Final words and conclusion

What we did like:

Almost everything about the Thermalright SI-128 is highly impressive. The performance of the cooler is without question one of the best we have seen. The sturdiness and manufacturing quality of the cooler appear to be very good, with not a single dent or other defect to be seen. Finally, the ease of installation and use could not be any simpler than that; a trained monkey could install it on the motherboard if needed. Despite the size of the cooler, a minimal number of motherboards should be incompatible since the main body elevates high above the base of the cooler. This should virtually eliminate any fitting issues.

What we did not like:

We honestly cannot find anything of real importance to name as a negative point of the SI-128. Even its weight is not much when taking into account its colossal size. The only thing that might stop some potential buyers from purchasing may be the price. Although it is one of the best heatsink bodies around, the price and additional cost of purchasing a 120mm fan makes the SI-128 an expensive air cooler for someone shopping in a tight budget.

Who would we recommend it to:

The Thermalright SI-128 combines almost everything a great air cooler should have; excellent performance, simple installation and great quality. Since you can choose which fan you will install on it, you can adjust noise and performance to your liking. A speed adjustable fan would be a good option for many as the cooling/noise level can be tailored “on the fly”. We highly recommend this cooler to any enthusiast who does not yet wish to delve into watercooling.

Considering the above, we believe that the Thermalright SI-128 is definitely worthy of our Heavenly Hardware Gold Award.

What do these awards mean?

 

The average price of the Thermalright SI-128 cooler is 45€ in EU at the time of this review (no fan included).