Review – Cooler Master MasterAir MA824 Stealth

Cooler Master has long been a dominant force in the PC cooling industry, and it is well-regarded for its innovative CPU coolers and high-quality PC cases. Over the past few years, we’ve reviewed several of their AIO coolers, but today, we’re focusing on the MasterAir MA824 Stealth.

This air cooler has garnered attention as a formidable competitor to some of the market’s top performers, including the renowned Noctua NH-D15. In this review, we’ll delve into its design, performance, and how it stacks up against other leading air cooling solutions.

Specifications

Unboxing

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The MA824 Stealth ships in a rather big box, probably the biggest box for an air cooler from Cooler Master we’ve seen. On the box, you’ll find details such as the specifications, design, and features of the cooler. The accessories such as the mounting bracket for AMD and Intel socket, 4-pin PWM splitter cable, fan bracket, screw driver, and a Mobius 120 fan are all neatly packed in specific boxes and compartments.

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As mentioned earlier, the included 120mm cooling fan is the Mobius 120, the entry-level model in the Mobius series featuring its signature Ring Blade Design that is optimized for both performance and acoustics, catering to a dynamic range of applications from case, liquid or air, to overclocking and intense gaming. At the corner of the frame, you can find dampers that diminish vibration and rattling to maintain chassis stability for silent performance.

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The MA824 Stealth is a dual-tower cooler featuring an all-black design that seamlessly complements a wide range of builds. The black coating not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also helps maintain a clean appearance over time, unlike coolers with exposed Aluminum fins and heat pipes that can tarnish by oxidation.

Despite its large size, Cooler Master has implemented a clever securing mechanism for the MA824 Stealth. By removing the top heatsink cover, users can access two holes that allow for direct access to the screws through the heatsink fins, making the installation process significantly easier.

We were initially surprised to find that Cooler Master didn’t include a tube of thermal compound in the accessories box. However, we discovered that the MasterAir MA824 Stealth comes with a pre-applied layer of thermal compound on the base of the cooler, eliminating the need for a separate application.

Test System Setup

To determine the MasterAir MA824 Stealth’s performance, we pitted it against industry-leading air coolers: the Noctua NH-D15, NH-U12A, and NH-U12A chromax.black. Our test system, detailed in the table below, provided the foundation for this comparison.

*Testing was conducted in an environment with an ambient temperature of 28°C .

We began our testing with the Intel Core i9-11900K, utilizing Cinebench R23 and Realbench for multiple rounds of stress tests. The CPU occasionally reached boosts of up to 5.3GHz but typically stabilized around 4.6GHz, drawing 180W of power during the tests.

Throughout the testing, we observed that all three coolers performed similarly in terms of thermal management. The peak load temperatures for the CPU were recorded at 77-78°C across the board. This consistency suggests that each cooler is capable of handling the thermal output of the Intel Core i9-11900K under these conditions. Interestingly, the MA824 Stealth demonstrated a performance that is on par with the NH-D15.

We proceeded with testing the newer Intel Core i9-13900K, but encountered a challenge: all the coolers used in the test struggled to handle the CPU at stock settings, resulting in thermal throttling within seconds of starting the stress tests. To mitigate this, we adjusted the CPU’s PL1 and PL2 values to 120W and 170W, respectively, to prevent thermal throttling under load. This adjustment led to a minor performance decrease of around 3-5%, which we deemed an acceptable trade-off for maintaining cooler temperatures.

While the system operated stably during the tests, the i9-13900K remained hot even with the reduced PL1 and PL2 settings. Therefore, unless you’re planning to lower these settings, we don’t recommend pairing the i9-13900K with an air cooler. For optimal thermal management and performance, an AIO cooler with at least a 360mm radiator would be more suitable for this high-end CPU.

Final Thoughts

The Cooler Master MA824 Stealth stands out as a formidable contender in the air cooling market, delivering impressive thermal performance that rivals the renowned NH-D15, long considered one of the best air coolers available. The MA824 Stealth manages to maintain excellent temperature control under load, proving its efficiency and reliability.

The installation process is straightforward, with ample memory clearance, indicating Cooler Master’s thoughtful design considerations. This ease of installation, coupled with the cooler’s sleek design and effective cooling capabilities, makes it an attractive option for builders seeking both performance and aesthetics.

At an MSRP of RM 449, the MA824 Stealth is positioned as a more affordable alternative to the premium NH-D15. While it isn’t the cheapest option on the market, its performance and build quality justify the price, offering great value for those looking for high-quality cooling solutions without the premium price tag.