X-bit labs

Water-Cooling Systems Roundup: 16 Systems Reviewed! (page 34)

Category: Coolers

by Kirill "ALT-F13" Balalin

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

The last diagram is most remarkable as it shows the performance data for the highest-performance systems included in this review. These are all highly appealing products and are recommended for purchase as the best solutions in their respective classes.

First, it is the Cooled Silence Extreme Package from ProModz which has no competitors in pure performance among the water-cooling kits we have covered in this review.

Second is the Thermaltake Symphony, a monumental system designed as a floor speaker. It is going to impress you with its size and style as well as superb efficiency.

Third, it is the Asetek WaterChill KT03A-12VX kit from a recognized leader in production of premium water-cooling systems. Featuring innovative management software, this water-cooling system also boasts a highest manufacturing quality of every component, has a lot of optional accessories, and bears a legendary brand. All this is enough for us to recommend it as a good buy in the “ultra-high-end” product class.

And finally, here is the 3D Galaxy GH-WIU01 system from Gigabyte, a newcomer on the market of water-cooling solutions. The Taiwanese company debuted with a high-performance and, which is very important, affordable system. Of course, it cannot compare with products from Asetek or ProModz in efficiency, but it is two times cheaper and is powerful enough to cool any modern CPU. As a result, the system from Gigabyte must be considered the best buy as having the best price/performance ratio.

Among the rest of the tested systems, the following kits deserve your attention:

• Asetek proves it can offer high-quality solutions in the entry-level sector too with its Asetek WaterChill KT03-L20 Entry . The junior WaterChill is not far behind the leaders of the tests.
• The CoolerMaster Aquagate mini R120 is the single super-compact water-cooling system with acceptable performance; it is also among the cheapest available.
• Thermaltake’s Tribe is not super-efficient, but it is superbly designed, quiet and inexpensive.
• The Titan TWC-A04 v2.0 (Nikita) is worse in performance than the two best entry-level models, yet it is still a good choice, especially if you’re looking for an originally designed water-cooling system and are not much concerned about the noise factor.
• The Zalman Reserator 1 was the first water-cooling kit from Zalman and one of the first passive water-cooling systems on the market. Its ingenious design still allows it to deliver the best performance in its class. Don’t forget about the effective visual solution – the blue tower looks just very beautiful.

This test session shows the considerable progress the manufacturing companies have made in creating water-cooling solutions of all kinds. The number of models offered is now much bigger; the systems have become more powerful and different, too. The factor of aesthetics is also considered by the manufacturers: many models have a very stylish appearance and may become a real decoration of your computer and room interior, besides just doing their cooling job.

With such a wide variety of water-cooling kits to choose from, we think any user can find a solution to suit his/her particular taste and budget.