best CPU block

cant do a poll I see, so we wont do that

what is "the best" block? I know thats a pretty subjective question.

but lets say in terms of performance.

we know the cascade is on top, so lets not be bothered with that since it isnt available.

if you want to give circumstances like this is the best for an AMD, this is best for intel, this is best for OCing. thats ok.

you can only choose 1 per classification, and this isnt so much a "what water block do you use" thread where everyone votes for their own. lets be honest and say if you had to pick a new block tomarrow, what would it be.

If my Cascade melted or something, and I had to pick a new CPU block tommorrow, for straight up CPU watercooling in my AMD machine, I would probably buy myself an RBX, or a Whitewater.

I'd lean towards the RBX though, because I really like the idea of having different nozzles to try out and play around with.

I'm pretty sure everyone will say either RBX, Whitewater, and hopefully MCW6000 .

From what I have been reading, the WhiteWater outperforms the RBX... but felinusz is right, having different nozzles is COOL.

My choices (of AVAILABLE BLOCKS):
1. Whitewater
2. RBX
3. Maze4
4. Swiftech's MCW line

I'm doing testing as we speck. I'm testing all those blocks. I'm also going to test all of the different inserts for the RBX block to find out once and for all what block is the best. I've found one problem with this kind of testing. I'm forcing so 1-5GPM thought the blocks no mater what the resistance of the block. So from one block to the next in the real world on a pump you would get different performance just because one block is going to flow more water than the next. So at the end I'm going to set it up to run at 10psi like my pump does and set it to pump 5GPM or 300GPH free flowing with no block and put each block on the system to see what block will be the best. Even thought one might have a higher C/W it might not be the best performer. I think it's great Bill tests all of the block but I think we need to start looking at what the blocks can really do in the real world.

Say you have a block that has the highest C/W of all the blocks out there but has a huge pressure drop and you put it on your system it might lower your pump from 5GPM to 2.5GPM, and them you put another block that as a lower C/W but is a good free flowing block and it lets your bump run at 3.5GPM. Then you have to look at those nice charts that Bill has for the blocks and see at those flow rates what block is really the best. I wish I had more time to test the blocks but with two weeks of school left and I'm going home to work part time as a mechanical engineer at Prime Mover in Muscatine for the summer before I start my Grad program.

I found things wrong with my set up and wish I had the money to make it one of the best out there. But long as I test all the blocks under the same conditions my results will work to look at the blocks and see what is better and why. I know they won’t be as good as Bills. He has a few years on me, and the best water block die I've seen. I wish I had the money to make on like his. Not saying mine doesn't work but his limits his heat lose to a minimal, and puts the heat source at the top of the block use under the die.

Bill is the man when it comes to testing.

Cathar blocks list:
1)XS
2)Cascade SS
3)Cascade
4)WW

Realworld:
1)WW
2)RBX
3)MCW line
4)Maze4/TC4 rev2

Dtek white water 50$ for poly 60$ for aluminum

Danger Den RBX for 51.95

as cool as the nozzles are, am I mistaken that you have to dran your system, unmount the block and open it to change them? sounds like a tough job, ultimatly a cool but useless gadget.

Cyrix_2k u sad a WB name i don't know , what is the XS that is better even then the CASCADE SS (in my opinion the most _____ WB in the world)

The Big One said:

Cyrix_2k u sad a WB name i don't know , what is the XS that is better even then the CASCADE SS (in my opinion the most _____ WB in the world)

Click to expand...

The XS (formerly the XXX) is cathar's new block. It has 149 jets vs the 50 of the cascade. It is still being prototyped in copper, but the final edition will be made in silver ONLY. It's still based on the concept of the Cascade SS, just applied over a larger area.

SHOW my pics man pics i tell u . i need pics

Pics:

XS is on the right with the Cascade on the left:

Just the XS:

Cascade on the left w/the XS on tne right:


Please note: Cathar took all these pics and they are from the Cascade SS thread here http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=283349&perpage=50&pagenumber=4

lets forget for a moment i'm druling like hell

HOW much will this ____ (put any word u like, good one only) block, that will be made of silver cost?

i may not have a lot of $ but for this "god block" i will find all the $ i need. i hope.

Well, it's only going to be released in limited quantities, and it's made of silve, and it's a cathar block, and there's a lot of machining time involved. That just means it's going to be VERY expensive. Cathar hasn't said how much he's going to charge or how many he's going to make. My guess is it's going to run ~450 US dollars. I'm going to sell my entire back-up system to pay for one

Too much

Attualy ProCoolings review of the rbx and whitewater showed the rbx outperforming the WW at high flow rates. I have also herd that with differant nozzles it outperforms the WW but only if you have a super pump!

i'm going to sell body parts, 450$ is too much, or is it?
we need Cathar to help us find uot what do we need to sell.
body parts or back-up sys and rig

Cyrix_2k said:

Well, it's only going to be released in limited quantities, and it's made of silve, and it's a cathar block, and there's a lot of machining time involved. That just means it's going to be VERY expensive. Cathar hasn't said how much he's going to charge or how many he's going to make. My guess is it's going to run ~450 US dollars. I'm going to sell my entire back-up system to pay for one

Click to expand...

The point of buying this block is to get great temps correct? But for $450 USD why not just go for a vapochill or something of that kind and get even better temps.

JDizzle said:

The point of buying this block is to get great temps correct? But for $450 USD why not just go for a vapochill or something of that kind and get even better temps.

Click to expand...

To a degree. Cathar said he's been able to outperform Vapochill's on water before because the Cascade SS is able to remove heat from every area of the die EQUALLY well where as other block cool crtain parts of the die better than others and this leads to instability.

The reason I want to get the block is not only for the great temps and OC I could get, but also because it's made by cathar and in limited quantities too. The block would be worth more than what I paid for it instantly, but I'd NEVER, EVER, EVER sell it so that doesn't really matter.

holy crap thats alot.

Im curious though, that peice remains as acrylic or lexan right?

why doesnt he just get it injected? surely a good ABS mold can get enough accuracy. sure your looking at 5grand or more for the mold, but at that point you could pop that part out for 5-10cents a peice and get them by the thousands.

Im rather uninformed on all of this, so if what I just said is just absolute stupidity, then ignore me. but seems silly that what is undeniably the best block is produced in such low quantities, unless thats un purpose to maintain a level of prestige.

ares350 said:

holy crap thats alot.

Im curious though, that peice remains as acrylic or lexan right?

why doesnt he just get it injected? surely a good ABS mold can get enough accuracy. sure your looking at 5grand or more for the mold, but at that point you could pop that part out for 5-10cents a peice and get them by the thousands.

Im rather uninformed on all of this, so if what I just said is just absolute stupidity, then ignore me. but seems silly that what is undeniably the best block is produced in such low quantities, unless thats un purpose to maintain a level of prestige.

Click to expand...

1) I believe he said that it the tubes were too close together to be produced on a mold

2)Cathar does this as a hobby, not to make money. In fact, he even said a while back that he wasn't going to be making anymore blocks. It's very surprising he's working on the XS at all.

Anyway, how many people do you know that pay over $200 for a solid silver block? Not enough to justify making a mould I bet.

well it wouldnt have to be silver.

the pins are too close for any sort of cast mold, but I would bet it could be made with ABS given the proper firm doing the dirty work. Id say some more complicated stuff has been done in the past, not thatd itd be easy, or cheap for the mold. I have contracted a few things for ABS and polyurethane casting for small business of my own. Ive never done anything THAT detailed, never needed it.

but when you figure he was selling them way below demand at 100$+, you only need to sell 100 or so to recoup his costs.

but I understand its not his job, just a hobby. good for him that he enjoys doing it, and is good at it.

but it still sucks for us .

actually i think the figures were closer to $225 but thats really not even worth worrying about right now as you cant even get one yet. for anyone not fanatic about WC'n the WW or RBX are great blocks that will perform close to a cascade.