Review: Gigabyte Sumo Alpha

Performance

Our Z77 test platform consists of an ASUS Sabertooth motherboard, an Intel Core i5-3570K processor overclocked to a modest 4.4GHz, an Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 cooler, 8GB of high-performance G.Skill Ripjaws-X memory and two factory-overclocked Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 OC graphics cards in a CrossFireX configuration.

To find out how well the chassis can cool this particular setup, we record the CPU temperature after a 15-minute stint of the intensive Prime95 stress test is applied to all cores. To get an idea of GPU cooling performance, we record GPU temperature after 15 minutes of running Aliens vs. Predator. Last but not least, we also record chassis noise by using a PCE-318 noise meter to take readings when idle and while running Aliens vs. Predator.

All chassis are tested only with the standard manufacturer-supplied fans (any/all of which are set to 'silent' in the ASUS BIOS or low-speed using a fan controller, if present), and to take into account the fluctuating ambient temperature, our graphs depict both actual and delta temperature - the latter is the actual CPU/GPU temperature minus the ambient. For the record, room temperature while testing the Gigabyte Sumo Alpha was recorded as a cool 19.5ºC.

As expected, four bundled fans result in very good out-the-box cooling performance. Our overclocked Core i5 chip sits comfortably below 70ºC in the Sumo Alpha.

Gigabyte's mesh side window doesn't have any dedicated fan mounts, but it appears to be doing a good job of supplying air to the system's hot-running components. With the help of a relatively-unobstructed front intake, our dual graphics cards are also kept the right side of 70ºC.

But are more fans always better? Gigabyte doesn't include any built-in speed control, and with the mesh openings, the four-fan Sumo Alpha is noticeably louder than some of the alternatives in our line-up.