What are they up to? I haven't seen new products from them other than the slim GPU block they released some time ago. I was particularly wondering about their CPU blocks, it'd be nice if they made a less restrictive block, the nexxxos is one of the most restrictive out there. They also had a nice copper hard drive block which got pulled out. They offer an alu hd block but no copper anymore. Their acrylic DDC tops could get a revision and more propagation in the US. Anyone have any clues?
![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
What's up with Alphacool?
- Thread starter migueld
- Start date
Well I can only tell you what has been reported to me, but the guys at Alphacool are worse than even the other German water cooling companies to deal with so far as retailers here in North America are concerned. Say if a retailer orders a big 10K order they want everything shipped in one package due to customs and shipping fees, right? Alphacool says it is all good in stock or will only be a few days. Then they go ahead and ship everything they got and back orders the balance. They then ship the back ordered stuff out on a separate shipment even though they were told to ship complete. So the retailer here in the USA gets their shipment and can't sell hardly anything because they need the balance of the order to ship their complete orders out. They also get stuck with two shipping and custom broker charges. By the time the stuff gets here their profit has been wiped out. Thus most retailers don't want to place any more losing orders.
Now it is my understanding that someone has been working to import a lot of Alphacool here to North America and set up a distribution network. Supposedly this was setup at the last CeBit show, but I don't think it has gotten off the ground as yet.
The copper hard drive cooler was really nice if you only have a couple of HD's because the cooler takes up a lot of space. However, aluminum works just as well for a HD cooler so I can see most people moving in a similar direction as the very successful Aqua Computer Aquadrives go.
Now it is my understanding that someone has been working to import a lot of Alphacool here to North America and set up a distribution network. Supposedly this was setup at the last CeBit show, but I don't think it has gotten off the ground as yet.
The copper hard drive cooler was really nice if you only have a couple of HD's because the cooler takes up a lot of space. However, aluminum works just as well for a HD cooler so I can see most people moving in a similar direction as the very successful Aqua Computer Aquadrives go.
What do you know that I don't?
Forgot to mention that Sharka is importing the Aqua Computer designed acryllic tops for the DDC as well for some time now.
I can't find those, where are they?
I thought they made a replacement top, but the only pic I could find on their site is a top and reservoir combo.
That looks an aweful lot like (if not an exact clone of) the Watercool DDC-Tank LT.
EDIT: Word about the DDC-Tank:
The Stainless Steel plate in between the two acrylic plates is there to prevent cavitation ("whirl-pool effect"), but from my experience, an ever so tiny whirl-pool forms from one of the holes in the SS plate when the water level is too close to the plate.
Otherwise a high quality component, you will not be disappointed should you decide to buy it.
EDIT: Word about the DDC-Tank:
The Stainless Steel plate in between the two acrylic plates is there to prevent cavitation ("whirl-pool effect"), but from my experience, an ever so tiny whirl-pool forms from one of the holes in the SS plate when the water level is too close to the plate.
Otherwise a high quality component, you will not be disappointed should you decide to buy it.
There is definitely some form of rebadging going on. The Alphacool top + water tank combo looks exactly like that picture above. In addition, AC and XSPC came out with HD blocks very similar to the ones manufactured by Alphacool. It happens often enough in this industry so I don't think its anything to be alarmed about.
Alphacool is under restructuring atm and possibly might see itself go belly up. They were the biggest dog in Europe but grossly overestimated the profitability of the water cooling market. Their rapid expansion put too much pressure on their limited market cap. I'm not sure if Rick has the same info I have, but I've confirmed this with through random conversations with two CEO's of companies that import/resell their products into the US.
Alphacool is under restructuring atm and possibly might see itself go belly up. They were the biggest dog in Europe but grossly overestimated the profitability of the water cooling market. Their rapid expansion put too much pressure on their limited market cap. I'm not sure if Rick has the same info I have, but I've confirmed this with through random conversations with two CEO's of companies that import/resell their products into the US.
Yes in fact it IS the Watercool DDC. Not really rebadged either, AC just sells a few select Watercool products in their shop as kind of neutral products. Notice how it doesn't have an AC type name, which usually starts with "aqua..." something.
Watercool was also the first to make the "PRO" plexi top for the DDC, which was then copied by Alphacool, with the only difference being in the rubber bushing mounting system.
As far as I remember, AC actually used to sell the Alphacool version plexitop for the DDC - maybe that is what you saw at Sharka Top Nurse. But I could be wrong about that..
Regarding Alphacool, I think it is correct that they are in trouble...
Look at Alphacool Nexxxos Extreme Series Radiators. Now look at "Blastflow" radiators. Now look at Magicool Radiators (http://www.magicool.biz/Magicool/Radiators.html)
All from China via Eastar Trading GmbH. You'll find that outside of the "top" brandnames the rest is by majority rebadged Chinese regurgitation I'm afraid.
Arcygenical
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2005
- Messages
- 25,066
I wish Magicool had a good supplier of their more esoteric radiators...
40mm rads? 92mm rads? I'd love to fit a few more rads in my case, these would fit the bill perfectly!
40mm rads? 92mm rads? I'd love to fit a few more rads in my case, these would fit the bill perfectly!
I had a feeling that a considerable number of radiators also suffered from the same rebadging. Thanks for the info.
I think it is a sign of the times. Don't be surprised if you start seeing water cooling companies merging with other water cooling companies. I think we are just starting to see the falling out of the least aggressive companies. Companies like Swiftech, Danger Den, Koolance, and Aqua Computer are the big ones with the money, engineering talent, and ingenuity to make new products. The rest will probably fall by the wayside or become boutique shops providing specialty products direct.
I wouldn't send them any money unless you have some way of disputing the sale if they don't deliver. Caveat Emptor....
Why is their new Alphacool GFX "OTC-FLAT" Nvidia 8800 GTX Water Bloc not listed on their site? There is very little info regarding this block and almost no shops carrying it.
Read post # 20.