While we would be hesitant to use phrases such as ‘swiss watch’ refined, the installation hardware is well thought out, well-engineered, and does get the job done… or at least will get the job done as long as your motherboard’s socket type is on the list of compatible options. Basically, if you have a really old Intel (775 or 1366) based system, or anything older than AM4 (or have ThreadRipper) based system the included hardware will simply not work. Arctic does however have excellent customer service and if you call them up they will (just like Austrian based Noctua) help you out. We are of the firm opinion that AM3 compatibility should be included with any modern CPU cooler’s installation hardware. This is an oversight that should never have made it to market. You should not have to even ask for parts that should have been included already. Hopefully, Arctic learns from this mistake and makes things right and proper in future models.
Moving on. If you have used basically any modern ‘tower’ style CPU cooling solution in the past the installation of the Arctic Freezer 34 eSports DUO will be extremely straightforward. Arctic has not tried to reinvent the wheel, rather they have gone with an excellent example of modern installation theory. One which relies upon either your motherboard’s included backplate (Intel HEDT or AMD AM4) or a polymer ‘after market’ backplate paired with metal top brackets to hold the cooler in place.
In this regards Arctic is actually above average as they may included a ‘plastic’ backplate for Intel 115x systems… it is extremely robust and well-engineered with a lot of low-level engineering improvements baked in. For example, instead of having to insert tiny metal posts during installation this backplate uses large metal posts fused directly into the polymer during the manufacturing process. The end result is a stripped post is rather unlikely, and the mounting pressure will be more consistent. So while yes we would have preferred to have seen a metal one (especially for a 700gram plus cooling solution), the included hardware is about the best example of polymer backplate design we have seen to date. The only downside is lack of 775, 1366, and AM3 socket type supports. For the majority of non-AMD users this was and is the right call. Just make sure you fall into the ‘majority’ before you buy.
Even though this a dual fan model the fact that this is about the only hardware installation issue you need to be aware of is impressive. By opting for a highly efficient cooling array Arctic was able to make it smaller and this in turn all but eliminates RAM compatibility issues. Once again, the majority of users need not worry about how tall their RAM sticks are… this bad boy will simply not block the DIMMS in the first place. The other side of that coin is, you have to first remove both fans before you can mount the fin array to your motherboard… and it uses small screws. We would recommend a magnetic screwdriver for this stage as they are small and easily lost. Either way, if you take your time this one extra task is not overly onerous.
Overall, Arctic’s design team did a well above average job on making their Freezer 34 eSports DUO as user-friendly as possible. It may a few minor quirks but it is one of the easier coolers in its class to work with.
