Akasa Nero 3 CPU Cooler Review

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It has been nearly a year since we had a look on the Venom Voodoo, Akasa’s best CPU cooler to this date. However, high thermal performance and a fancy appearance usually are not a priority for mainstream users who are looking for good overall performance at the lowest possible price. Realizing that, Akasa released the Nero 3 cooler, a product which the company claims that offers both peak performance and near silent operation combined with a strongly competitive retail price. We will thoroughly examine and test the Nero 3 CPU cooler in this review.Manufacturer features and specifications

Socket type	Intel LGA775, LGA1155, LGA1156, LGA1366 & LGA2011 AMD Socket AM2, AM2+, AM3 & FM1
Cooler dimensions	120 (W) x 86.7 (D) x 160 (H) mm
Heatsink material	High grade aluminium fins, copper heatpipes
Heatpipe	6mm x 4
Weight	609g
Installation	Push pins (Intel LGA775 / 1155 / 1156 / 1366) Screws (Intel LGA2011) Cam-lever clip (AMD)
Fan dimension	120 x 120 x 25mm
Fan speed	500-1500 RPM (PWM controlled)
Max airflow	50.54 CFM
Max air pressure	1.32 mm H2O
Noise level	24.6 dB(A)
Voltage rating	DC 12V
Bearing type	EBR
Fan life expectancy	40,000 hours
Fan connector	4pin PWM
Product code	AK-CC4007EP01

Read more: Akasa Nero 3 CPU Cooler Review by VR-Zone.com

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Akasa supplies the Nero 3 cooler inside a typical cardboard box featuring a dark theme. Most of the box is black and the artwork is limited to pictures of the cooler. Info on the cooler’s features and specifications can be found around the sides of the box.



Inside the cardboard box, the cooler is well protected by polystyrene foam pieces and cardboard sheets.



In an effort to keep the retail price low, Akasa supplies the Nero 3 cooler with the bare minimum required bundle. Inside the box there is only a basic installation manual, a single dose of common thermal grease and the mounting hardware required for the installation of this cooler.

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Despite it having been designed to be a value to middle range product, the Nero 3 is an actually quite large tower cooler. The cooler is 160mm high, meaning that it will fit in ATX cases but it is unlikely to fit inside most desktop/HTPC cases. The top aluminum fin is polished and the company logo is etched at the middle of the fin’s surface.



The aluminum fins of the Nero 3 are large and offer ample heat dissipation surface, yet they are also very thin and quite delicate; a comparatively little amount of force can easily bent them. The fins form notched “teeth” edges in an effort to reduce air backpressure and minimize noise.



Four copper heatpipes run though the base of the Nero 3 cooler and transfer the heat from the CPU directly to the aluminum fins. Akasa did not nickel plate the heatpipes; however they did polish them very well.



The base of the Nero 3 cooler forms a “direct touch” design, meaning that the heatpipes themselves are coming in contact with the CPU core. The rest of the cooler’s base is made out of aluminum and is only meant to ensure the mechanical cohesion of the base. This design is very efficient but also forms thermal gaps between the heatpipes, limiting its potential.



Akasa supplies a piano black glossy 120mm fan with the Nero 3 cooler. The fan is made by Young Lin Tech and its model part number is DFS122512M, meaning that this is a sleeve bearing fan with a maximum speed of 2000RPM. At 2000RPM no 120mm is anywhere near silent; thankfully though the speed of the fan can be controlled by any modern motherboard. It is also interesting to note that Akasa sleeved the fan’s cable.

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There is little to comment on the installation of the Nero 3 cooler, as the cooler is using the same push-to-lock plastic pins found on Intel’s stock coolers. The Nero 3 comes ready to be installed on socket 775/1155/1156 socket coolers; if you own any other CPU supported by this cooler, you only have to replace the retention bars with the correct ones for your CPU. The installation is as easy as placing a thin layer of thermal paste on the CPU core, then placing the cooler on the CPU and firmly pushing all four pins into locking position.



After the cooler is installed on the CPU socket, with the aid of the supplied rubber anti-vibration studs the fan needs to be secured on the cooler’s body. Akasa’s Nero 3 is definitely not a small cooler but not massive either, remaining within the limits of the CPU socket. There is plenty of clearance between the cooler and the RAM slots, allowing the users to install modules of any given height without a problem.

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In order to provide you with the most professional and accurate reviews, we are using the following equipment to test the performance of coolers. The system automatically calculates the Delta T temperature, which is the difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature at the top of the thermal core. We test each cooler with the included thermal grease.

Custom copper thermal core with automatic power controls
Watlow heat generation rods
PT100 temperature sensors
Lutron DW-6091 Power Analyzer
SL-5868P digital sound level meter
CompuLAB interface
MyPClab thermal interface
Custom calibration box
Custom software
More information about our testing equipment and methodology can be found in this article.



Keeping in mind that this is not a product designed to cover the craving needs of hardcore enthusiasts but to offer good value for money to mainstream consumers, the Nero 3 cooler performed quite well. With the 120mm fan spinning at its maximum speed, the Nero 3 can compete with some of the better coolers currently available; however the noise level is well above the maximum threshold for everyday computing. With the speed of the fan limited down to a quiet 1200RPM, the thermal performance of the Nero 3 takes a significant hit but the cooler still offers appreciably better performance than stock coolers.

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Quality (30% of the total score)

The quality of the Akasa Nero 3 is quite good, especially considering the retail price of the cooler, although there is room for improvements. Even though the body and the base of the cooler are very well designed and finished, the cooling fins could have been more durable and without so many sharp edges. The cooling fan is a little simplistic but it is a proven model coming from a well known OEM. Overall, no casual user will be disappointed by the quality of the Nero 3, although seasoned enthusiasts will certainly notice a few flaws.

Quality Score 8.5/10

Performance (40% of the total score)

Depending on the speed of the cooling fan, the performance of the Nero 3 cooler can range from mediocre up to quite good; however the acoustics of the cooler are obviously reversely affected by the speed of the fan. Although we expect this cooler to be mostly installed inside everyday systems where the motherboard will decide whether it should speed up the fan or not, the Nero 3 is not capable of delivering both low noise operation and great thermal performance at the same time. Nevertheless, it remains a massive improvement over the stock coolers and it is nice to know that the fan can spin quite fast if it becomes necessary.

Performance Score 8.0/10

Aesthetics (20% of the total score)

Companies rarely spend any effort improving the aesthetics of low to middle range products but the Nero 3 stands an exception to that rule. It certainly is not a breathtaking product but that did not stop Akasa from doing everything they can to improve the visual performance of their product. The company provides a glossy black fan with a sleeved cable, has polished the heatpipes and enhanced the appearance of the top fin, all of which combined form a worthwhile effort to make such a product aesthetically appealing.

Aesthetics Score 8.5/10

Value (10% of the total score)

It may not be a perfect product but without a doubt the strongest feature of the Akasa Nero 3 is the cooler’s retail price. The cooler currently retails for about 25€ (40 SGD at the time of this review), a great price considering the versatility of the cooler and the included fan, making it an excellent replacement for the wretched stock coolers and for use in casual everyday systems.

Value Score 9.0/10