Verdict and Conclusion
The SD1283 is quite a mixed bag. The mounting and cooling performance are very good. I was actually very impressed that it was able to beat the much more expensive Xigmatek Prime heatsink.
Unfortunately things are not all perfect with this heatsink. The build quality is slightly suspect. Fins on the heatsink have a tendency to come loose if they are bumped into since they are not soldered to the heatpipes.
I had this issue years ago when I first purchased a SD1283 and the fact that Xigmatek has not addressed this issue is quite disappointing.
The paint job on this heatsink is not of the highest quality either. It is easy to scratch off and does not appear to be very durable at all.
Shopping around the internet the Night Hawk edition of the SD1283 can be found for right around $50USD. Unfortunately you can find the standard SD1283 without the cool paint job and LED fan for right around $20. Adding in the $15 LED fan that would put it right around $15 extra for the cool paint job. I have to say that a $5 price premium would be fine, but $15 is way too much.
Pros:
- LED Fan
- Works with all Intel and AMD sockets
- Good cooling performance
- Black look is pretty good.
- Great mounting mechanism
Cons:
- Price
- Loud fan
- Average build quality
Compared to the Prime heatsink the price is great for the performance you get. Then I found out that the standard SD1283 can be found for less than half of the price of the Night Hawk Edition. Due to that I find it extremely hard to suggest buying the Night Hawk edition of the SD1283. It is a solid heatsink, but due to the extreme price bump for a bit of black paint I would suggest saving the money and getting the standard SD1283 unless you MUST have the black paint job.
SCORE
7.0/10
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