Testing
The following system was used to test the cooler:
– Processor: Intel i9 9900K @ 5GHz
– Motherboard: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming X
– RAM: Neo Forza Faye DDR4 64GB 3600MHz
– GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Suprim X
– SSD: Crucial p5 500GB
– Mass Storage: Neo Forza NFP075 2 TB
– PSU: Seasonic Prime TX-1000 Platinum
– Case: be quiet! Silent Base 802 White
– Thermal compound: Noctua NT-H2
Software used for testing the cooler:
– AIDA64 Extreme Version: 6.80.6200
– Intel Burn Test v2.54
– Prime95 29.1
The cooler was tested with the CPU at the default turbo frequency of 4.9 GHz and overclocked to 5 GHz with a core voltage of 1.261 V.
Also, the included fans have been used at their maximum speed.
The room temperature was approximately 26°C (78°F), with 2°C margin of error.
The idle test consists of the CPU sitting idle at the desktop for 30 minutes, the temperature was measured at the end of the test.
The settings of the software used are the following:
Intel Burn Test v2.54 – Stress level: Maximum
Prime95 29.1- small FFT
AIDA64 Extreme Version – FPU Benchmark & Temperature monitoring.
Each test was conducted for 40 minutes.
Idle
Full Load – IntelBurnTest V2
Full Load – AIDA64 CPU, FPU & Cache
The noise level was measured at three different distances from the fans (10cm, 20cm, 30cm.) the noise was measured with a margin of error of ± 2 db.
The DeepCool Assassin III has a below average RAM clearance, as the front fan will cover all four RAM slots. However, thanks to the offset fins on the lower part of the heatsink, RAM modules which are below 50mm can fit, even though you will need to lift the front fan.
The PCIe clearance is below average in the case of the DeepCool Assassin III, with 18mm of space between the sides of the CPU cooler and the graphics card. Of course, this space will vary between motherboards, as some will have its PCIe slot higher or lower.
Final thoughts
The DeepCool Assassin III is an amazing CPU cooler that offers a great performance. This cooler will match the high-end CPU coolers offered by the competition with ease. The design of the Assassin III is good, with a black and silver color combination and a dual tower heatsink design.
The performance of the DeepCool Assassin III is outstanding, beating the almighty Noctua NH-D15 or the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4. This performance is thanks to the large heatsink and the usage of two 140mm fans that have a speed range of 400-1400 RPM. In addition, the seven nickel-plated copper heatpipes are soldered directly to the back of the baseplate which ensures an optimal heat transfer.
However, this level of performance has a price, first, the DeepCool Assassin III is not a quiet CPU cooler, with a noise output of 43db. Second, while the large heatsink is good for the cooler’s performance, it is also the cause for the below average clearance of the Assassin III. With a standard ATX motherboard, the front fan of the Assassin III will completely cover all four RAM slots. While the lower fins of the heatsink are shorter to accommodate taller RAM kits, it is not enough to increase the clearance without moving the front fan upwards.
The installation process is done with ease, this is mostly thanks to a mounting system that is simple, and uses just a few parts. The components of the mounting system are made mostly from metal with a few bits from plastic. You also get a nice screwdriver, and free tools are always a good thing to see.
As said previously, the biggest shortcomings of the DeepCool Assassin III are the high noise output and the below average clearance for the RAM slots. In fact, on some motherboards, this CPU cooler will interfere with the first PCIe slot as well.
In conclusion, the DeepCool Assassin III is an outstanding CPU cooler that performs great and is well built. The mounting system is solid and easy to use and includes a screwdriver as well. The noise output is higher than expected and that’s thanks to the two 140mm fans. The dual tower heatsink can accommodate up to three 140mm fans and the additional fan clips are included with the cooler. The drawbacks of the DeepCool Assassin III are the high noise output and the below average RAM clearance.
