X-bit labs

Perfect Silence: Zalman Reserator 2 Fanless Liquid-Cooling System Review (page 10)

Category: Coolers

by Sergey Lepilov

[ 04/25/2007 | 09:59 AM ]

Thermal Performance

The Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 stepping B2 processor was overclocked from its default 2133MHz to 3500MHz (a 64.1% frequency growth) with a core voltage increase to 1.45V.

I wrote above what I think about the weak pump of the discussed cooling system and the slow water flow in the pipes, so besides checking the Reserator 2 with its CPU and VGA water-blocks I also tested it when used for cooling the CPU alone (this is referred to as “CPU only” in the diagrams). The VGA water-block and connecting pipe was excluded from the system and replaced with a Zalman VF900-Cu LED in that test:

Now it’s time to take a look at the results:

Obviously, the Zalman Reserator 2 is inferior to the team consisting of an Enzotech Ultra-X and Zalman VF900-Cu LED in every mode, on the CPU as well as on the graphics card. The weak pump is the cause, and the test of the Reserator with only one CPU water-block is an indication of that. When the graphics card with its connecting pipe had been excluded from the system, the CPU was 5°C cooler in tests. I want to draw your attention to the fact that I used a rather cold graphics card, by today’s standards. I wonder what if I used something like Radeon X1950 XT/XTX?

The liquid cooling looks unimpressive on the graphics card, either. It is 3°C worse than an average low-mainstream-class air cooler. However, I’m going to be rather positive about the Zalman Reserator 2 in the following conclusion despite its having lost to its air-based opponents in my performance tests.