Viglen SX145 review

The processors really do reduce heat output. Supermicro's IPMI View 2 reported CPU and system temperatures of 23C and 26C respectively. Remarkably, with the lid removed, the server continued to function happily, with CPU and system temperatures actually dropping to 21C and 23C. We even removed two of the internal cooling fans, and with the lid replaced we watched CPU and system temperatures rise to only 31-C and 37-C. Overall, the processor heatsinks remained very cool to the touch and the north bridge chip actually generated more heat. Another bonus is that the fan speeds can be reduced to absolute minimum in the BIOS settings for normal operations, making this one very quiet rack server.

Running costs are rapidly becoming a big issue in rack-dense environments, with many companies concerned by the price they're paying for performance. Intel's latest Xeon LV processor is an important step in the right direction and directly targets these areas. Viglen's SS145 clearly offers the potential to reduce power consumption and heat output, but does so without sacrificing on specification.

Author: Dave Mitchell