Conclusion
We tested the SilverStone PF240-ARGB using our AIO test platform that sports an Intel 10980XE processor. When we started our adventure, we wanted to push this cooler to its absolute limits and our test bench certainly delivered that when its 18 cores were clocked to 4.7GHz. We’ll recap the performance below and see how the PF240-ARGB stood up to the heat in our kitchen!
Summary of Temperatures
The SilverStone PF240-ARGB was able to operate at its quietest configuration and maintain a temperature of 92 degrees Celsius with our test bench running at stock clocks. As we increased the overclock, we had to increase fan speed to prevent the CPU from thermally throttling. Ultimately, we were only marginally able to keep our Intel 10980XE in check at 4.3GHz at 1500 RPM and 100% Pump. Beyond that, the PF240-ARGB let the CPU hit the magic number of 98 degrees Celsius in all tests. This is, obviously, not the most desired outcome as that is the point where the system begins to thermally throttle and would not be sustainable day in and day out.
Summary of Sound Levels
At its slowest and quietest settings, the SilverStone PF240-ARGB easily blended in with the ambient room sound levels and we could not hear a thing. Moving up to 1500 RPM it became a bit more audible, but not obnoxious. At its maximum fan speed, 2200 RPM, it made a defined contribution to our testing environment while doing its job.
Final Points
We first adjusted our cooling testing methodology to test the claim of the Enermax LIQTECH II 360 since it said it could dissipate 500W+ of heat; a bold claim for sure. Afterward, we thought for a moment and realized why not make this our threshold for testing all of our cooling solutions? We would have a good standard that is going to let us have as close to an apples to apples comparison as we were going to be able to get while not going “easy” on even the beefiest of coolers. Of course, one must keep in mind that our testbed at its stock clocks generates more heat than today’s desktop-class processors, so your experience with each of these will be far “cooler” than ours.
So here we are today with another entrant; the SilverStone PF240-ARGB. This is a much less beefy cooler so our expectations are equally on the diet side of things. That said, after putting it through our gauntlet, we see that it falls a bit short of the raw performance we saw with the larger 360mm AIO coolers we have reviewed (it even trailed the Enermax AQUAFUSION 240 in overall performance).
Where this unit does shine, however, is in its pleasant noise profile throughout testing. This unit is best thought of as a quiet option rather than a performance option. If you approach it from that regard, you may well find a place for the SilverStone PF240-ARGB in your system.
As a bonus, it is available for $95.65 in e-tail. So, if you are in the market for a 240mm AIO solution that will handle stock clocks and some mild overclocking, and sound still matters to you, the SilverStone PF240-ARGB is an option. If you need the absolute most capable AIO on the market, then you need to step up to a 360mm AIO.