Conclusion

Let’s start with the drawbacks. In my opinion, there are three of them and they can be lined up as follows in order of significance: support of LGA775 platform only, high price, limited compatibility. First, I couldn’t quite understand why a cooler priced as high as a budget CPU could only be installed on an LGA775 platform? If we take into account that it is positioned for HTPC systems, then it is unclear why these systems can only be based on this particular platform? And what about LGA1366 or AMD solutions? According to Thermalright, the LGA1366 kit is already available separately and eventually will eb included into the accessories buindle. I guess, it will solve part fo the problem, but the question about AMD platform support still remains open. Second, Thermalright coolers have never been cheap, but they pushed it way too far with AXP-140. If they also included a 140-mm fan with a rotation speed controller or at least PWM support as well as retention kits for all contemporary platforms, then the 60-dollar price tag could be justified. And the third drawback - limited compatibility – is not really a drawback, but a warning for potential Thermalright AXP-140 users that they should make sure their mainboard and system case are compatible with it before they buy. Also, don’t forget to check how even the base is (you can use your credit card for that).

Other than that, Thermalright AXP-140 with a 140 x 140 x 25mm fan is the most efficient “top” cooler today. It is not just efficient for CPU cooling, it also works well for the cooling of the area and components around the processor socket, which as a rule improves the overclocking results and system stability. Reliable and simple retention for LGA775 platform protecting the PCB from bending is one of the key advantages of this solution. I should also add high efficiency at low fan rotation speed and very decent efficiency increase at fan rotation speeds up to 1500RPM. The former will be very useful for the owners of quiet (almost noiseless) systems, while the latter will come in handy for non-extreme overclockers. To cut the long story short, we found a new ideal tower cooler a few days ago, and now we have finally found a replacement for the former leader – Thermalright SI-128 SE.

P.S.: We still don’t quite understand why the manufacturer positioned Thermalright AXP-140 as a solution for HTPC. The thing is that HTPS systems are never equipped with powerful CPUs. On the contrary, the users tend to use power-efficient processors (E5200/7200), so they will hardly ever need a very efficient cooling solution. Moreover, despite its modest height, AXP-140 is pretty wide and long, so it may not even fit into n HTC system. So, looks like this question remains open for now.