With the Grandis 3 EVO ARGB, SilentiumPC has introduced a comparatively inexpensive CPU cooler with ARGB lighting. We have tested the upgrade version of the Grandis 3 EVO, which has been available for quite some time, and you can find the results below.
Scope of delivery
The CPU cooler is delivered in an amazingly large box, which carries an image of the device. Inside this box, you will first find three cardboard boxes that fix the cooler in its position and thus prevent damage during transport. In addition to the cooler, you will find the necessary mounting materials, a thermal paste, as well as instructions on how to install the device.
Technical data
| Size with fans | 131 × 140 × 159 mm |
| Weight with fans | 1,020 g |
| Heatpipes | 6 x 6 mm made of copper |
| Mounting (radiator) | Two-stage bracket with back plate |
| Mounting (fan) | via wire bracket |
| Compatibility | AMD: FM2(+)/FM1/AM3(+)/AM2(+)/AM4; Intel: LGA 2066/2011/1366/LGA 1200/115x |
| Price | € 14.24 * |
Design and workmanship
The only difference between the Grandis 3 EVO ARGB we tested and its predecessor is its milky RGB fans, which are also its visual highlight and caught our eye accordingly when we inspected the unit. They are high-quality workmanship and shine with a diffuse light all the way into the peripheral area. Apart from the milky RGB fans, the device presents itself as a classic twin tower with typical slat towers. With an overall height of 159 millimeters, the Grandis 3 EVO ARGB is suitable for almost every case – the important limit of 160 millimeters for small cases is not exceeded after all. However, it should be noted that the cooler is symmetrically designed, which leads to the fact that it partly conflicts with RAM.
The workmanship of our test device is impeccable. The fins are evenly and sturdily designed and the heatpipes are covered by black lids and caps, which is good for the looks. We could not find any sharp edges or other negative points in our test despite a thorough examination. The only point of criticism is that the two slat towers are very close to each other. In case of doubt, they have to be slightly pushed apart during installation, which is not an insurmountable obstacle, but could have easily been avoided.
The base plate on which the towers are mounted is made of nickel-plated copper and looks sturdy.
The ARGB lighting of the two fans can be controlled either via the mainboard or via the reset switch on the case. SilientiumPC includes a mini-controller for this purpose. The fans also only occupy one header on the mainboard due to a series connection. Unfortunately, the colors of the lighting are a bit pale.
Overall, the CPU cooler makes a positive first impression. It has a largely high-quality workmanship and a very handsome design. Therefore, let’s take a closer look at it.
Assembly
We installed and tested the Grandis 3 EVO ARGB in the following system:
| Processor: | Intel i9-10850k |
| Mainboard: | Asus ROG Strix Z490-F Gaming |
| RAM: | 16GB Corsair Venegance RGB PRO 3200 |
| Graphics card: | MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Super Ventus GP OC |
| Power Supply: | Seasonic Focus Gold 450W |
The installation of the CPU cooler turned out to be almost problem-free thanks to the included instructions as well as due to the included installation material. Depending on the processor socket, different mounting options are available. The installation is not quite as easy as with other manufacturers, but it is okay. We only missed a long screwdriver, which is necessary to screw the cooler to the bracket. Fortunately, we had one here, but most standard screwdrivers might not be enough for this.
Unusually, the Grandis 3 EVO ARGB can be mounted rotated in 90-degree increments. Once it is in place and thermal paste is applied, it has to be fixed to the base frame with two light screws. In the end, we only had to follow the detailed instructions and had the assembly behind us within a few minutes.
However, the work is not done yet: the fans can only be attached after the assembly is complete. Since the towers are quite close together, as already mentioned, a little force is required for this: The fans have to be fixed between the towers with pressure. However, this also turned out to be largely uncomplicated. Only attaching the front fan required a bit of intuition, since its position has to be adjusted to the height of the working memory in front of it. With RGB-lit RAM, as is the case with our test system, it was also only possible to use two of four bars, as the heatsink was in the way due to its symmetrical design.
Cooling performance
This brings us to probably the most intriguing question: how well does the cooler cool? Let’s preface this by saying that we were very pleased with the cooling performance. The Grandis 3 EVO ARGB is a comparatively quiet yet powerful CPU cooler. In the described test system, a CPU temperature of 70 degrees Celsius could be measured at 50 percent PWM, which could be lowered to 63 degrees Celsius at maximum PWM.
For comparison, we used a different CPU cooler in the identical test system: With the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240, which is a whole price range higher than the test unit, a CPU temperature of 68 degrees Celsius was measured at a PMW of 50 percent, which dropped to 62 degrees Celsius at a PMW of 100 percent. The significantly cheaper Grandis 3 EVO ARGB is thus only imperceptibly inferior here. In all scenarios, the system was fully utilized with Prime95 and FurMark.
Scenario |
Temperature |
| CPU (Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240): 50% PWM Case fan: 50% PWM |
CPU: 68 °C GPU: 75 °C |
| CPU (Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240): 100% PWM Case fan: 100% PWM |
CPU: 62 °C GPU: 72 °C |
| CPU (SilentiumPC Grandis 3 EVO ARGB): 50% PWM Case fan: 50% PWM |
CPU: 70 °C GPU: 77 °C |
| CPU (SilentiumPC Grandis 3 EVO ARGB): 100% PWM Case fan: 100% PWM |
CPU: 63 °C GPU: 73 °C |
Conclusion
Overall, the Grandis 3 EVO ARGB is a well-made CPU cooler that offers excellent value for money. Unfortunately, we noticed a few cost-cutting measures, for example, the screwdriver required for installation is missing and the colors of the RGB lighting could be more intense for our taste. Nevertheless, we are very satisfied with the cooler and can recommend its use.
SilentiumPC Grandis 3 EVO ARGB
Design and workmanship
Assembly
Cooling performance
Value for money
90/100
A powerful and affordable CPU cooler for which you should have a suitable screwdriver ready.
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