Our evaluation unit came in a plain white box simply marked "Arkua 6149", but with the proper protective packaging inside. A small instruction booklet and packet of silicon grease are included.
The 6149 came installed with a Bi-Sonic Technology BS601012H fan. 60x60x10mm (HxWxD), ball bearings, 3-pin tail, 4800RPM and pumps out 23.7CFM. Subjectively speaking, this fan pushes a surprising amount of air, which would account for part of the 6149's relatively high efficiency. And it does all this while remaining whisper quiet, definitely a big relief from the black label Deltas.
The basic design of the entire Arkua line of heatsinks is exactly the same, the only difference being dimensions, presense of a copper core and fan type. Not that it's a bad thing, since the design is similar to the original Thermosonic Thermoengine that is still a viable HS/F today. Basically, Thermosonic and Arkua merged; Thermosonic manufactures the products, Arkua handles all the sales and marketing. If you compare the Arkua 6149 for its bigger brother, the 7528, you will notice that the fin design is the same - curved away from center and corrugated. This serves to decrease laminar airflow and thus increase turbulence (the air molecules come into contact with the fins more often), drawing out more heat. A full copper version of the 6149 would definitely have been interesting.
Arkua opted for a generic clip, similar to the one used in Thermaltake's 1U HS/F (DTFCF014-1). While not quite as good as the original Thermoengine's clip, it is still fairly easy to engage with a screwdriver, holding the unit down firmly.
The machined based is a pretty decent piece of work, with the mating surface being flat and even. However, it is a little rough as machining marks can be felt (just barely).
