Xigmatek Gaia II Review

Performance Analysis

Our previous LGA2011 test rig motherboard failed last year but Overclockers UK was kind enough to bail us out in the short term with a replacement LGA2011 motherboard. However, this has meant that we've had to throw out our old test data as it's no longer comparable. This is a stop-gap measure before we swap to out new test systems anyway but this is the reason why we only have a small selection of LGA2011 numbers.


Even so, the Xigmatek Gaia II managed to tame our LGA2011 CPU - an overclocked Core i7-3960X and while it was no match even for modest all-in-one liquid coolers such as Corsair's H75, which managed a delta T of 45°C, the Gaia II managed a respectable 52°C. This was two degrees warmer than the Raijintek Tisis using one of its two fans. Dealing with our overclocked Core i7-2600K, the Xigmatek Gaia II put in a reasonable result of 52°C again. This means it sits roughly where expected, with Gelid's Tranquillo Rev. 2 for company, while also neighboring Noctua's NH-U12S, albeit with its low noise adaptor fitted.

Noise wise, we can believe the noise and speed ratings given by Xigmatek - the Gaia II is a very quiet cooler with just a gentle air noise at full speed. Plugging in the 4-pin PWM connector to the motherboard with the system at idle saw the noise fall off to levels we couldn't here above the rest of the system too.

Conclusion

It's clear, then, that the Gaia II is a noise conscious as well as budget conscious cooler and as such, it doesn't light up our cooling graphs. However, that's not to say it's a poor performer; it tamed both our overclocked test CPUs, and while it was some way down the graph when dealing with an overclocked Core i7-2600K, it was pretty much where we expected it to be given its price and noise level. The only way you'll get better cooling for a similar price is to ramp up the noise level with coolers such as SilverStone's Argon AR01 or Deepcool's GAMMAXX S40 - both perform better but at considerably higher noise levels.

In this light, the Gaia II is a great cheap alternative to the likes of Noctua's giant coolers that offer good cooling and incredibly low noise levels. Even Noctua's comparatively humble NH-U12S costs twice the price of the Gaia II, making Xigmatek's effort a pretty convincing one and definitely a cooler you should consider if you're keeping costs to a minimum.