Kingpin’s F1 Extreme Dark – The F1EE is Back

While browsing my usual haunts yesterday, I was taken aback after seeing the photos TiN was posting on Kingpin Cooling’s forums. I couldn’t help but ask if we could use those photos here. He said yes, so use them we shall!

When Kingpin (Vince Lucido) first came out with his Dragon F1 Gemini, it was met with some resistance. With a removable (and interchangeable) base, there were mixed reviews. Some early models had issues with leaking (that was fixed) and it just wasn’t the same pot as the Dragon F1 Extreme Edition (F1EE) people were used to. Having had the chance to use the F1EE at IMOG’s place, I can attest that it was one absolutely stellar pot. It was a solid copper beast and one of the best pots you could get. Unfortunately for those that wanted the F1EE, it was removed from Kingpin’s lineup when the Gemini was released.

After what seems like quite a while, the F1EE is back, in the form of the Dragon F1 Extreme Dark.

I’ve not had an opportunity to see inside this one (very few have), but from their web site saying the F1EE is back, it seems there were few changes to the interior, if any. The most noticeable difference is that they are now black nickel plated and oh-so-nice looking. As far as other changes, the base was enlarged slightly (good for these massive socket 2011 CPUs) and the mounting hardware received an upgrade too.

There’s not much more to say about that one without getting to test it, so here’s one more gratuitous F1 Dark photo.

Kingpin has also recently finished getting his production in order and has lots of GPU pots to ship too. The Tek-9 Fat 6.0 is one stellar pot if you’re going to be freezing one GPU. Its mounting system is extensive (and crazy expensive, so don’t lose anything!) and it’s pretty much the best GPU pot in the game right now.

Don’t worry if you’re into SLI/Crossfire sub-zero benching. For that, there is the Tek-9 Slim 7.0.

There is also the more rarely used, but pretty cool Dominanace memory pot, but fewer people run sub-zero memory than they do CPUs and GPUs. Like I said, production has been ramping up for Kingpin, and they have the evidence to prove it.

Well, there’s Kingpin’s current lineup. I’m not a shill, I promise. Kingpin didn’t ask me to post any of this. In fact I asked TiN if we could use his photos (by the way, credit for all photographs in this article goes to TiN), not the other way around. I just saw those pictures today and had to bring them to you. Their webstore is being updated and is expected to be up within a day or so, so if you’re into sub-zero cooling and want to check any of these pots out, head over to their site.

Now what are you waiting for? Go freeze some hardware!

– Jeremy Vaughan (hokiealumnus)