Counting against the Freezer 7 Pro is its sheer size. Appreciating that this a quiet, and subsequently large, processor fan and heatsink, it's nonetheless going to struggle to fit into any kind of compact case, such is the headroom it requires. It's certainly worth doing your homework on case space before you get your wallet out.

Once over that obstacle and the mildly cumbersome installation - which is, to be fair, a breeze compared to some of the products it competes against (although it uses the horrible, fiddly clips that all system builders will have struggled with at some point) - the benefits of Arctic Cooling's bargain cooling solution soon become apparent.

First and foremost, there's the price tag. Quality CPU coolers - and this is designed for LGA775 processors, which covers Intel's Core 2 and Pentium 4 products - shouldn't cost the earth, but even so, the £15 we paid to pick the Freezer 7 Pro up proved to be a very keen price. For that, you get a professionally packaged product, lined with thermal grease and ready to use.

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Secondly, there's the relatively quiet noise level by which it goes about its work. Thanks to the large blades on the fan itself, they don't need to spin at breakneck speeds to achieve effective cooling, with fan speeds adjusting between 300 and 2,500rpm. As a result, the noise output is suitably pulled back and it's barely audible for the most part.

Thirdly, there's its performance. We tested the Freezer 7 Pro on an Intel reference Core 2 Duo board, loaded with the stock cooler they also provide. We then switched that for the Arctic Cooling product and found that the temperature drops levelled between 6 and 8 degrees Celsius. That's a really significant fall, and one that should rightly raise the eyebrows of overclockers.

It achieves its efficiency thanks to its use of six heatpipes to draw the heat away from the processor up to the heatsink, where the hot air is then blown out to the side; something worth noting when you try to balance airflow and circulation in your case, although we found the Freezer 7 Pro to be effective however we positioned it.

We've known air coolers that can bring temperatures down even further, but still, when you're looking for a punchy combination of performance and price, the Freezer 7 Pro simply demands to be noticed. It's well made, very effective and a real bargain.

A high quality heatsink and fan at a very keen and welcome price tag.