose is to replace an inadequate stock cooling solution, especially when space is a limiting factor. For your typical HTPC or SFF setup, this cooler will be very effective and a valuable upgrade.
The limiting factors here are the smaller 80mm fan which can get noisy, unless you set it for quieter operation in your system’s BIOS, if available. The price also seems a bit high for the amount of cooler that you receive.
According to EVERCOOL, the HPL-815 Low Profile CPU Cooler has an MSRP $37.50 USD. It can be had for a much better $25.99 USD at certain e-tailers.
Pros:
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Extremely low profile
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Good alternative to a stock cooling solution
- PWM fan operation
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Adjustable mounting bracket system increases compatibility
- Quality construction
Cons:
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Smaller 80mm is very noisy when operating at mid to max RPM
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May not handle overclocked Haswell solutions
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MSRP of $37.50 USD a bit pricey (in my opinion)
Final Thoughts:
If you have a SFF or HTPC machine that needs a CPU cooling solution upgrade and space is limited, then it is certainly worth your time to consider the HPL-815 from EVERCOOL.
SCORE
8.0/10
