Introduction

So many times, the things we take as commonplace are looked at as foolish insanity upon their introduction. Such was the case almost fifteen years ago when Gateway 2000 moved some cows over in the barn in order to make enough space to come up with the Gateway Destination. At the time, it was passed over as an idea that was frivolous and really more of an oddity than a viable concept. After all, computer multimedia was in its infant stages, and the available hardware severely limited the capabilities. Do I really need to say how bad a 640x480 desktop looked on a 31” CRT? The concept was simply ahead of its time, but was the birth of the now common HTPC.

The Cooler Master Vortex Plus takes square aim at the HTPC. The Cooler Master Vortex Plus is designed specifically to address the HTPC's biggest quandary – cooling a powerful chip in a very small space not only efficiently, but as silently as possible. The Cooler Master Vortex Plus is definitely a unique design, and, as with all unique designs, the Cooler Master Vortex Plus has some big pluses as well as some oddities.

The Cooler Master Vortex Plus incorporates a small design, measuring out at a scant 116 x 100 x 84 mm. The 84mm height allows the Vortex Plus to be used in the tightest of cases. Even with its diminutive size, the Cooler Master Vortex Plus doesn't skimp on cooling features. It is fitted with four 6mm direct contact heat pipes, a molded block and fins made from aluminum and a 92mm PWM Blademaster fan.