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Computer Specials |
PC Mods Power Down Protector (cont.)
Performance: Since my water cooling setup really depends on my radiator the best way to test the effectiveness of the PC Mod device was to test the temperature of my water block. Normally, when I shut down, the water in my setup will become quite warm, since there is nothing to take the heat away from the water it simply remains at the temperature that my Waterblock was (before shutdown) for quite a long time. After shutting down with using the Power Down Protector, the water cooled off much faster. While this tiny device doesn’t cause the fan to push much air, apparently it was enough to cool my radiator. The Waterblock remained at room temperature, below my body temp, where previously it stayed rather warm upon shutdown. The effectiveness of this device will vary; the actual temperature drops gained will vary from application to application. It seemed to work all right for me, because I could notice a difference in temperature in my cooling system. Someone using a regular old heatsink might experience different results, and someone using another device may receive varying results as well. But there is a general thermal trend; your CPU will become cooler, faster than it would without airflow of some sort. How much cooler it gets will obviously vary, but who can argue with “cooler faster”, which seems universally appealing. Since there is no empirical way to test this (other than my previous “experiment attempt”), I am forced to rely on the laws of thermodynamics to reach my conclusion. Conclusion: Everyone has an opinion about this device, whether they like it or not there are facts I mentioned before that really can’t be argued. More heat = more damage, and the longer that heat is there, the more potential there is for damage. The PC Mods power down device sets the benchmark, not necessarily because it is the best at what it does, but rather because the product is so innovative and new that it is the ONLY device that does this. It did cool my water, how well? I cannot really quantify the results. I can make comparative conjectures and propose ideas that would make it work better or worse, but then again I did not make the device and I do not know the electrical limitations of the WOL jack. I would think that if the fans operated at a slightly higher voltage they would cool the CPU faster, but they may already be maxing out the WOL output. The device works, how useful it is really depends on the end-user. If you are the average Jane running a CPU that isn’t really hot then you shouldn’t have all that much concern. Iif you really love your hardware, and often times engage in overclocking then perhaps you should pick yourself up one of these. Again, people may argue at the usefulness of such a device, I myself have argued about this with many friends, but no one will really know until P.E.T.C. lifts their restrictions on experimental rights. Until then we have to rely on a few basic principles; in theory this device works, it looks cool, and it is not expensive. Is it not true that the best medication is the preventative type? After all, it is better to be safe than sorry. I recommend CPU shims and the PC Mods power down protector to anyone serious about computer hardware. It is a small price to pay for the little insurance it provides. Pros:
Cons:
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