Initial Thoughts
The packaging is certainly much more flashy than the last Xigmatek heatsink we reviewed. It has much more marketing information all over the package but it is really is not a bad thing.
Opening the package we get the standard items that come with a heatsink. The heatsink itself, a 120mm fan with white LED’s, various types of mounting materials and a small packet of thermal paste. I would have liked a case badge or something of the sort since I am a sucker for them.
I wish the packaging was done in the same way as the Xigmatek Prime. Packaging on the SD1283 is a bit thin so a drop or two might break loose a fin on the heatsink. Hopefully the place you purchase it from does a good job with bubble wrap or packing peanuts to make up for this.
Closer Look
From a few feet away the SD1283 looks fantastic, the black coating really matches the PCB’s of modern motherboards. Coupled with the white LED’s the heatsink is quite stunning in use.
However when looking closely at the heatsink the flaws are easily seen. The heatsinks are not anodized ( a process of electrically plating metal with paint that is also extremely durable) but is instead painted. There are quite a few spots on the heatsink where the paint did not stick properly and you can see the copper or aluminum shining through.
The base of the SD1283 is actually quite good. It is not quite a mirror finish, but it is very smooth. Unfortunately there is space between the heatpipes so it is a good idea to apply thermal paste to the base of the heatsink before the initial install. This insures that there is not a build-up of paste between the heatpipes
The included fan is of the 120mm variety and also includes white LED’s. They look pretty nifty when in use and are quite bright. Since the fan is a PWM fan it will raise or lower in speed according to what your motherboard tells it to do. At low speeds it is nice and quiet, but at full speeds this thing can push a ton of air and makes a large amount of noise. It certainly is not quiet to say the least.
The included thermal paste is nothing to write home about. If you do not have any other thermal paste it is fine to use, but if you have anything else around I would suggest using that instead.
The mounting mechanism on the latest version of the SD1283 has come a long way since the days of those horrible push-pins.
Mounting is extremely easy to do and does not include a ton of little screws like many other companies like to use. It also insures a solid mount every time and little movement on the heatsink itself even when trying to move it side to side. I very much like this sort of mounting and would prefer it if all companies used the same sort of mounting.
After testing huge dual-tower and 140mm type heatsinks the SD1283 seems downright tiny in comparison. There were very few issues when mounting this heatsink on an MATX motherboard. Just keep in mind that if you have tall memory modules there is a good chance that they might run into the fan.
