Here's a pic and specs of the SI-120.
Here's a pic and specs of the Ultra-120 Extreme
The first is a 370g cooler, and the other a 790g heavyweight.
If you're going to make a real comparison, you should look for a cooler that costs the same as the eliminator. Couple that with a fan thats as noisy too.
However, you'd find that its impossible to find an aircooler that will cost the same as the eliminator.
So do the next best thing: the best aircooler you can get your hands on, and IMO, its the ultra-120 extreme. Why would you compare it to a featherweight SI-120?
Which brings us to yet another problem: finding someone who's gonna buy an Ultra-120 extreme, and put a fan that sounds like a tornado on it. Actually, I did a google, and I couldn't find anyone who compared them.
So the next best thing: find the second best aircooler, and see if there are any reviews at all on google. I found
one, and it shows at severe overclocking, the eliminator only manages to tie with it at load. Note that this is NOT the first review I've seen that compares the Big Typhoon and a TEC cooler. The other one didn't fare too well neither.
Thermaltake Big Typhoon = cheaper, consumes less power, easier to obtain, quieter, requires less maintenance, easier to install.....
(note that I mentioned second best, but in reality, would sit at 4th on my list.
1. Thermalright Ultra-120 extreme
2. Soniq Tower
3. Thermalright Ultra-120
4. Thermaltake Big Typhoon
in the order of performance. Would probably sit in that order in price too.)
With all these reviews giving the exact same result, I really find it hard to believe that it will perform better, sitting in the system of a computer enthusiast. I can tell you immediately that you'd get lower idle temps, but you have to be kidding me if you'd rather have lower idle temp than lower load temp...
I might sound very pushy, but I think I would be doing you a huge disfavor if I just let you decide on a low powered TEC cooler, without actually informing you of the folly of your decision.