Cougar Forza 135 CPU Air Cooler Review
When it comes to cooling your CPU, the stock air cooler can easily handle the heat of your day-to-day productivity tasks and web browsing. But when it comes to prolonged gaming sessions or overclocking duties, you can quickly run into thermal buildup that a stock cooler can’t keep up with. For some, an all-in-one water cooler is the way to go, but traditionalists will prefer the look and safety (water and electricity don’t mix) of a large air cooler. With the release of the Forza 135, Cougar has finally taken the leap to a dual-tower design to combat the ever-rising thermal output of modern CPUs. Is the Forza 135 up to the task at hand? Read on to find out.
The Cougar Forza 135 has a large, dual-tower design. It measures 128mm x 140mm x 160mm and weighs 1041g without fans. The brushed aluminum accents and intricately cut fins make it an attractive yet sturdy appearance. Heat transfers from the nickel-plated copper base to the fin stacks through seven nickel-plated copper heat pipes. The heat pipes have a diameter of 6mm, and their direct-touch design helps dissipate heat efficiently.
Installing the Cougar Forza 135 cooler is a relatively straightforward process, but the cooler's large size may pose some challenges depending on the case and motherboard being used. The cooler is compatible with most modern CPU sockets, including the most recent Intel LGA1700 and AMD AM5 CPUs.
The Cougar 135 uses mounting brackets that screw into the CPU’s backplate to handle its hefty weight. Installation hardware is provided for both Intel and AMD CPUs. The Forza 135 doesn’t have thermal paste pre-applied (a small tube is included in the box), so after attaching the backplate, you'll need to apply thermal paste to the CPU's surface
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