After we actually got to sit down and spend some time with Reeven Kelveros (RC-1202), we were immediately amazed by the way it performed. The Kelveros is a real eye pleaser, the direct heatpipe solution and hybrid heatpipe design definitely go hand in hand to provide optimal thermal cooling and better airflow. The Kelveros is definitely one of a kind and Reeven has definitely provided us with a true quality product that we were happy enough to receive. Let's take a closer look at the Kelveros (RC-1202) from Reeven and find out more about it.
This small compact box looks like it contains your run of the mill CPU cooler, when in fact it houses a real monster. When you first open the box, the ColdWing12 cooling fan will be the first thing that catches your eye. The contents of the package are of course the Kelveros (RC-1202) CPU heatsink with original ColdWing12 fan, a universal back plate, mounting hardware for both AMD and Intel platforms, some thermal grease, a nice Reeven sticker, and installation manuals. Another addition to the Kelveros is the included High/Low bracket that is included with the ColdWing12 to adjust the mac RPM's for the fan, 1500 RPM (Low) or 1900 RPM (High). This bracket can be mounted in a PCI slot. The fan can also be controlled through BIOS settings via the PWM connection.
Specification:
Model Number
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RC-1202
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Compatibility
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All Intel LGA 775 CPU / LGA 1156/1155 / 1366 CPU
All AMD Socket AM3 /AM2+/AM2/940/939/754 CPU
Socket AM3+ / FM1 ready
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Dimensions
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H160xW130xD79mm / H6.3X5.12X3.11 in
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Heatsink Material
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Aluminum Fins (54 Fins)
6mm Copper Pipex2 / 8mm Copper Pipex2
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Fan Dimension
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120x120x25 mm / 4.72×4.72×0.98 in
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Fan Speed
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PWM:
Low:650~1300 RPM
High:650~1900 RPM
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Max. Air Flow
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Low: 35.0 ~ 69.1 CFM
High: 35.0 ~ 101.3 CFM
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Noise
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Low: 9.4 ~ 25.7 dBA
High: 9.4 ~ 34.7 dBA
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Weight
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755g /1.66lb (Heatsink Only)
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Warranty
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2 years
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- Super powerful cooling performance due to Heatpipe Direct Contact Solution (H.D.C.S.).
- Unique cutting edge fin design for optimized air flow through the heatsink.
- 8mm copper heatpipe x 2 and 6mm copper heatpipe x 2 ; Hybrid heatpipe design.
- Equipped REEVEN original Coldwing12 FAN (PWM+H/L) for better cooling performance.
- Easy installation and supporting all the latest Intel and AMD CPU sockets.
The Kelveros (RC-1202) features a Hybrid heatpipe design, which consists of two 6mm heatpipes and two 8mm heatpipes to better optimize transportation of heat. The Kelveros also incorporates a Heatpipe Direct Contact Solution (H.D.C.S), to maximize heat conduction to allow for a more powerful cooling performance. The Kelveros has a very unique cutting edge fin design that is both eye appealing and also beneficial to the overall air flow of the cooler, there are 54 individual fins that are all 1mm in thickness.
Installation of the cooler is fairly simple, and the easy to understand instruction manual was definitely a plus. We have had problems in the past with hard to understand manuals that didn’t do any justice for the cooler. One thing we have to note however is the fact that we had a little trouble installing the Kelveros (RC-1202) with the motherboard still mounted in the case. We found it to be less of a challenge if we removed the motherboard entirely from the case. Other than that installation was definitely easier, and with an extra pair of hands it was no problem at all. With the included hardware that Reeven has provided that supports both Intel and AMD platforms, everything else you need is available.
When installing the Kelveros using an AMD platform, you will notice there is only one orientation the cooler can be installed in, unlike that of the Intel option which gives you a bit more variety. At first we thought of this as a letdown, considering that most will want to install the cooler with the way the air flows through the case, however once we started testing the Kelveros (RC-1202) we noticed temperatures were significantly better when installed with the fan facing downward. This is because hot air rises, ultimately making it the ideal position for the Kelveros to be placed in. However we did notice when using the MSI 870A-G54 as our motherboard of choice, with the way we have the Kelveros positioned it had put extra amount of force on the motherboard, causing the Kelveros to lean slightly down. This seems to be only a problem with the MSI motherboard considering it doesn’t have an adequate amount of screws holding it in place. Another thing that disappointed us was the inability to run the Kelveros (RC-1202) in a push pull configuration to allow for better airflow. This however didn't really affect the overall performance, it was still very satisfying.
Temperature Testing:
We tested the Kelveros (RC-1202) against the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo, to see what kind of temperature we get when we comparing coolers that both incorporate a direct heatpipe design. Load tests were completed using prime95 on blend, both CPU coolers were using Artic Silver Thermal Compound.
Processor: AMD Athlon II x4 645
CPU Cooling: Reeven Kelveros (RC-1202)
Motherboard: MSI 870A-G54 (FX)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (1600)
Video Cards: Sapphire Radeon HD 6870
Power Supply: OCZ ModXstream-Pro 600w
When comparing the two CPU coolers that both incorporate some type of Direct Heatpipe design, you will notice the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo performs slightly better when the CPU is not overclocked. This however doesn't really have any significance considering the main purpose heatsinks are used for is overclocking. When it come to having an overclocked CPU, the Kelveros (RC-1202) definately out performs the Hyper 212 where is matters and will deliver better performance. We could have possibly seen better results with the CPU facing the direction the air is flowing, but with AMD platform mounting restrictions we wouldn't know. Another thing that might have allowed the Kelveros (RC-1202) to perform slightly better, would be the installation of another fan to allow for a push pull configuration, which will help keep the heatsink stay cool.
Conclusion:
The hard work that has been put into designing and creating the Kleveros (RC-1202) has really paid off, from its direct heatpipe solution to the Hybrid heat pipe design, the Kleveros aims to please. With a $50-$55 price tag this excellent CPU Heatsink is not entirely out of reach, except for the fact that the availability of it is rather low. The only downside was the fact that it didn’t fully support AMD platforms, and could only be installed in one orientation. It was also a bit of pain to install without the removal of the motherboard. We also did not like the fact that you couldn't install two fans for a push pull configuration, but it ultimately didn't affect the performance. Other than that, we really believe this is a great value and will help your system do incredible things if your still using on old stock CPU cooler.
Quality
Design
Performance
Price
Availability
Verdict
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Performance
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10
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Value
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9
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Quality
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10
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Features
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9
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Installation
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8
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Final Score
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9.25
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