Thermaltake MaxOrb Overview
Thermaltake’s MaxOrb is a similar looking product to their DuoOrb, save an orb. The similarities end at basic appearance, however. The overall design reminds me a lot of some of Zalman’s products, however Thermalright has been producing circular shaped heatsinks under the “orb” name for many years. Although the DuOrb has a lot of shock appeal due to its massive footprint, the MaxOrb has a much smaller foorprint and employs a single recessed fan.
Image courtesy of Thermaltake
Specifications (taken from the DuOrb product page at www.thermaltake.com)
- Combined Dimensions: 133mm(L) × 144mm(W) × 95mm(H)
- Weight: 465g
- Material Types: Copper (heat-pipes, base), aluminum (cooling fins)
- Configuration: Fan recessed down-draft with looped heatpipes
- Heatpipe Width/Quantity: 6mm, 6 heatpipes
- Supported Sockets: Sockets 775, AM2 and 754/939
- Fan Dimensions: 120x25mm
- Bearing Type: Not Advertised
- Noise Level: 16-24dBA
- Air Flow: 86.5CFM (at 12V)
- Speed: 1300-2000RPM (integrated fan controller)
- Power Consumption:3W
The MaxOrb weighs in at a very reasonable 465g—one of the lightest 120mm heatsinks we’ve tested. Standing 95mm tall, it is slightly taller than the DuOrb, but still much shorter than most tower-type coolers. The MaxOrb utilizes a single 120mm recessed fan, making the heatsink a bit wider, but not longer than the MaxOrb. The fan type is not advertised, but it is a much higher-flow model with a maximum speed of 2000RPM and an airflow rating of 86.5CFM. The MaxOrb has a built-in rheostat that allows the recessed fan to slow to a quieter 1300RPM.
Thermaltake ships the MaxOrb in a glossy cardboard box with a plastic window, providing a sneak peek of the cooler. Some pictures and specifications are printed on the box. The MaxOrb box is actually pretty large.
The MaxOrb comes with an AM2 backplate and special retention frame. LGA775 OEM-style push pins are included, but they appear to connect to the universal retention frame, not the heatsink itself. Like the DuOrb, Thermaltake has included a very basic manual with clear diagrams. Also included is Thermaltake’s “Key 3” case badge with an explanation of what “Key 3” is. For anyone interested, you can find out more at the Thermaltake site.
The MaxOrb is a large sink, but doesn’t weigh a whole lot. The build quality appears very good.
It’s six heatpipes loop around half of the orb and it’s aluminum fins wrap around the recessed fan.
The MaxOrb has an onboard fan rheostat. This is a great feature and I wish more heatsinks had this built in. Fan controllers on PCI brackets or in drive bays are generally more accessible, but it means cables and clutter. If you are not one to be frequently toying with fan speed, this is a great way to tune your MaxOrb for best performance or for low noise. I’ll be taking a closer look at differences in fan performance at high and low settings in the performance testing section.
The bottom of the MaxOrb, below the fan, is comprised of numerous densely packed fins. The fan is connected to the Rheostat using a small two-pin connector.
The fan used in the MaxOrb is an Everflow made, Thermaltake TT-1225A. It is a sleeve bearing model.
The base of the MaxOrb is polished, but does not quite have the mirror shine of the DuOrb. Some machine marks are visible on the base. Just like the DuOrb, the base is slightly convex, protruding at the center. The effect is minor and should not impact performance greatly.
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