best i7 block?

[Freaky Freezer]

where did you get that info about the gtz being the best? the gtz sucks...

the ek supreme beats the gtz in martins review...skinne's review will show that too..and Hesmelaughs review shows the gtz trails the supreme...even i tested it...

read the reviews...

some are in the stickies and some aren't stickied good luck finding them. or i hope someone links it.

if you want the best for the i7, read the reviews. oh yeah read gabe's review, alot like that review

Giving advice based on your own tests is fine. Claiming a product "sucks" because it performs 1-2 degrees worse than other blocks is a bit much but not out of line. But making insinuations that someones tests are laughable when that person is clearly more than credible and experienced in water cooling is insulting to him and anyone else who performs an honest test and gets different results than you.

Gabe freely and openly allows it to be known he is the owner of Swiftech unlike former and current members on this site who are secretly affiliated with a company and push those companies products under the mask of a mere customer who "swears" the product is the BEST.

Gabe has never made it a secret that h is the owner of Swiftech and he's been a member for quite some time. In addition he knows there are many water cool savy members who can easily perform tests as well, if not better than him so for him to attempt to pass faulty results on the members of this site is a gross insult to him or anyone of average intelligence. Duplicate his exact test and if you get significantly different results, let us know otherwise respect his results as he has respected yours.

Anyone who says X brand block is the best and all trail X brand block is talking through their exhaust catalytic convertor. The single biggest influencing factor for all of you is how a block looks, and most of you don't even have the gumption to admit that. The tests are more often than not driven by preconceived notions and agenda strewn.

The absolute truth. All of the sudden Swiftech has gotten too "mainstream" and too easy for those damn noobs to use so now using a product that is much more difficult to install and doesnt even have an english language website is "cool".

From the reviews I've seen (as mentioned by hondacity), the GTZ consistently performs a couple of degrees "worse" than several of those mentioned. HOWEVER ... it is extremely easy to mount, and that may be important to some. I like it because I can change out my loop or reseat the block without having to get to the back of the motherboard.

And ease of mounting as well as price and support all need to be taken into account. Is the HK worth the additional $50 with backplate for 2 degrees? Maybe so, but at $50 cheaper and 2 degrees worse, the GTZ is still a top block.

And no, I don't have a GTZ or an HK.

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

Clearly this is the best i7 block....

http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/...ad.asp?idx=342

/thread

[RedFang300]

So... umm yeah I actually am not sure with all the numbers and graphs and links to test results being thrown around. I just have a few simple questions about what I should slap ontop of my own pretty i7 920.

I got a Asus RE2 and want to cool the CPU, Mosfet, Mosfet, NB/SB. I plan on using Koolance NB/SB and I figured since they made it easy use Koolance for the practically everything. The only thing I am unsure on to use Koolance for is the CPU.

Since I am using 13mm koolance tubing and my CPU will be on a loop with the rest of the motherboard it sounds to me a 350 (since it seems to work best by itself and no other blocks... mean 350 doesn't like to play with others ) probably would be not the best, and I should go with a 345 (the slightly fatter one that plays well with others).

Now would the HK 3.0 be better with the multitude of blocks in the one loop and will Koolance fittings work, or should I just say with the 345?

Oh just looking to keep my temps at around mid 40s to low 50s at load with maybe a 3.8 to 4.2 OC. I am talking the whole MB not just the CPU.

[nipper575]

I know that this is extreme systems and only the "best" will suffice but as a first time lc'er, I really liked the GTZ. Now at the time when I bought my i7, the GTZ was the only block on the market suited for it and available for it in Australia. I can remember people singing praises about it then, which are now on the other side making out that it is rubbish as they have moved on to the new top product following the trend of others. Had other blocks been out at the time I might as easily of chosen a different product, but that wasn't the case, I still think the GTZ is a great block. I would be a hypocrite like many others if I started bad mouthing it now. It may not be the "best" block, but it isn't rubbish.

[Freonor]

Kind of off-topic, but backplates. I'm using a noctua cooler now and every cooler now has a backplate and the hoel spacing should be the same for every single one. Could I use it in conjunction with the EK supreme LT? I've orderer one, but no one stocks the backplate for it.

[nipper575]

I'm not sure? If the threaded rods on the backplate are long enough and are the right thread pattern for the nut or what ever retains the tenison I would say possibly yes. But in reality I doubt it as other people would probably be doing this and I haven't come across anyone asking before.

[Hondacity]

...otherwise respect his results ...

oh i do, his tools are legit

Kind of off-topic, but backplates. I'm using a noctua cooler now and every cooler now has a backplate and the hoel spacing should be the same for every single one. Could I use it in conjunction with the EK supreme LT? I've orderer one, but no one stocks the backplate for it.

i'm not sure if the hole is big enough i think the screws that come with the supreme lt is m3 or m4...

excellent choice btw

[Freonor]

Thanks! It'll be a cpu only loop with silly amount of cooling until i can expand with more blocks. screws aren't really a problem. Hardware stores ftw =) I'm just wondering if backplates have any function other than being the fastening point.

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

Thanks! It'll be a cpu only loop with silly amount of cooling until i can expand with more blocks. screws aren't really a problem. Hardware stores ftw =) I'm just wondering if backplates have any function other than being the fastening point.

very important to getting good mounting pressure and not bending the PCB of your motherboard badly.

[Freonor]

very important to getting good mounting pressure and not bending the PCB of your motherboard badly.

All backplates are probably roughly the same as they all have the same function? I'll find out once all the parts are here... I'll just try it first if I haven't found an EK backplate by then.

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

All backplates are probably roughly the same as they all have the same function? I'll find out once all the parts are here... I'll just try it first if I haven't found an EK backplate by then.

yeah pretty much, some are threaded allowing to mount from the front with screws (more convenient) others are just straight plain holes and use a traditional bolt-thumbnut-spring mounting system.

[Fragger]

Just bling, same base with dif tops. The LC (low cost) version has less fins in base plate so it has worse performance.

[Spoiler]

I only own one i7 block, so I can't say anything about any other block. I do ave a GTZ though, and I love it!

Easy to install. Wasn't too expensive. Performs great! Looks awesome to me!

[Mescalamba]

Best waterblock? Probably HK 3.0 LT ..

[beast200]

i had a fuzion v1 with temp fittings
but got fed up waiting for retension brackets
then Ek supreme (Too restrictive)
GTZ (Good retensions system but temps 2 to 4 deg higher)

now using HK 3 LT great temps and good flow
definely the best i have used

[Kaldor]

Clearly this is the best i7 block....

http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/...ad.asp?idx=342

/thread

Heh, better than Thermaltake though.

Seriously though, all waterblocks have their merits. The big issue here is that not everyone tests quite the same which is going to give minor variations in results. You have your hardcore must get that last .5 degree out my system to get it as cold as possible people, and on the other hand you have the more general is it worth an extra $50 for a single degree? The HK, 350 and EK Sup definately appeal to the multi-loop or money is no big deal types, whereas the GTZ and others appeals more to the cooler that is looking at not dropping a bunch of coin on just cooling a CPU.

Different strokes for different folks. Pointing fingers and saying this or that sucks or your testing method sucks, or blah blah blah whatever only pisses people off. Make your statement, say why or what you dont like about something and leave it at that.

And FYI, myself, I dont watercool my personal PC. I run a Xig 1284 EE on a mildly OCed Q9650. However I have assembled 5 different loops for people. A good deal of the stuff I know I learned here, the rest is just common sense. Water cooling is NOT rocket science.

[Leeghoofd]

good catch 3/8 and 1/2s are equal in my opinion

there will be two reviews more, Skinnees and leeghold(leegfold?)

i won't assume anything...

At the moment some numbers : from best till last on a PA 120.3, MCP 655 vario, 10/13mm tubing (sole CPU loop) and ambient 22.5°C

Test was a 2 hour Prime run on all 8 cores with the CPU at 3.8Ghz 1.29Vcore

Vario 2 setting (average coretemps) :

Enzotech Luna rev A : 61°C
Koolance 350 : 62°C
EK supreme : 62°C
XSPC : 62.5°C
Enzotech Phoenix : 62.7°C
Swiftech GTZ : 63°C
OCZ Flow : 64°C

Vario 5 setting :

Koolance 350 : 59°C
Enzotech Luna rev A : 59.5°C
EK supreme : 60°C
Swiftech GTZ : 62°C
XSPC : 62.2°C
Enzotech Phoenix : 62.5°C
OCZ Flow : 63°C

I'm really puzzled with the beta Phoenix blocks results as I'm seeming to be the only one that gets worse results with it then with the older Luna block. Could be IHS related... By the way these are the average coretemps of 3 mounts...

I'm redoing the swiftech GTZ as I've noticed that one screw doesn't tighten down 100% so it might gain a little... (I saw one core getting higher temps in respect of the other screenies)

In my opinion I have to say that there is really not much difference between the top blocks...

There are more blocks on the way and a new flowmeter (my bigng broke down halfway the test)...

[Hondacity]

sorry i spelled your name/username wrong,

can you add more voltage? with one block can you do temperature scaling say 1.29v ,,,1.35v...1.4v...1.45v 1.5v..1.55(max safe)

wow you had good results with the ek supreme, i'm wondering if the 1.29v isn't really giving out alot of heat, do you have a power meter? or a kill-a-watt?

[Leeghoofd]

I can give that a shot mate (maybe with the EK as it's still mounted) My cpu is a real hot head already... one of my better I7 clockers (4.4-4.5Ghz benchable on water) but 4ghz ( 211 x 19 ) prime stable needs around 1.37... When I see some reviewers doing 65°C at 4.2 my cpu seems to be a total dog...

I will have to redo the Swiftech again before publishing the review... I think it can get into a better spot once all screw are properly tightened

I've been in contact with Enzotech and there are new basemounts in test, but the Luna vs Phoenix issue is driving me nuts (I redid the whole tests with another pump at 2 speeds for them and yet came to the same end result) is it the european lower flow that 's is killing it's performance ?

It's very hard to effectively test these blocks (difference in IHS, small variations in ambients, humidity, never 100% remounting possible on some blocks, TIM amount can vary etc etc etc) but again the top blocks are not far apart

FYI I tested all these blocks with the mountings they came with, so some blocks didn't have any backplates on the testing platform.

[Hondacity]

sorry i don't do low flow

you should try the HK3, i had more than 30mounts till i got the good results

mounting is the mountain to climb in testing i think.

[Leeghoofd]

Normally I have some german blocks on the way next week or so. Vario 5 is a setting I never used on my 24/7 rigs (always 3) Thing is you can never satisfy everybody : some blocks will work more efficient when you have more blocks in the loop, others will work better alone, some better with high flow, double pumps etc....

This makes all these watercooling reviews very hard to analyse... too many (external) factors

[Hondacity]

its true all setups are unique, or one of a kind, i use my a single pump too on my k350, dual pumps are for benching, i know the 2nd pump would cause a restriction, but flow is overrated.

wow i just realized the k350 is also good even in low flow situations...thanks for your testing Leeghoofd

**my 355 is quiet , its got software vibration dampers ...joke

[Humminn55]

you should try the HK3, i had more than 30mounts till i got the good results

You're kidding, right? 30 mounts? And, given it took 30 mounts in your testing to get "the good results," I'm sure you have done as many mounts with the other blocks you've tested and rejected as being inferior to the HK, correct?

If not, why the bias? To not do as many mounts for other blocks you've run, and to do that many on the HK just to get "the good results" smacks of someone pushing an agenda.

Just sayin'..........

[Hondacity]

i chose the best numbers, others were 1-2c off ..i consider them MY errors in mounting...

[Sadasius]

30 mounts Honda? I would not have admitted that to anyone. I would have said yeah, got her the first try and did a couple extra to keep things fair...