Thermaltake Announces WATER2.0 Series All-In-One Closed-Loop CPU Liquid Cooler

Subject: Cases and Cooling | May 8, 2012 - 04:21 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: thermaltake, watercooling, all-in-one, WATER2.0, WATER2.0 Pro, WATER2.0 Performer

Thermaltake has just released two new all in one watercoolers, the WATER2.0 Performer and WATER2.0 Pro, available right now on NewEgg. The $70 Performer and $100 Pro are very similar, with the Pro offering dual fans and what Thermaltake describes as a Thicker Watercooler, which will offer better cooling thanks to the pair of fans. Check out the full press release below.

City of Industry, California – May 8, 2012 – Thermaltake brought water cooling technology to the mainstream in 2002 with the introduction of Aquarius and BigWater Series of liquid cooling solutions for computer enthusiasts and DIYers. The solutions were developed by garnering enthusiast communities’ experience and feedback, coupled with Thermaltake’s core expertise in thermal management. The goal was to enable PC enthusiasts to achieve higher PC performance by providing additional cooling needed in order for the CPU to run at higher frequency. Today, Thermaltake is introducing its WATER2.0 line of liquid coolers and announcing immediate availability of the all-new WATER2.0 Performer and WATER2.0 Pro all-in-one closed-loop CPU liquid coolers.

The “2.0” in the name denotes the progression and improvements that Thermaltake has made in the performance liquid cooling segment as well as the new approach which WATER2.0 solutions are taking. While traditional D.I.Y. (do-it-yourself) liquid cooling kits offer expandability, the same benefit often complicates installation and filling these coolers introduces a risk of mixing water and electronics. WATER2.0 specifically addresses these concerns by having a closed-loop design, meaning all the fluid that are required for maximum performance are pre-filled and sealed inside so the users do not need to handle any type of liquid during installation or operation.

“WATER2.0 is not a direct replacement of air cooling solutions. The all-new WATER2.0 is an improved performance-driven solution that offers added benefits of simple installation, no-maintenance and extreme reliability to the traditional liquid cooling kit. After a long period of research and development, we came to a point where WATER2.0 has reached the performance standard that Thermaltake has set forth while ensuring a fluid user experience from installation to actual operation. Now is time perfect time to discover an all-new performance-driven alternative CPU cooling solution” commented Ramsom Koay, Director of Marketing for Thermaltake.

^{Water2.0 Pro}

WATER2.0 Series closed-loop CPU liquid coolers are available in three different performance categories that cater to different performance requirements or applications. The WATER2.0 Performer features dual 120mm PWM fans with a high-performance 120mm x 25mm radiator that can be mounted to any chassis with an available 120mm case fan mount. The liquid circulation is handled by a high-efficiency, low-profile pump that sits on top of the all-copper cold plate. The low-profile pump is ideal for high-performance systems where high-end air cooler may interfere with enthusiasts-grade memories that often come equipped with taller heat spreaders. A dual-PWM adapter is also included allowing both included PWM fans to be connected to a single PWM fan header on the motherboard to ensure synchronous fan speed operation.

For more performance, the WATER2.0 Pro utilizes a much thicker radiator, 49mm compared to 25mm found on the Performer model, to dramatically increase the heat-dissipating surface area by almost doubling the doubling the volume of the radiator. The WATER2.0 Pro also includes the same low-profile pump along with dual 120mm PWM fans including the dual-PWM adapter.

^{Water2.0 Performer}

While all of the WATER2.0 CPU liquid coolers provide performance and low-noise operation, WATER2.0 Extreme delivers the ultimate performance by incorporating a double-long (240mm x 25mm) radiator that further increases the available heat-dissipating surface area for maximum cooling power. WATER2.0 Extreme ships standard with dual 120mm PWM fans and it is capable of supporting up to four PWM fans in push-pull configuration. Targeting enthusiasts and overclocking consumers, the WATER2.0 Extreme also comes with Smart Control Software that allows the user to monitor status of various hardware elements within the cooling unit, in addition to creating cooling profiles that best matches the user’s working and gaming environment.

“WATER2.0 Series of closed-loop CPU liquid coolers are not just new products that Thermaltake is introducing,” stated Weller Chen, Director of Product Management at Thermaltake, “WATER2.0 represent a shift in design philosophy from Thermaltake that aligns user experience in the same breath with performance, as consumers can see from the maintenance-free operation as well as simplified installation.” The WATER2.0 Performer and Pro are now available at major retailers in the United States and Canada. MSRP for WATER2.0 Performer is USD $69.99, and USD$99.99 for WATER2.0 Pro. The WATER2.0 Extreme will be available in July at major retailers with MSRP at USD $129.99. For more information, please visit the manufacturer’s product page: http://thermaltakeusa.com/Products.aspx?C=1444.

Source: Thermaltake

FSP goes for Gold with their 1200W Aurum PSU

Subject: Cases and Cooling | May 4, 2012 - 04:52 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: PSU, fsp, aurum pro gold, kilowatt, modular psu

As the name implies, the FSP AURUM PRO GOLD 1200 PSU's efficiency is rated 80 Plus Gold and is capable of an impressive 100A on its single 12V rail. [H]ard|OCP was glad to see that FSP has increased the quality of materials they use in constructing the PSU. This has paid off as the PSU received a Silver Award after passing their torture tests.

"'AURUM' means gold. So today we are showing you the "Gold Pro Gold" from FSP. That is a big name to stand behind. Once past the marketing though, the Aurum Pro Gold looks like a very solid and efficient single rail power supply for the enthusiast needing a heaping supply of wattage in a snazzy looking PSU."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

Gamer Storm's new heatsink wants to Assassin-ate your heat problems

Subject: Cases and Cooling | May 4, 2012 - 12:59 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Gamer Storm, Assassin, heatsink, heatpipes

Following in the current trend of trying to give your newest heatsink a bizarre name comes the Gamer Storm Assassin, a 5.7" x 6.1" x 6.3" (144 x 154 x 160 mm) dual tower heatsink. The cooler comes with a pair of mismatched fans, a 120mm fan for use on one of the sides of the tower and a 140mm for use in between the towers. That does not seem to have hurt performance at all, Hardware Secrets tests show it to not only be an effective cooler but also one that does not generate excessive noise. It will fit both AMD and Intel sockets, so whichever you are using you might want to ignore the name and consider this cooler for your system.

"The Assassin is the first CPU cooler from Gamer Storm, a brand of cooling products from Logisys/Deepcool, aimed at gamers. This huge cooler has two twin tower heatsinks, eight heatpipes, one 120 mm fan and one 140 mm fan. We already reviewed the Dracula VGA cooler from this brand."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: Hardware Secrets

SilverStone Nightjar ST50NF 500W Fanless Power Supply Review

Author: Lee Garbutt aka Robotech

Date: May 1, 2012

Subject: Cases and Cooling

Manufacturer: SilverStone Technology Co., Ltd.

Tagged: SST-ST50NF, Silverstone, Nightjar, Fanless PSU

Introduction and Features

SilverStone was one of the first PC power supply manufacturers to design and market a fanless power supply for silent operation. While many of their competitor’s fanless products have come and gone, SilverStone continues to build on their reputation and later last year released the SST-ST50NF 500W fanless power supply, which is the latest addition to the Nightjar series. We are a little late to the party in reviewing the ST50NF but after talking with the good folks at SilverStone it appears the wait was worth it as they have continued to tweak the design in recent months to improve AC ripple suppression on the DC outputs.

Here is what SilverStone has to say about the Nightjar 500W fanless power supply: The fanless Nightjar series power supplies are long favorites for professionals and enthusiasts alike that require noiseless power solution with no moving parts. With increasing power demands required from modern computers, SilverStone engineers have once again created another fanless power supply with leading output level in ST50NF. With 500W of continuous rating, near 80Plus Silver efficiency, ±3% voltage regulation, single +12V rail, multiple PCI-E connectors, and full host of safety features, the ST50NF is a great choice for mission-critical systems that need to operate in noiseless or dusty environments.

SilverStone Nightjar 500W Fanless PSU Key Features:

• Fanless thermal solution,0 dBA Acoustics
• 500W continuous power output
• 80 PLUS Bronze certified with84%~88% efficiency at 20%~100% load
• Compliance with ATX 12V v2.3 and EPS 12V Specifications
• Strict ±3% voltage regulation
• PCI-E 8-pin and PCI-E 6-pin connectors
• Powerfull class-leading single +12V rail (38A)
• Aluminum construction
• Server-level components
• Universal AC input (100~250V) with Active PFC

Editor’s Note: Fanless PC power supplies occupy a niche market and are targeted towards users who want a silent power supply for use in noise-sensitive areas or who need a power supply that can survive in a dusty/dirty environment that might choke and kill a conventional fan cooled PSU. Fanless power supplies rely on convection cooling and still require airflow in and around the power supply chassis to carry away the waste heat. So while the power supply itself may not have a fan, the computer enclosure must still have some means of creating airflow to keep the CPU, GPU and PSU cool. The last thing you want to do is put a fanless PSU in a closed enclosure without any fans or airflow!

Continue reading our review of the SilverStone 500W Fanless PSU!

Rosewill Announces R5 Mid-Tower Gaming Case

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 26, 2012 - 07:46 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: rosewill r5, rosewill, mid-tower, case

Rosewill, a company known for fans and low cost gaming chassis, announced on Monday a new mid-tower case. The new Rosewill R5 is constructed of SGCC steel, offers lots of air cooling options, and comes in at sub $100 USD.

The new R5 case comes with three 120mm fans (two intake, one rear exhaust), and can support up to eight total fans. The matte black case also features one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, eSATA, and audio input and output jacks on the front panel. Also, the case supports four external 5.25” bays (one of which can be converted to a 3.5” bay).

On the inside, the Rosewill R5 supports up to six 3.5” (or 2.5”) drive bays and can hold either ATX or micro ATX motherboards. The fans also includes removable dust filters. According to the company:

“We also spent countless hours researching airflow patterns and strategically placed 8 fan mounts in key positions in the R5 that will provide maximum cooling for your components while you dominate your games.”

There is no word on specific pricing or availability but it will have a sub $100 MSRP and should be available later this year.

Source: Rosewill

CoolerMaster's BIG new enclosure, the HAF XM

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 24, 2012 - 03:10 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: coolermaster, HAF XM, eatx

With holes for Micro-ATX, ATX and E-ATX motherboards, the new CoolerMaster HAF XM has a lot of space for you to fill. At 252 x 530.5 x 579mm (9.9" x 20.9" x 22.8") you can use the four 200mm fans, and single 120mm and 140mm to give yourself serious air cooling or if you prefer watercooling there is space for a radiator with two 140mm fans up top and a 140mm fan radiator at the back. There are a total of 20 drive bays, with a mix of 5.25", 3.5" and even 2.5" drives for your SSDs and even with the large drive cage installed you can still squeeze in a GPU of up to 13.9"; without you have space for a 18.2" card! Drop by Modders Inc for the full review of this case, slated for release at $130.

"For the year 2012 Cooler Master is furthering it's endeavor to create the ultimate High Air Flow chassis for all gaming and computer enthusiasts alike. Yes, I am talking about the Cooler Master HAF series of computer cases."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: Modders Inc

Just Delivered: Corsair K60 & K90 Vengeance Mech Keyboards Type Hard, Type Harder, Type Hard: With a Vengeance

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling, Systems | April 21, 2012 - 01:24 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: mechanical keyboard, corsair

Just Delivered is a class of articles at PC Perspective where we share what crosses into our offices, labs, houses, or pseudo-classified locations with crummy internet. Today we look at the Corsair Vengeance line of mechanical keyboards. We have received both the K60 FPS keyboard as well as the K90 MMO keyboard.

Some people say that when you try a mechanical keyboard, something just clicks.

That is not really the case for the Corsair Vengeance line of keyboards which use the linear Cherry MX Red switches. The key gives a light constant resistence until it hits bottom. Check out our explanation of the various type of switches from a few months ago to see the differences between Cherry MX switches.

Seems quite odd, grammatically, to enter a market of new competitors with a Vengeance...

Just saying...

First impressions are that Corsair really put some thought and effort into these keyboards. Wrist rests snap into place and, in the K90's case, get screwed in for total stability. The brushed metal top is a great touch and gives the feeling of quality.

Each keyboard has a few non-mechanical keys which slightly take away from that feeling -- but that will be discussed in a more formal review setting.

Just for irony... I might play Wing Commander: Privateer as part of the Corsair review.

While Corsair to some extent markets these keyboards at different audiences -- it really does seem at first glance like the K90 is a direct upgrade to the K60, rather than a sidegrade. Apart from the custom shaped WSAD keys and the wrist rest, I cannot see much reason to go for the K60 over the K90 except for price.

That said, we shall find out for sure in the full review to be started shortly.

Source: PCPer

Enermax offers you the full monty with their giant new enclosure

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 18, 2012 - 05:06 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: enermax, fulmogt jumbo, htpx

At 674 x 235 x 640mm (26.5" x 9.2" x 25.2") the Enermax FulmoGT Jumbo can handle even HPTX motherboards and would be a perfect for a dual CPU, multiple GPU system build since you will have no troubles fitting the system in the case. You even have enough space to fit in a secondary PSU without taking up so much space you couldn't fit a full watercooling system inside if the 18cm and 23cm fans are not to your liking. [H]ard|OCP would have liked to see more solid materials used in some of the sides of the case but overall they were very impressed with the cooling capabilities of the case.

"Big, bigger, biggest. Enermax pulls out all the stops with one of the largest "desktop" computer cases on the market today. If expansion room, oversized HPTX motherboards, and plenty of cooling options are on your list of needs when it comes to a chassis, The FulmoGT may just fit the bill."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

Little machines need little PSUs; Seasonic's new TFX PSU

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 16, 2012 - 06:40 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: seasonic, SS-350TGM, PSU, TFX, SFF

The PSU that you have come to know in your desktop is an ATX PSU but that is not the only choice, as server techs and SFF builders are well aware. One of the alternative standards is the TFX which retains the ATX electrical and connection specs but fits it into a 5.75" × 3.25" × 2.5" (146 x 83 x 64mm) casing. The 350W Seasonic SS-350TGM is not designed for SLI/CrossFire systems, indeed it does not have a single PCIe connector of any type which is not a problem for the type of machine this is intended for. If you are planning on building an ITX box with an internal PSU, or even a small custom built case, you really should drop by [H]ard|OCP to check this little PSU out.

"Today we tackle something a bit off the beaten path for us; a low power non-ATX specification power supply from Seasonic. We do know that many of our readers build systems that are not like all the others especially when it comes to crafting smaller purpose driven boxes. The 300TGM may be just what you are looking for."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

Zalman joins the self contained watercooling apparatus crowd

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 11, 2012 - 05:23 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: zalman, CNPS 20LQ, watercooling

The Zalman CNPS 20LQ is more than just a noise prevention system, it is a self contained and maintenance free watercooling system similar to the models that Corsair and other manufacturers provide. With compatibility for socket AM2, AM2+, AMD3, AM3+, FM1, LGA1366, LGA1155, LGA 1156 and LGA2011 you should be able to use this cooler on any modern system without a worry. Overclock3D gave the cooler a try on a overclocked i7-950 and were quite impressed with the results when the fan was running at full speed, however the noise they describe being generated does not sound at all pleasant. At a reduced speed the cooler became quiet but the cooling power was also diminished. Still, they liked the cooling ability of Zalman's first foray into this particular market.

"Zalman have been in the cooler business for quite some time now and have established a name for themselves in the production of more esoteric coolers and external reserator systems. Going a bit more mainstream (if we can call sealed system liquid cooling systems mainstream) Zalman have released a stand alone maintenance free system. Combining a integral pump and head with a radiator and fan. The CNPS moniker indicates that this is badged as a "Computer Noise Prevention System" and as such we should expect low noise as well as low temperatures. Lets take a look at the vital statistics shall we."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: Overclock3D

Subject: Cases and Cooling | May 8, 2012 - 04:21 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: thermaltake, watercooling, all-in-one, WATER2.0, WATER2.0 Pro, WATER2.0 Performer

Subject: Cases and Cooling | May 4, 2012 - 04:52 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: PSU, fsp, aurum pro gold, kilowatt, modular psu

Subject: Cases and Cooling | May 4, 2012 - 12:59 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: Gamer Storm, Assassin, heatsink, heatpipes

Introduction and Features

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 26, 2012 - 07:46 PM | Tim Verry Tagged: rosewill r5, rosewill, mid-tower, case

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 24, 2012 - 03:10 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: coolermaster, HAF XM, eatx

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling, Systems | April 21, 2012 - 01:24 AM | Scott Michaud Tagged: mechanical keyboard, corsair

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 18, 2012 - 05:06 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: enermax, fulmogt jumbo, htpx

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 16, 2012 - 06:40 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: seasonic, SS-350TGM, PSU, TFX, SFF

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 11, 2012 - 05:23 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: zalman, CNPS 20LQ, watercooling

Subject: Cases and Cooling | May 8, 2012 - 04:21 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: thermaltake, watercooling, all-in-one, WATER2.0, WATER2.0 Pro, WATER2.0 Performer

Subject: Cases and Cooling | May 4, 2012 - 04:52 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: PSU, fsp, aurum pro gold, kilowatt, modular psu

Subject: Cases and Cooling | May 4, 2012 - 12:59 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Gamer Storm, Assassin, heatsink, heatpipes

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 26, 2012 - 07:46 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: rosewill r5, rosewill, mid-tower, case

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 24, 2012 - 03:10 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: coolermaster, HAF XM, eatx

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling, Systems | April 21, 2012 - 01:24 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: mechanical keyboard, corsair

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 18, 2012 - 05:06 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: enermax, fulmogt jumbo, htpx

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 16, 2012 - 06:40 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: seasonic, SS-350TGM, PSU, TFX, SFF

Subject: Cases and Cooling | April 11, 2012 - 05:23 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: zalman, CNPS 20LQ, watercooling