DEEPCOOL AK400 Zero Dark Plus 120mm Single Tower CPU Air Cooler

The DEEPCOOL AK400 Zero Dark Plus is an air cooler, so it doesn't have a radiator like liquid coolers. It employs a metal-finned heatsink to dissipate heat away from the CPU. The height, width, and depth of the heatsink are very important to verify. You can refer to these measurements at Deepcool's website or store sites. Checking the size helps ensure it will fit in your PC case and won't interfere with components like RAM or cables.

The Deepcool AK400 Zero Dark Plus is an adequate solution for most people, especially for mid-sized CPUs and light overclocking. Its single tower design provides efficient cooling as well as co-exists well with most components on the motherboard. It will be capable of handling CPUs of a TDP in its cooling capability. But if you have a high-end CPU or will be extreme overclocking, you may require a larger cooler, i.e., dual tower or liquid cooler. Do check your CPU's requirements beforehand.

The Deepcool AK400 Zero Dark Plus TDP refers to the level of thermal energy it draws from the CPU. This comes into play when selecting a cooler. When the CPU generates more thermal energy than the cooler can draw, the CPU becomes prone to overheating. The cooler's TDP should be equal to or greater than that of the CPU. You can check this fact on the Deepcool website or store sites. Selecting a cooler of the right TDP keeps your system stable and cool.

The size of Deepcool AK400 Zero Dark Plus is something you need to consider while ensuring that it is the right size for your PC case. The height, width, and depth of the cooler are given in the product description. The dimensions enable you to avoid any issues of the cooler not being able to fit within your case or blocking other elements such as RAM. Height tends to be the largest constraint for accommodating coolers, so take exact measurement of space in your case prior to purchasing this cooler for your system.

The Deepcool AK400 Zero Dark Plus is equipped with a PWM fan, or Pulse Width Modulation. PWM fans are superior to DC fans in the sense that they alter their speed according to CPU temperature. If the CPU isn't overheating, the fan is slow and quiet. As the CPU warms up, the fan runs faster. PWM fans are better controlled and function more efficiently, but best to ensure product specs to be sure.

The Deepcool AK400 Zero Dark Plus is designed to be silent. Its heatsink and fan design also minimize noise. However, how quiet it is will vary with various factors such as the speed of the fan, the room temperature, and the workload of the CPU. During light usage, the fan is silent, but during gaming or heavy usage, the fan is faster and louder. Consider how much noise you can tolerate and what you are using your computer for.

The Deepcool AK400 Zero Dark Plus fan has varying speeds, and we have measured them in RPM (revolutions per minute). The fan has a maximum and minimum speed range, which you can read in the product description. The fan adjusts speed automatically according to the temperature of the CPU. Higher fan speeds cool more but are noisy, and lower speeds are quieter but cool less. The fan dynamically adjusts speed to maintain the CPU at a safe operating temperature when under load.

Yes, the Deepcool AK400 Zero Dark Plus is typically shipped with thermal paste pre-applied to the base of the cooler. This makes it easier to set up as you do not have to buy paste or set it up yourself. Thermal paste acts to carry the heat from the CPU to the cooler. Pre-applied paste is adequate enough for the average user, but there are customers like gamers or PC builders that may prefer setting it up themselves using their best thermal paste in order to enhance the cooling aspect.

The Deepcool AK400 Zero Dark Plus's cooling power is represented by its TDP, indicating how much heat it can transfer from the CPU. You can find this information in the product specs. It is recommended that you select a cooler with a TDP equal to or greater than your CPU's TDP. If the cooler's TDP is lower, then your CPU may become overheated. Selecting the correct TDP ensures that your system is running fine and secure without any problem of overheating.

The Deepcool AK400 Zero Dark Plus CPU cooler is single tower, composed of one tower made of metal fins. The dual tower CPU cooler is two towers, which have more cooling but occupy more space. Single tower coolers such as the AK400 Zero Dark Plus are compact and suit most settings better. They also provide more space for other components such as RAM. This makes them best suited for people who desire proper cooling without any size issues.