I7 waterblocks Version2 (Ek Supreme LT | Koolance350 | Dtek Fuzionv2 | Swiftech GTz)

[Hondacity]

Introduction

The Intel corei7 cpu is a power hog of a cpu that needs watercooling. As everyone know already. I got the waterblocks purely for fun. And overclocking is my game. I wanted to try out which performs the best.

The test will be trying to cool the cpu as much as possible and doing so by watercooling. Using the dts sensors on the cores I will record them to get the best waterblock from the bunch.

Idle power of my mobo..and my full cpu load...this is a tremendous amount of wattage. I have the gtx285 when running it with furmark it only consumes 3xx watts from the wall. The core i7 cpu rapes it in terms of power usage. power meter: kill-a-watt







The setup

Radiator is the gtx480 from Hwlabs. Probably is the best 4x120 pc radiator available. The fans are Scythe Kaze 3000 fans in push pull configuration. Fans are powered from the Sunbeam rheobus extreme that has been overvolted to around 13v to achieve 12volts on the fans. Andreabz features the effect of push pull on the rads on his estimator (link). It is one of my favorite references. I would definitely call it the God book of Watercooling.

The pumps are 2 Swiftech 355 in series. Primary pump is with an Xspc reservoir top..then the second pump is with the regular xspc acryllic top. flow testing was done months ago. link to it:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/...d.php?t=213106

1/2 true silver barbs and 1/2-3/4 tubes with some clamps.. distilled water silver coils.

The waterblocks

Koolance 350
Swiftech GTZ
DTek Fuzion V2
DTek Fuzion V2 with fits top (excluded - leaky)
EK Supreme (excluded – ran out of time)
EK Supreme LT

The simple game

Simple as it is. Here’s the brief procedure.

1. Connected everything
2. bled the loop and check for leaks
3. mounted the water block
4. load bios oc settings (4140 ht on vcore at 1.57v)
5. windows vista
6. realtemp 3…started logging
7. record room temp
8. prime95 torture test with the second choice large fft run 10-15 minutes, used large fft for more heat on the cores
9. repeat


Room temperature was controlled to about 23c, minimum and max temps were 22.7 and 23.1

The results



4th is the Dtek Fuzion V2. Similar to the GTZ, performance is ok, but it can’t play with the high restriction water blocks.

3rd is the Swiftech GTZ. Again it performed far from high restriction blocks. Here it shows how the core i7 overwhelmed it. when I tried this on the core2 series, it performed ok. take note of correct mounting.

Second place is the EK supreme LT, at first I mounted this block horizontal(the inlet and outlet were top to bottom) I was shocked how so so it performed, when i rotated it 90 degrees.To my surprise it performed really well. Flow seems really good just by watching how it bled. The delrin used is rather good. It bent alittle bit. flow testing will be done when i'm back.

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First place is the Koolance 350, the first mount was there already since I tested it the last time...and did good. I used it primarily. Again showing its capability, it achieved the best temps. This remains my favorite.

[HESmelaugh]

Great stuff! I've been waiting for some numbers on the CPU350 and the Supreme LT.

Could you give some more details on the orientation of the Supreme LT? Because that's something I'm curious about.


Which would be the orientation that performed better, A or B?

[BringerOdeath]

So it looks like the LT is a good choice if you don't want to spend $35 dollars more for the k-350's slightly lower temps!

[Hondacity]

Great stuff! I've been waiting for some numbers on the CPU350 and the Supreme LT.

Could you give some more details on the orientation of the Supreme LT? Because that's something I'm curious about.


Which would be the orientation that performed better, A or B?

if you look at most x58 motherboards...the ek supreme lt performed well when the name on it is horizontal... i'll check later how the cpu is oriented based on your pics...

edit

[N19h7m4r3]

Great stuff, I love my 350 even if its on an AMD 940

[HESmelaugh]

Thanks for checking, Honda! And thanks for all the testing!

So, it's option "B" on my pic that performs better... that surprises me. I would have thought that flow along the length of the die would be better. Good thing you tested both options!

[scamps]

omg - for what are all those fans?

In which direction did you mount the 350 and the V2?

[Jhors2]

Just put one on order. Thanks Love the fans by the way, I hate turning on a computer and it feels limp wristed since you don't have the true blarring sound of a real machine hehe.

[Power_VANO]

Great job, Hondacity! I was waiting some numbers of CPU350 Thanks!

And as of flow testing we have already some info yes?

The least restrictive should be V2, than GTZ. compared to them, CPU350 is much more restrictive and I think LT should be somewhere between GTZ and CPU350.
So we got such results here yep? - more restrictive blocks have done better.

[SAE]

Wonder how the LT compares to the non-LT Supreme. Also wish you could compare the Koolance to Watercool's Heatkill Rev.3...
Great tests as usual, Hondacity!

[Sadasius]

Wow! Did not expect that with the LT. It did better then the Fuzion V2. Well looks like I am buying another block....Damn you Hondacity.....making me buy another block..... Thanks for the testing!

[Mech0z]

Whats the LT standing for? Is this the same LINK ?

[Sadasius]

Whats the LT standing for? Is this the same LINK ?

It's the Supreme LT which is not the same as the original Supreme. Linky and pic.

Supreme LT

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

that supreme LT is a sharp looking block.... I may finally buy an EK cpu block

[situman]

Nice job! Very informative. Looks like its time I upgrade from the V2. Does the orientation of the 350 matter as much as the LT?

[ballzD33P]

thanks for the time and effort, im sure alot of people will find this information valuable.
im interested to see how the normal ek-supreme does.

Also, have you ever used any of the cuplex blocks from aqua-computer? i'd really like to see how they fit into your testing, especilly the cuplex XT di
http://www.aqua-computer.de/e_index.htm

[Bojamijams]

Thanks for the test

I'm still impressed by the Fuzion v2.. sure its last, but its FAR less restrictive.. in fact from that, the GTZ faired the worst because it beat the fuzion only slightly but it'll rob a lot more of your flow

[Sadasius]

I am going to get this block and try it out once I get some numbers on flow first. If it's too restrictive I am not going to bother as I am cooling my whole mobo etc in the same loop. I am thinking a custom metal bracket for this block because I do not trust the delrin to hold when hard mounting with good enough pressure. I am sure the temps will be even better if you could put the screws to this without worrying about it bending and breaking.

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

thanks for the time and effort, im sure alot of people will find this information valuable.
im interested to see how the normal ek-supreme does.

Also, have you ever used any of the cuplex blocks from aqua-computer? i'd really like to see how they fit into your testing, especilly the cuplex XT di
http://www.aqua-computer.de/e_index.htm

martin has tested that block, and IIRC its not even in the same league as these blocks even on C2Q.

[Kashelz]

Thanks for testing, I was waiting to see what to get to raplace my old MP-05 SP LE block, now I have ordered Supreme LT, was thinking about Koolance 350, but it costs much more and no big advantage of it, so lets see how Supreme LT preforms in my configuration

[shazza]

Nice job of testing ... thanks for doing this.

I'm okay to sacrifice a few degrees with my GTZ, due to the ease of mounting it - but I can see where the temp difference could be important to those pushing their systems to the max.

[sabe]

Ditto, I'm interested in a regular EK Supreme as well, so many people still swear by it

[DeanB]

Very nice... currently we're working on getting our restriction on the 350 down while maintaining temperatures. I've mailed two new impingement plates to Naekuh and Skinnie for testing

[N19h7m4r3]

Thanks alot Dean, sounds like great stuff. I already love my 350 but extra performance is always welcome.

[Stealth42o]

Thanks for the testing, I really appreciate it!