Test Setup
We will use our standard air cooler test rig which you can read more about in this article. We’ve made a pair of changes by swapping in a Radeon R9 290X in the graphics slot and upgrading the test bench to a Lian Li PC-T60B. The new test bench gives a bit more ventilation and improves heat transfer by being aluminum instead of MDF.
We are using a Ryzen 7 2700X set to all core frequencies of 3.7GHz and 4.1GHz with PBO disabled to allow for a constant level of heat production. We will run loops of CineBench R20 at various fan levels and record the observed temperatures. We will also compare it to the other coolers we have tested thus far.
Installation
Installation was a relatively straightforward event – add the cross bars and drop the cooler on it and tighten the screws on the top. Strapping on the 120mm Mobius fan was also quite easy, however, the fan did not have an indicator arrow on it showing which way the airflow was. We took our best guess and ended up doing a round of testing that gave rather odd results until we realized it was mounted backwards. After kicking a trashcan in embarrassment and reversing the fan, we were able to get down to business.
RAM clearance was much better than expected as we figured that we’d have to raise the location of the Mobius 120mm fan to accommodate our modest sticks, however, it was a perfect fit.
With everything comfortably situated, let’s see if the Cooler Master MASTERAIR MA824 STEALTH is ready to be cool!