The Frio with a single fan
By default, the heatsink only comes attached with one fan although an optional one is included in the bundle. The fan bracket is a plastic mount that clips on to the heatsink and holds the fans with four rubber pieces in each corner. For some reason, the brackets seem to have a red handle bar at the top which appears to be merely for cosmetic reasons. While it does add a finishing touch to the cooler, it has no use.
The Frio in a push/pull configuration
Thermaltake bundle two fans with the Frio so a push/pull configuration can be achieved. With both installed, the Frio ends up as quite a beast of a cooler. There is an additional plastic top cover that can be installed/clipped on between the fan brackets. It sports the Thermaltake logo and company motto, "Cool Your Life". Personally, I prefer the metallic look of the heatsink but the cover certainly makes the cooler appear more complete. Additionally, it also hides the ends of the heatpipes.
The plastic fan holder
Here, we can get a better look at the bracket installation mechanism. The fan holder simply clips into the grooves at the side of the heatsink. Taking it off requires a bit of effort, the best method being to pull the side notches so it unclips and then removing the whole bracket. However, I would recommend leaving both fan brackets on and simply taking the fan off if necessary.
Installing the fan
The fan sits snugly into the fan bracket thanks to the rubber mounts in each corner. Another benefit of the mounting is that the rubber will prevent vibrations to ensure quieter and rattle free operation. When installing the fan, line each hole up with the rubber mounts and pull the ends when they are inserted through. It saves users dealing with metal wire clips which can be cumbersome at times.
Anti vibration rubber mounts
Taking a closer look at the rubber mount, we can see that there is a small opening in the corner of the fan bracket into which the rubber mount can slide through.
The fan with added voltage regulator
The VR fans sport an attractive black and white colour theme, making it an pleasing addition to the heatsink. The seven bladed fan is specified to run at a maximum of 2,500 RPM but Thermaltake have attached a small fan controller to the fan to allow users to manually control the rotation speed between 1,200 - 2,500 RPM. This ensures that users can choose between quiet operation or full on cooling potential. The fan uses a 3-pin connection so lacks PWM functionality, hence the use of a voltage regulators (VR). On the side of the fan frame are arrows indicating the direction of airflow. The two cables, for power and fan control, come pre-braided and the latter can be disconnected if necessary. One complaint is that to access the fan controller, users will have to go inside the case, which isn't always convenient so my advice would be to settle on a speed for optimum cooling/noise.
