bundymania
Gawd
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2007
- Messages
- 646
Hello again Folks,
After making you guys happy with a CPU block roundup for socket 775 a few months ago, it's now time for the socket 1366 roundup with 10 blocks, which is already eagerly anticipated by a lot of users. This review will most likely be extended with more blocks in the following time.
As I don't want to bore you with an unnecessary long introduction, let's get right down to business.
Update 05/24/10: Extended with five additional blocks!
There's been a changing of the guard of the top of the results. In addition to newer blocks like the XSPC Rasa, the Koolance CPU-360 and the EK Supreme HF in the version with the metal top, there are also two older blocks among the contestants to complete this big roundup, namely the D-Tek Fuzion V2 and the Cuplex HD by Aquacomputer, that's most probably soon going to be replaced by a new block.
Have fun with this update and with choosing your personal favorite!
Update 02/01/10: Seven more blocks now in this review!
The makers of waterblocks haven't only been sitting around those past few months and so it's no surprise that there has been quite some movement on the top of the results. The formerly unbeaten Heatkiller 3.0 had to pass its crown to Swiftech's new flagship: the Apogee XT. The revised version of the EK Supreme, now , as shown by the new flow chart, rightfully carrying the name "Highflow", also takes one of the places on the top. The range of the best coolers' performances is very close, so it's mostly a decision of optical preferences and the size of your wallet, which model to choose in the end.
The testing setup:
Banchetto 101 Bench Station
Gigabyte GA EX58 Extreme (Biosversion: F7)
Mips Fusionblock Nickel
i7 920 @4Ghz @1.40V (Bios setting)
Seasonic M12D-850
Corsair XMS3 Dominator DIMM Kit 6GB PC3-12800U CL7-7-7-20 (DDR3-1600)
Sapphire Radeon HD 5850
Mora 2 Pro / 9 Yate Loon D12SL12 @ 5Volt (600 rpm)
Aquaero VFD
Laing Ultra w/ Koolance top
EK Multioption Reservoir 150 V2
GMR flow meter
CPC metal quick Disconnect couplings
Masterkleer & Primochill 16/10mm (5/8") tubing + Perfect Seal and Bitspower Fittings
3x watertemp sensors (2x T-Line, 1x in reservoir)
1x dig. sensor in the reservoir for calibration
3x dig. thermometers for the room temperature (average)
used thermal compound: Arctic Cooling MX-2
Innovatek Protect
ArctiClean for cleaning purposes
Test procedure:
Every block is mounted three times, the EK Supreme HF was mounted three times with each bottom plate. The thermal paste was removed completely each time, Coolers and CPU heatspreader were cleaned thoroughly with ArctiClean and then new thermal paste was applied. The average of the three results was used as the end result.
To stress the CPU, I used Prime95 (SmallFFTs) in the newest version; to monitor the temperatures, Real Temp was used. The five temperature readings started after 60 minutes with five minutes between each of them.
A backplate was also used for the test runs, allowing high contact pressure without bending the motherboard. If the block didn't come with a backplate, I used the plate by Watercool, except for the Zern for which I had to use the universal plate by Scythe due to the M3 threads.
The contestants:
Koolance CPU-360 Rev. 1.1
From the US I got the successor of the CPU-350, which has been available for quite some time.
The CPU-360 has got a very massive feel and so it comes as no surprise that it weighs 410g. The body is made out of nickel-plated copper and can be used for every modern socket by exchanging the mounting mechanism with the included alternatives.
The bottom plate's fins are very delicate and the inner assembly looks very much like that of the Heatkiller 3.0, so it's pretty clear where this block will be on the result-chart: at the top of it.
The block is also compatible to each and every kind of fitting, even 19/13mm screw-on fittings.
The scope of delivery is rich, including the mounts for Intel- and AMD-sockets, thermal paste, a backplate and a manual. The mounting mechanism has been copied from the CPU-360's predecessor and can score with easy handling and its solidity. Also, in addition to the standard nozzle plate with one slit, the cooler also comes with another metal plate that can be used to create another nozzle plate manually.
Overall, the Koolance CPU-360's performance and build quality are on a high level, the mounting is easy and the scope of delivery is rich. Only the high retail price of almost 85 EUR in Europe can dampen it's success.
Technical details:
Material: nickel plated copper
Threads: G1/4"
Size: 125x125x16mm
Weight: 411g
Scope of delivery:
Koolance CPU-360 CPU Rev 1.1
Thermal compound
Illustrated manual
Mounting material
Price: around 85 EUR
EK Supreme HF Full Nickel
This block is the newer version of the EK Supreme HF already reviewed in this roundup. The main difference is the nickel plated top, helping the newest block by EK Waterblocks to reach the very top of the result charts, just like it was with the Heatkiller's different versions, even though this block can even outperform the HK flagship by a little bit.
The build quality is very good, just like the scope of delivery; the retail box is also not to bad looking.
The nickel plated top especially improves to look of the block, making it look even more classy.
EK Waterblocks can was able to reach the best temperatures in this roundup, congratulations to Slovenia!
Technical details:
Material: copper, nickel plated
Size: 90x90x20 mm
Threads for fittings: G1/4"
Mounting screw size: M4
Compatibility:
Intel: 775, 1366, 1156, xeon
AMD: AM2, AM2+, AM3, 939, 754, opteron
Scope of delivery:
1x EK Water Blocks EK-Supreme HF Full Nickel universal (775/1156/1366/AM2/AM3/939/XEON)
1x Backplate
1x thermal paste Arctic Cooling MX-2 (2g)
1x manual (engl.)
Price: around 72 EUR
XSPC Rasa CPU (Acetal) Socket 775/1366/1156
XSPC's newest creation, the Rasa CPU block, came to me from England.
It's predecessor hasn't been able to compete with the other top blocks for quite some time, which got me even more excited about the new Rasa, which comes in an appealing retail box and everything that's needed for mounting on modern Intel sockets, including several backplates and thermal compound. Mounts for AMD systems aren't to be found, though it's possible that XSPC will offer them at a later time.
From the outside, the XSPC Rasa looks very plain and unimpressive with the black acetal top featuring markings for the in- and outlet of cooling. Due to the huge distance between those, even large 19/13 screw-on-fittings are useable.
Thanks to the completely newly designed bottom plate, the Rasa performs very well.
The build quality can be called outstanding, there were no flaws to be found on my testing sample.
Technical details:
Material top: copper/acetal
Material mount: chromed steel
Threads for fittings: G1/4"
Size high performance copper plate: 50x50x4mm
Scope of delivery:
Cooler+mount
Backplates for socket 775, 1156 and 1366
mounting material
Thermal compound
Allen key
English, illustrated manual
Price: around 53 EUR
Aquacomputer Cuplex XT HD
This block by Aquacomputer has been around for quite some time. As the Cuplex XT DI that I've already reviewed is Aquacomputer's flagship, this block is already available at a lower price.
The build quality is good and the block comes with all the usual mounting material, though no backplate, manual or thermal compound are included.
In difference to the XT DI, this cooler's top is made out of acetal, but the inner design has been copied, so the XT HD performs pretty much the same. The threads for the fittings are in the standard G1/4" size and have a large enough distance to allow the use of 19/13 screw-ons.
Scope of delivery:
Assembled block, S1156/S1366 mount with all required small parts.
Mounting kit with four screws, springs, nuts and plastic washers.
Price: Around 50 EUR
D-Tek FuZion V2
This cooler made by the American company D-Tek was once one of the best CPU-blocks available and has been available for some time.
It's now part of this roundup for reasons of completeness.
Though the FuZion V2 can't really compete with the top blocks anymore when it comes to performance, it still offers good build quality and a solid performance. The block comes pre-assembled with barbed fittings for tubing with 13mm inner diameter, a backplate and a manual. The top is made out of plastic, labeled with IN and OUT.
The FuZion V2 was optimized for high flow rates, so it can still reach the top of the flow chart. The included mount only fits for S1366, which is slightly weak concerning the price of around 70 EUR.
Technical details:
Size: 55x55x26mm
Threads: G1/4"
Copper bottomplate
Scope of delivery:
D-Tek FuZion V2 Socket 1366 Waterblock
Mounting material
2x 13mm Fittings
Price: around 70 EUR
EK Supreme HF
The EK Supreme, which has been around for quite some time, now got refreshed in this highflow variant. The optical changes are only cosmetic as a newer company logo and a black mounting plate were chosen, as there was no need for a complete redesign: the standard Supreme is still a very popular block, working well in a lot of PCs around the world, day in, day out. It has been the number one in a lot of reviews until the guys from Watercool took the throne. Its successor though, the Supreme HF, can close the gap to the Heatkiller, but it still can't outperform it, even though it comes very close.
The scope of delivery is rich and very complete, as the black-orange retail box includes five different jet plates, one of which is already inserted into the Supreme and another one is clean, so it can be used to be creative. In addition to the standard mounting material already known from the Supreme, it also comes with a manual, thermal compound and a backplate, which wasn't included with a lot of other blocks in this roundup. Well done, EK!
Testing this cooler's performance took a lot of time due to the different jet plates and the fact, I mounted every alternative three times. For the list of results, I took the best result I achieved by using the jet plate with three small slits (marked with an X in the picture). This jet plate produced the best performance, even though the flow was around 5l less than with the plate that is installed when shipped.
The EK Supreme HF's build quality is very good and the price, concerning the performance and the scope of delivery, is all right. For this test, I used the version with the acrylic glass top; other versions with black acetal top and one with a nickel plated bottom plate are also available. It's also compatible with all modern sockets, including AM2/AM3 due to the two separate mounts.
Technical details:
Material: copper, acrylic glass
Size: 90x90x20 mm
Threads for fittings: G1/4"
Mounting screw size: M4
LED holes (only on the acrylic glass top): 2x 3mm
Compatibility:
Intel: 775, 1366, 1156, xeon
AMD: AM2, AM2+, AM3, 939, 754, opteron
Scope of delivery:
1x EK Water Blocks EK-Supreme HF universal (775/1156/1366/AM2/AM3/939/XEON)
1x Backplate
1x thermal paste Arctic Cooling MX-2 (2g)
1x manual (engl.)
Price: around 59 EUR
Swiftech Apogee XT Extreme Performance
Let's get to the new top of the result charts. It's predecessor Apogee GTZ already scored well with good performance and easy mounting. This concept was improved continuously and now we get the Swiftech Apogee XT, which is very nice to look at.
It comes pre-assembled in a black box and with a backplate, 2x 1/2" barbed fittings, thermal compound, a manual and a pair of hose clamps. The area used for the fittings can be turned around so that larger fittings, like 16/10 or 19/13 screw-ons can be used, though the block's performance decreases by 0.3k when using this option so that it barely can't perform as well as the HK3.0.
Overall, the block made a good impression, the build quality is good enough, even though some of the pins on the bottom plate weren't straight, which didn't affect the cooling performance, though. Still, the build quality can't compete with a Heatkiller 3.0 or the Ybris Black Sun.
I especially liked the easy mounting, as I usually had to collect several small parts from the box of the other blocks to mount them. This isn't an issue with this block, because it comes pre-assembled and you basically only have to put the backplate in place.
All things considered, it's a well done block, that reached the top standing on my charts.
Technical details:
Material: copper, chrome
Threads: G1/4"
Height without fittings: 14mm
Cooling-surface: 50x50mm
Scope of delivery:
1x WAC Swiftech Apogee XT Extreme Performance 775/1156/1366
2x 1/2" barbed fittings
1 pair of hose clamps
1x Arctic Ceramique
Price: around 69 EUR
Alphacool Livingstone
Another waterblock by Alphacool, the Livingstone!
This block is made entirely out of metal, doing justice to the imprint "Made in Germany" just like on the Yellowstone. The build quality is flawless and the cooling performance isn't too bad, either. The scope of delivery is about the same as the one of Yellowstone, though the Livingstone doesn't come with a backplate. It's available in a lot of color variants at prices ranging from 40-55EUR.
Optionally available, there's the Cool Cover mounting kit, optically improving the Livingstone. Also, concerning looks: I especially liked the black and silver variant.
The bottom plate was taken from the successful NexXos XP Highflow X² series, the jet plate is implemented in the mount.
Anyone looking for a solid CPU waterblock with good performance, can find a good choice in the Livingstone.
Technical details:
Threads: G1/4"
Flow: up to 4.7 l/m
Weight: 404g
Compatibility: Intel 775, 1156 and 1366
Scope of delivery:
Blister-retail-box, thermal compound, screw-kit
Price: around 36 EUR
After making you guys happy with a CPU block roundup for socket 775 a few months ago, it's now time for the socket 1366 roundup with 10 blocks, which is already eagerly anticipated by a lot of users. This review will most likely be extended with more blocks in the following time.
As I don't want to bore you with an unnecessary long introduction, let's get right down to business.
Update 05/24/10: Extended with five additional blocks!
There's been a changing of the guard of the top of the results. In addition to newer blocks like the XSPC Rasa, the Koolance CPU-360 and the EK Supreme HF in the version with the metal top, there are also two older blocks among the contestants to complete this big roundup, namely the D-Tek Fuzion V2 and the Cuplex HD by Aquacomputer, that's most probably soon going to be replaced by a new block.
Have fun with this update and with choosing your personal favorite!
Update 02/01/10: Seven more blocks now in this review!
The makers of waterblocks haven't only been sitting around those past few months and so it's no surprise that there has been quite some movement on the top of the results. The formerly unbeaten Heatkiller 3.0 had to pass its crown to Swiftech's new flagship: the Apogee XT. The revised version of the EK Supreme, now , as shown by the new flow chart, rightfully carrying the name "Highflow", also takes one of the places on the top. The range of the best coolers' performances is very close, so it's mostly a decision of optical preferences and the size of your wallet, which model to choose in the end.
The testing setup:
Banchetto 101 Bench Station
Gigabyte GA EX58 Extreme (Biosversion: F7)
Mips Fusionblock Nickel
i7 920 @4Ghz @1.40V (Bios setting)
Seasonic M12D-850
Corsair XMS3 Dominator DIMM Kit 6GB PC3-12800U CL7-7-7-20 (DDR3-1600)
Sapphire Radeon HD 5850
Mora 2 Pro / 9 Yate Loon D12SL12 @ 5Volt (600 rpm)
Aquaero VFD
Laing Ultra w/ Koolance top
EK Multioption Reservoir 150 V2
GMR flow meter
CPC metal quick Disconnect couplings
Masterkleer & Primochill 16/10mm (5/8") tubing + Perfect Seal and Bitspower Fittings
3x watertemp sensors (2x T-Line, 1x in reservoir)
1x dig. sensor in the reservoir for calibration
3x dig. thermometers for the room temperature (average)
used thermal compound: Arctic Cooling MX-2
Innovatek Protect
ArctiClean for cleaning purposes
Test procedure:
Every block is mounted three times, the EK Supreme HF was mounted three times with each bottom plate. The thermal paste was removed completely each time, Coolers and CPU heatspreader were cleaned thoroughly with ArctiClean and then new thermal paste was applied. The average of the three results was used as the end result.
To stress the CPU, I used Prime95 (SmallFFTs) in the newest version; to monitor the temperatures, Real Temp was used. The five temperature readings started after 60 minutes with five minutes between each of them.
A backplate was also used for the test runs, allowing high contact pressure without bending the motherboard. If the block didn't come with a backplate, I used the plate by Watercool, except for the Zern for which I had to use the universal plate by Scythe due to the M3 threads.
The contestants:
Koolance CPU-360 Rev. 1.1
From the US I got the successor of the CPU-350, which has been available for quite some time.
The CPU-360 has got a very massive feel and so it comes as no surprise that it weighs 410g. The body is made out of nickel-plated copper and can be used for every modern socket by exchanging the mounting mechanism with the included alternatives.
The bottom plate's fins are very delicate and the inner assembly looks very much like that of the Heatkiller 3.0, so it's pretty clear where this block will be on the result-chart: at the top of it.
The block is also compatible to each and every kind of fitting, even 19/13mm screw-on fittings.
The scope of delivery is rich, including the mounts for Intel- and AMD-sockets, thermal paste, a backplate and a manual. The mounting mechanism has been copied from the CPU-360's predecessor and can score with easy handling and its solidity. Also, in addition to the standard nozzle plate with one slit, the cooler also comes with another metal plate that can be used to create another nozzle plate manually.
Overall, the Koolance CPU-360's performance and build quality are on a high level, the mounting is easy and the scope of delivery is rich. Only the high retail price of almost 85 EUR in Europe can dampen it's success.
Technical details:
Material: nickel plated copper
Threads: G1/4"
Size: 125x125x16mm
Weight: 411g
Scope of delivery:
Koolance CPU-360 CPU Rev 1.1
Thermal compound
Illustrated manual
Mounting material
Price: around 85 EUR
EK Supreme HF Full Nickel
This block is the newer version of the EK Supreme HF already reviewed in this roundup. The main difference is the nickel plated top, helping the newest block by EK Waterblocks to reach the very top of the result charts, just like it was with the Heatkiller's different versions, even though this block can even outperform the HK flagship by a little bit.
The build quality is very good, just like the scope of delivery; the retail box is also not to bad looking.
The nickel plated top especially improves to look of the block, making it look even more classy.
EK Waterblocks can was able to reach the best temperatures in this roundup, congratulations to Slovenia!
Technical details:
Material: copper, nickel plated
Size: 90x90x20 mm
Threads for fittings: G1/4"
Mounting screw size: M4
Compatibility:
Intel: 775, 1366, 1156, xeon
AMD: AM2, AM2+, AM3, 939, 754, opteron
Scope of delivery:
1x EK Water Blocks EK-Supreme HF Full Nickel universal (775/1156/1366/AM2/AM3/939/XEON)
1x Backplate
1x thermal paste Arctic Cooling MX-2 (2g)
1x manual (engl.)
Price: around 72 EUR
XSPC Rasa CPU (Acetal) Socket 775/1366/1156
XSPC's newest creation, the Rasa CPU block, came to me from England.
It's predecessor hasn't been able to compete with the other top blocks for quite some time, which got me even more excited about the new Rasa, which comes in an appealing retail box and everything that's needed for mounting on modern Intel sockets, including several backplates and thermal compound. Mounts for AMD systems aren't to be found, though it's possible that XSPC will offer them at a later time.
From the outside, the XSPC Rasa looks very plain and unimpressive with the black acetal top featuring markings for the in- and outlet of cooling. Due to the huge distance between those, even large 19/13 screw-on-fittings are useable.
Thanks to the completely newly designed bottom plate, the Rasa performs very well.
The build quality can be called outstanding, there were no flaws to be found on my testing sample.
Technical details:
Material top: copper/acetal
Material mount: chromed steel
Threads for fittings: G1/4"
Size high performance copper plate: 50x50x4mm
Scope of delivery:
Cooler+mount
Backplates for socket 775, 1156 and 1366
mounting material
Thermal compound
Allen key
English, illustrated manual
Price: around 53 EUR
Aquacomputer Cuplex XT HD
This block by Aquacomputer has been around for quite some time. As the Cuplex XT DI that I've already reviewed is Aquacomputer's flagship, this block is already available at a lower price.
The build quality is good and the block comes with all the usual mounting material, though no backplate, manual or thermal compound are included.
In difference to the XT DI, this cooler's top is made out of acetal, but the inner design has been copied, so the XT HD performs pretty much the same. The threads for the fittings are in the standard G1/4" size and have a large enough distance to allow the use of 19/13 screw-ons.
Scope of delivery:
Assembled block, S1156/S1366 mount with all required small parts.
Mounting kit with four screws, springs, nuts and plastic washers.
Price: Around 50 EUR
D-Tek FuZion V2
This cooler made by the American company D-Tek was once one of the best CPU-blocks available and has been available for some time.
It's now part of this roundup for reasons of completeness.
Though the FuZion V2 can't really compete with the top blocks anymore when it comes to performance, it still offers good build quality and a solid performance. The block comes pre-assembled with barbed fittings for tubing with 13mm inner diameter, a backplate and a manual. The top is made out of plastic, labeled with IN and OUT.
The FuZion V2 was optimized for high flow rates, so it can still reach the top of the flow chart. The included mount only fits for S1366, which is slightly weak concerning the price of around 70 EUR.
Technical details:
Size: 55x55x26mm
Threads: G1/4"
Copper bottomplate
Scope of delivery:
D-Tek FuZion V2 Socket 1366 Waterblock
Mounting material
2x 13mm Fittings
Price: around 70 EUR
EK Supreme HF
The EK Supreme, which has been around for quite some time, now got refreshed in this highflow variant. The optical changes are only cosmetic as a newer company logo and a black mounting plate were chosen, as there was no need for a complete redesign: the standard Supreme is still a very popular block, working well in a lot of PCs around the world, day in, day out. It has been the number one in a lot of reviews until the guys from Watercool took the throne. Its successor though, the Supreme HF, can close the gap to the Heatkiller, but it still can't outperform it, even though it comes very close.
The scope of delivery is rich and very complete, as the black-orange retail box includes five different jet plates, one of which is already inserted into the Supreme and another one is clean, so it can be used to be creative. In addition to the standard mounting material already known from the Supreme, it also comes with a manual, thermal compound and a backplate, which wasn't included with a lot of other blocks in this roundup. Well done, EK!
Testing this cooler's performance took a lot of time due to the different jet plates and the fact, I mounted every alternative three times. For the list of results, I took the best result I achieved by using the jet plate with three small slits (marked with an X in the picture). This jet plate produced the best performance, even though the flow was around 5l less than with the plate that is installed when shipped.
The EK Supreme HF's build quality is very good and the price, concerning the performance and the scope of delivery, is all right. For this test, I used the version with the acrylic glass top; other versions with black acetal top and one with a nickel plated bottom plate are also available. It's also compatible with all modern sockets, including AM2/AM3 due to the two separate mounts.
Technical details:
Material: copper, acrylic glass
Size: 90x90x20 mm
Threads for fittings: G1/4"
Mounting screw size: M4
LED holes (only on the acrylic glass top): 2x 3mm
Compatibility:
Intel: 775, 1366, 1156, xeon
AMD: AM2, AM2+, AM3, 939, 754, opteron
Scope of delivery:
1x EK Water Blocks EK-Supreme HF universal (775/1156/1366/AM2/AM3/939/XEON)
1x Backplate
1x thermal paste Arctic Cooling MX-2 (2g)
1x manual (engl.)
Price: around 59 EUR
Swiftech Apogee XT Extreme Performance
Let's get to the new top of the result charts. It's predecessor Apogee GTZ already scored well with good performance and easy mounting. This concept was improved continuously and now we get the Swiftech Apogee XT, which is very nice to look at.
It comes pre-assembled in a black box and with a backplate, 2x 1/2" barbed fittings, thermal compound, a manual and a pair of hose clamps. The area used for the fittings can be turned around so that larger fittings, like 16/10 or 19/13 screw-ons can be used, though the block's performance decreases by 0.3k when using this option so that it barely can't perform as well as the HK3.0.
Overall, the block made a good impression, the build quality is good enough, even though some of the pins on the bottom plate weren't straight, which didn't affect the cooling performance, though. Still, the build quality can't compete with a Heatkiller 3.0 or the Ybris Black Sun.
I especially liked the easy mounting, as I usually had to collect several small parts from the box of the other blocks to mount them. This isn't an issue with this block, because it comes pre-assembled and you basically only have to put the backplate in place.
All things considered, it's a well done block, that reached the top standing on my charts.
Technical details:
Material: copper, chrome
Threads: G1/4"
Height without fittings: 14mm
Cooling-surface: 50x50mm
Scope of delivery:
1x WAC Swiftech Apogee XT Extreme Performance 775/1156/1366
2x 1/2" barbed fittings
1 pair of hose clamps
1x Arctic Ceramique
Price: around 69 EUR
Alphacool Livingstone
Another waterblock by Alphacool, the Livingstone!
This block is made entirely out of metal, doing justice to the imprint "Made in Germany" just like on the Yellowstone. The build quality is flawless and the cooling performance isn't too bad, either. The scope of delivery is about the same as the one of Yellowstone, though the Livingstone doesn't come with a backplate. It's available in a lot of color variants at prices ranging from 40-55EUR.
Optionally available, there's the Cool Cover mounting kit, optically improving the Livingstone. Also, concerning looks: I especially liked the black and silver variant.
The bottom plate was taken from the successful NexXos XP Highflow X² series, the jet plate is implemented in the mount.
Anyone looking for a solid CPU waterblock with good performance, can find a good choice in the Livingstone.
Technical details:
Threads: G1/4"
Flow: up to 4.7 l/m
Weight: 404g
Compatibility: Intel 775, 1156 and 1366
Scope of delivery:
Blister-retail-box, thermal compound, screw-kit
Price: around 36 EUR