Like the Steropes, the Brontes fills a different niche that is defined more by space constraints than by overall capacity. So again, I have to look at it from a different perspective, which is for its targeted use. Most HTPC systems are not driven to the thermal limits like some gaming systems are. Is the Brontes meant for the heat generated by heavy gaming, or overclocking? Probably not. There are better choices out there, and Reeven has a several larger tower-style coolers for just that purpose. There is of course always the AIO water cooled setup, but that will definitely cut into your budget, and even the AIO can be a challenge to fit in a small case.