Arctic Freezer i30 CPU Cooler Review

Cooling performance for Arctic’s Freezer i30 is fairly competitive. It manages to slightly outperform Cooler Master’s Hyper 212 EVO at stock CPU frequency and match it at overclocked speeds. The i30 also manages to perform very similarly to Enermax’s ETS-T40-VD. The slightly more expensive Xigamtek Aegir proves tough competition. Both the similarly priced Cooler Master Hyper 612S and the cheaper Gelid Tranquillo Rev. 2 are comfortably surpassed by the cooling performance of Arctic Freezer i30.

Acoustic performance is a definite strength of the i30. It manages to offer the second lowest noise output levels of all the coolers that we compared it to. Even Gelid’s low-noise Tranquillo Rev. 2 operates at a higher acoustic level making the i30 a very good choice for low noise operation.

Installation was predominantly easy. The sticky backplate was very convenient but could cause issues with adhesive tape stuck to a motherboard. The adhesive tape supplied with the plastic spacers was very awkward to use and isn’t really necessary if a slightly different temporary attachment method was used. Removing the fan was a necessity which warrants additional time but the easy and tool-less removal and installation method didn’t make this an issue. Security was evident even with a net weight of 905g. Dual fan compatibility would have been a good addition but is of questionable realistic value.

User-friendly aesthetics are always welcomed, especially on budget-orientated coolers. A black fan cable and tool-less plastic shroud ensure that users can keep their system looking neat and tidy with the Freezer i30 installed.

Compatibility for only Intel’s LGA 2011 and 1155/1156 sockets is a significant inconvenience. While most users may purchase this cooler knowing exactly which motherboard they use, users who change from Intel to AMD or even to or from LGA 775 or 1366 aren’t going to be able to carry forward their CPU cooler with them. Offering compatibility for all AMD and Intel sockets in just the 1 package would have been a far better choice. Considering most of the Freezer i30’s competitors offer widespread compatibility, the limited socket support is likely to be a deal-breaker for a large number of potential buyers.

Arctic’s Freezer i30 is available to purchase for around £31/€28,90/$49.99 and is backed by a 6 year warranty. A good balance between competitive cooling performance and low noise operation makes the i30 a good choice for budget-concious users looking to upgrade to a mid-range CPU cooler. Compatibility issues and the lack of support for a dual fan configuration may inconvenience some people. Arctic’s Freezer i30 is worthy of consideration when deciding which CPU cooler to purchase but a few simple design changes could have made it a far more assertive purchase.