Installation:

Because of the pushpin system on the 5710, installation is a breeze.  Just like the stock Intel cooler, all you do is orient the tabs in the correct direction and push them through the mounting holes.  They will make a resounding "click" once they are latched in.  The good thing here is, no motherboard removal is required.

As heatsinks get larger, clearance always becomes an issue.  The large northbridge heatsink here makes solid contact against the 5710, luckily it didn't impede installation. 

GlacialTech warns in their documentation that good case airflow is vital for adequate cooling for higher end CPUs.  Thank goodness we just happen to have a 120mm fan in the area. 

Testing:

To test both flavors of the 5710, we will be using the above rig as a testbed.  We will be comparing performance to the stock Intel cooler that has had Arctic Silver 5 applied for the TIM.  For each test, there will be five minutes of idle time followed by 15 minutes of full load on the CPU.  Idle is defined as sitting on the Windows Vista desktop, while the load is generated by Prime 95 version 25.4, using Large FFTs.  Temps are captured by SpeedFan 4.34 beta 36 in 3 second increments, looking at the external CPU temp as well as Core 0.  

Stock:

First off is our stock Intel heatsink results.  If there is one thing that has never changed, it is that the stock Intel heatsinks have always been good at being one thing: funky looking paperweights.  They surely have not been good heatsinks.  In this case, the CPU idles at around 32C and loads around 60C, while the Core 0 temp idles at 46C and loads all the way up to 72C or so.  Ouch.

Igloo 5710 Silent:

Next up is the Igloo 5710 Silent.  Locked in at 1600 RPMs, the Silent version has no fan control.  The interesting results here is that the 5710 performs almost identically to the 5610 Silent, with Idle temps of 32C/45C and load temps of 51C/63C.  

Igloo 5710 PWM:

Finally, we have the 5710 PWM model.  This can be independently fan controlled by the motherboard to provide a greater control over the cooling.  At full bore, the CPU idles at 29C and loads at 45C, while the Core idles at 43C and loads at 58C.  Again, the performance is almost a mirror image to the 5610 PWM.

Conclusion:

After reviewing the 5610 series, I was excited to see what the 5710 was capable of.  To find that the performance was practically identical to the 5610 is disappointing to say the least.  I have a sneaking suspicion that this may be in part to a couple different variables:

• Mounting system:  I have always felt that the Intel mounting system is inferior to the backplate/bracket styles, and this may in fact be proof of that.

• Fans:  Even though the fans on the 5710 are larger, they are also slower, hence the airflow is nearly the same.  This may result in limited performance. 

The one advantage the 5710 does have is ease of installation.  If that is your biggest concern, then the 5710 is the one to go for.  However, it is hard to recommend the 5710 over the 5610 if the 5610 is able to do the same job for a lesser price, especially since the price of the 5710 starts to encroach on the price range of such coolers as the Kingwin Revolution. 

Pros:

• Cheap

• The easiest to install

• Quiet at low speeds

Cons:

• Hard to find

• Same performance as the smaller and cheaper 5610

Note: Club Overclocker is now using a new rating system based on a score of 1 to 5.
Please go to our rating system page for more information.

Performance:	3 out of 5
Innovation:	3 out of 5
Quality:	3 out of 5
Stability:	N/A
Aesthetics:	3 out of 5
Software/Drivers Pack:	N/A
Overclocking:	N/A
Value:	3 out of 5
Project Skill Level (5 being most difficult)	3 out of 5