X-bit labs

Water-Cooling Systems Roundup: 16 Systems Reviewed! (page 29)

Category: Coolers

by Kirill "ALT-F13" Balalin

[ 03/30/2006 | 08:48 AM ]

There’s a cap with the manufacturer’s logo on top of the tower. It looks imposing enough.

The Reserator 1 comes with one of the earliest water-block models ever produced by Zalman.

The quality of the water-block is high. The copper base is fashioned on a lathe, then polished and coated with gold. The case is aluminum and is anodized the same color as the radiator tower.

The design of the water-block doesn’t give it any special advantages because its performance is rather average due to the thick base. It is worse than many other water-block models available.

Zalman’s system did a lot better in our tests than its analog from Thermaltake. The reasons are the larger area and intricate surface of the radiator.

We heard a booming sound when we assembled and launched the system. It was caused by the pump which was resonating inside the tower. After we put a rubber pad under the tower, the noise vanished completely.

Summary: Excellent pipes, simple assembly and near-total silence at work! This best-performance, stylish-looking passive-mode water-cooling system is worth every cent of its price of $245.