Trying a new AIO water cooler product

[trents]

This is arriving at my doorstep early next week:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835214058. I went with it over the H100i based on some reviews (not a lot out there on it yet, however) but mostly on the seamless tank innovation. So many variables are present in testing methodologies when it comes to CPU coolers that it can be very difficult to sort out what is best, or more precisely, what would cool the best in your system.

I really wanted to get the Coolermaster Glacier 360 but it's not available quite yet.

 

[Witchdoctor]

you will have to let us know how it does, looks like a Cool it pump

 

[Robert17]

Have you tried any AIOs yet? Not to sound like a fanboi but I've used several now and have to admit that, with no failures to date, I'm becoming accustomed to them. I did read one review on that unit and it was basically 'meh' compared with other AIOS but certainly performed at a good air level. Definitely quiet.

 

[doz]

Not to knock your choice in coolers, but for $100 it is a rip off and I am not sure why you would choose it?

It is a horrible cooler, especially for the price. You can do better with air or even a much cheaper AIO unit. A $50 air cooler has better results. Review is below from another site.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2014/05/29/enermax_liqtech_120x_aio_liquid_cpu_cooler/1#.U4qCXijRWzo

 

[trents]

doz, sorry. I linked the wrong product. Here is what I meant to link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835214058

The first link was to the single fan wide predecessor. I corrected the mistake now in my first post. Thanks.

 

[Robert17]

That's the same one.

 

[doz]

Yeah, still the same one. Same one as I linked to a review (fixed the link). Does not look like a good buy for the money at all. H75 outperforms slightly and is $30 cheaper.

 

[trents]

Man, I'm really having a hard time with the link tonight. I'll try again: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835214058

 

[caddi daddi]

trents, whats up with you and the link thing????
nothing worng with playing with the aio units, i have a coolermaster an antec and a larkooler laying around her and all seem to work pretty well.

wait, I don't think the larkcooler rates as an aio.

 

[doz]

aHH you have the 240. Well for the money its probably a good bit better buy than the 120 thats for sure. Let us know how it is.

 

[Robert17]

That one seems to be more a performer !! Let us know how it plays out.

 

[trents]

trents, whats up with you and the link thing????
nothing worng with playing with the aio units, i have a coolermaster an antec and a larkooler laying around her and all seem to work pretty well.

wait, I don't think the larkcooler rates as an aio.

The cottn' pickn' pictures were deceiving on NewEgg! The single fan radiator of the 120 looked longer than a 120mm radiator and I kept going back to it. I haven't even been partaking of the spirits tonight!

 

[Tech Tweaker]

Not a unit I'm familiar with.

I'm finding hardly any reviews of that unit. Only saw one review from a review site.

I see that it beats out a Corsair H75 by a little bit. So, it's apparently better than a standard 120mmx1 radiator.

But I'm not finding any reviews comparing it to a similar 120x2 (240mm) radiator like a Corsair H100/H100i, H105, Cooler Master Glacer 240L, etc. So there's really no way to tell how it compares to similar 240mm AIO's.

 

[trents]

Not a unit I'm familiar with.

I'm finding hardly any reviews of that unit. Only saw one review from a review site.

I see that it beats out a Corsair H75 by a little bit. So, it's apparently better than a standard 120mmx1 radiator.

But I'm not finding any reviews comparing it to a similar 120x2 (240mm) radiator like a Corsair H100/H100i, H105, Cooler Master Glacer 240L, etc. So there's really no way to tell how it compares to similar 240mm AIO's.

I did find a review the other day that compared the Enermax 240 to some better known been around awhile AIO water units and also some better air coolers but I can't find it now. There are several Youtube reviews but they are more marketing hype than anything. Really, though I think we all know there is only few degrees difference between any of the AIO products in the same radiator class. They've been around long enough to have experienced considerable refinement and any improvements apart from going to more radiator surface are going to be marginal.

Currently, I have an H100 installed and I know the temps it gives so I should be able to get a good apples to apples comparison when the Enermax arrives. On the H100 I swapped out the stock fans for a couple 120x32mm 2500 rpm Silverstones that I had laying around. Load temps improved about 1c so not much to gain there on that thin radiator by going to higher pressure fans. What did surprise me was that when I took the side panel off of my case I shaved off 2c from max load temps so that told me that greater benefit would accrue from changing to more powerful case fans than from more powerful radiator fans in this scenario.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

In all honesty, I believe they are all the same and just rebranded to the particular company in most cases. The only thing that can make a change is the fans and paste used. Maybe knock off a few degrees.

 

[RnRollie]

Almost all AIO on the market are either CoolIT or Asetek
Exceptions are
- Swiftech Hx20/Coolermaster Glacier (they are the same product see why here)
- Coolermaster Eisberg - Copper rad, "different" pump (although it wouldn't surprise me if it was a CoolIt or EK design)
- Zalman Reserator 3 ... which looks like its going a million miles an hour, but really doesn't... Heatpipes & nanofluids... yeah...

There might be one or two other "in house" designs, but almost all Corsair, Kraken, Thermaltake, etc, etc are build-by or licensed-by CoolIt or Asetek :
-Aluminium radiator (92.1, 120.1 , 120.2 , 140.1, 140.2)
-tiny pump
-smooth or ribbed 1/4 or 3/8 hose

The only differences are the fans that come with it and the personalised pump/block cover. That and the bundled software (if any).

Note: "kits" like those from EK, Watercool, XSPC, Alphacool, etc are not really AIO




PS: did you notice i emphasized some crucial & important property of a radiator?

.

 

[trents]

The Enermax Liqutek 240 I'm getting (arrives today I think) supposedly has an innovative "seamless" radiator design.

 

[trents]

Well it came yesterday and I installed it last night. Very disappointed in the performance. Seems to give max temps 6-8 higher than the H100 it replaced. The workmanship seems better than the Corsair, however and it's more stylish (not much consolation).

 

[caddi daddi]

that sucks trents, swap the fans with the corsair and see if it catchs up.

 

[BobbyBubblehead]

Curious if your using the same thermal paste?
Some claim to lower after many hours use then a time out to cool and harden.

Arctic silver used to improve once you went through its recommended time scale.

Expect all these pre made loops come with some paste shoved on them.

Just a thought that could gain a degree or five drop.