Performance: 33 out of 40
Let us be clear we are comparing the Alpine 17 LP against other OEM replacement style cooling solutions and not monster tower cooling solutions. If we did, the score would be in the low teens. With that stated, the LP variants are going to cool worse than those that have literally twice the weight and / or surface area. It’s just physics and, unless Arctic starts using material other than aluminum in the LPs, buying an LP model for cooling performance is just a non-starter. So, no. You buy one of these bad boys for their combination of low(ered) noise with as good to better than Intel stock performance. At this the Artic 17 LP does a good job. Still not good enough to warrant picking one up over a standard Alpine 17, let alone Alpine 17 CO, but they are better than that OEM coolers. They simply do more with less.
Ease of Use: 17 out of 20
With its combination of lightweight, svelte dimensions, and yes pushpin mounting configuration the Alpine 17 LP is about as easy to use as it gets. Counteracting all that is… pushpins stink on ice. They can be tricky to install properly, and unless you have done it a few times you may up thinking all four corners are mounted correctly just to find out later that one corner was not in fact secured properly in place. As such Arctic may have sacrificed a bit too much on the alter of ease of use. Maybe one day we will see one with a proper bolt ‘n’ bracket setup. Until then there is plenty of room for improvement.
Build Quality: 17 out of 20
Much like the ease of use is above average so too is the build quality. Unfortunately, also like the ease of use, the build quality may be a bit too basic. For these teeny tiny cooling solutions Arctic really need to include a better mounting setup, a copper base and /or central copper slug… or at the very least polish out the laser machining on said aluminum base so that you can’t see said laser machining guides. On the positive side, the fan is everything one could hope for in an ultra-low profile cooling solution. The combination of low noise, yet high flow rate means that it out and out smokes even the copper cored RM1 in how quiet it is going to be in the real-world. That alone justifies the Alpine 17 LP’s existence – and then some.
Value: 15 out of 20
If the Alpine 17 LP existed in a vacuum its combination of surprisingly good cooling (at reasonable TDPs) with excellent noise profile would be a winner. If it existed in a vacuum its low asking price would further push it into ‘no-brainer’ territory. So much so there would be absolutely no reason to ever use the “free” RS1 or even RM1 cooling solution that came with your CPU. Sadly, it does not exist in a vacuum. Right now, the LP variant is only a buck or three cheaper than the bog standard Alpine 17 variant. A cooler which will offer similar to same noise profile, similar to same ease of installation, and do all that while also offering noticeably better cooling performance. So yes. The Alpine 17 LP is a niche product. One that is mean for teeny-tiny builds where 60 and 70mm tall coolers simply will not fit. As such the value of the Alpine 17 LP is going to vary greatly. For Small Form-Factor builders it will be a good 18 out of 20. For average joes it is a soft 12 out of 20. We have split the difference and called it a 15 overall. We have done so as it is a reasonably good value overall, and would use it in a heartbeat over a Intel RS1, but there are better Arctic models out there for the average person.
Final Score:82 out 100
While the Alpine 17 LP will not win any performance awards its combination of low noise, low height, excellent asking price, and even decent installation means that there is zero reason to ever use the Intel RS1 in a build. Just understand that the Alpine 17 LP is intended for smaller builds where larger coolers will not fit. So, if you do have the room for a standard height Alpine 17 (but not enough for a Freezer i35) you probably will be better off spending the extra couple dollars for the standard, or even CO, Alpine 17 models.
