Compare: Assassin III vs Frost Spirit 140

Design and Aesthetics:

Assassin III

The Deepcool Assassin III sports a premium design with two large aluminum heatsink towers, connected by eight heat pipes that efficiently transfer heat away from the CPU. The cooler comes with two 140mm PWM fans that provide efficient heat dissipation and a striking appearance. The overall design is sleek and minimalist, with an attractive black finish that complements a wide variety of build themes.

Frost Spirit 140

The Frost Spirit looks very similar to the Frost commander and is a sleek CPU cooler with a design reminiscent of the Peerless Assassin 120. This cooler features a dual-tower heatsink with 4 large heat pipes with the heat pipe ends are hidden from view. Sporting gray and silver tones, the Thermalright logo shows on the top of the heatsink. Despite its larger radiator, the Frost Spirit uses a single 120mm fan in front and a 140mm fan between the heatsinks, giving it a distinct, asymmetrical look.

Install Notes:

Assassin III

The Deepcool Assassin III features a versatile mounting system compatible with a broad range of Intel and AMD sockets, and the installation process is user-friendly and straightforward. Although there are more steps involved with this cooler's installation, the parts for both Intel and AMD are well-labeled, and the steps are intuitive and easy to follow without much difficulty. It's important to note that this cooler has a large mounting footprint, which may require some consideration in terms of case and RAM clearance. As a result, checking compatibility before purchasing is essential to ensure a hassle-free installation experience.

Frost Spirit 140

The cooler installation is quite similar to Noctua's easy setup and is identical to the Frost Commander's setup. However, during installation, securing the fans to the heatsink requires more effort (relative to the Phantom Spirit or Peerless Assassin), which is due to the metal securing the fans requiring much more effort to place. For this reason, it's also a lot easier to slightly bend the heatsink fins, but this can be fixed by bending it back with a credit card.

Additionally, like Noctua coolers, the Frost Spirit faces challenges in uninstalling when trying to break the thermal paste seal between the cooler and CPU, as it doesn't easily slide or twist off. This can be an issue if the thermal paste forms a strong bond.

Cooling Performance:

Assassin III

The Assassin III's dual-tower design and eight heat pipes deliver exceptional cooling performance, making it suitable for even high-end CPUs with high TDPs. The two 140mm PWM fans ensure optimal airflow and cooling performance while maintaining low noise levels, providing an excellent balance between performance and acoustics.

Frost Spirit 140

The Frost Spirit delivers impressive performance for its size, rivaling Noctua's offerings. Capable of cooling some of the more powerful CPUs without being overly bulky, this cooler can also manage overclocking for specific CPUs. As a result, the Frost Spirit is a strong contender for a wide variety of computer setups.

Noise Performance:

Assassin III

The Deepcool Assassin III fans are engineered to produce minimal noise during regular operation, and they can also be adjusted through the PWM control to find the perfect balance between cooling and noise for your specific needs. In most scenarios, the Assassin III operates at a low noise level, making it a suitable choice for users who value a quiet computing environment.

Frost Spirit 140

The Frost Spirit excels in providing an impressively silent operation, setting it apart from its sibling, the Frost Commander 140. The lower fan RPM of this cooler plays a substantial role in reducing noise levels when compared to the Frost Commander. Furthermore, it boasts a noise profile that can be likened to that of the NH-D15, making it an optimal selection for individuals who prioritize a noise-free environment.

Summary:

Assassin III

The Deepcool Assassin III is an impressive dual-tower air cooler that offers excellent cooling capabilities, quiet operation, and a visually appealing design. Its performance makes it a popular choice for PC enthusiasts seeking a reliable and efficient cooling solution for their high-performance systems.

Frost Spirit 140

The Frost Spirit CPU cooler offers a sleek design resembling the Frost Commander and Peerless Assassin 120. It requires extra effort to secure the fans to the heatsink due to the metal's firm placement. Despite its larger radiator, the Frost Spirit maintains a compact size with a single 120mm front fan and a 140mm fan between the heatsinks. It delivers impressive performance, rivaling Noctua's offerings, and is capable of effectively cooling powerful CPUs and managing overclocking. Notably, it stands out for its remarkably quiet operation, surpassing the noise levels of the Frost Commander 140, with a noise profile similar to the NH-D15. Overall, the Frost Spirit is a stylish, powerful, and quiet CPU cooler suitable for various computer setups.