Koolance GTX295 WB first impression

[johnyj]

In my past experience, heatpipe based air cooling solution is almost as good as water cooling solution, since they really works like a compact water cooling system and it is very easy to maintain. I have been running a 8800 GTS without using watercooling, and I was quite satisfied. But GTX 295 just do not have heatpipe cooling device! I immediately noticed the higher temp and higher noise, both are not at acceptable level.

So I checked through waterblocks from Aqua-Computer, DangerDen, Koolance, and pick the Koolance WB.

The first impression when I get it: So heavy! 1.3 KG net!!! I even worried that the card or PCI-E slot will be bent slowly day by day! After installation, it seems the bracket hold most of the weight, but that is still terribly heavy, I'm planning to make a support on the other end of the card.



Aqua computer claims that their WB weighs only 700g, why so big difference? But since all of my other watercooling components are 9mm size, I can not use Aqua computer's 6mm solution.


This is the assembly view, when it finished, the motherboard will be placed vertically in the case and the heavy graphic card will suffer from gravity.

[johnyj]

I've been running with this water block for 2 days. Today, a 5-hours session of Fallout 3 on 42" Full HDTV. Highest GPU temperature is around 49c with noiseless passive watercooling, compared with 70c under aircooling(80% fan speed and very noisy), I become quiet and cool too.

The great part of Koolance WB is its looking, looks very robust/powerful!

[NameTaken45]

i know those LED's are optional, but are they interchangeable? can you put different LEDS in its place?

[funk32]

i know those LED's are optional, but are they interchangeable? can you put different LEDS in its place?

well they are just 5mm LEDs that have to be installed. so if u have you own 5 mm LEDs you could wire ur own.

[bladechai]

Yes you can change the LEDs... simple too but requires a bit of solder work.

Please note that having the gtx 295 in sli requires u putting the 2nd lower card in the 3rd slot and that makes connecting the usb cables a bit problematic... can still be done though.

[BringerOdeath]

That block looks awesome.....I am ordering my 2 blocks this week!!

[NameTaken45]

yeah i would buy the block if i could just get 3 5mm leds and solder them on, that would look awesome.

[BringerOdeath]

It come with 5mm blue led's, you could just solder in different colored ones....

[PradaG]

very nice!

what fittings do you have on the card?

i glad to find this as i was hoping to see someone post something about the new block


i will be getting a pair shortly to replace the bright light effect from my 9800GX2's (w/ EK nickel blocks)

[BringerOdeath]

I am geeting 2 also Prada, I had my 2 9800gx2's cooled with EK blocks too, not the nickel ones though!!

[hitachi974]

can we know or have you buy and at what price?

[BringerOdeath]

can we know or have you buy and at what price?

159.99 each from the koolance site!!

[bladechai]

edit to my last reply.

It is unlikely that you can place the second gtx 295 in the third pci-e slot on a rampage 2 extreme... the psu will be in the way.

I had to replace it in the pci-e 2 slot and order the danger dan SLI connectors to link the 2 water blocks together. The distance between the 2 blocks is about 18 to 19 mm so it is very tight... the koolance 1 slot connector will not fit between the cards...

Plus i am not sure you can do a 2-way SLI with only the 1st and 3 slot populated on the R2E.

[BringerOdeath]

edit to my last reply.

It is unlikely that you can place the second gtx 295 in the third pci-e slot on a rampage 2 extreme... the psu will be in the way.

I had to replace it in the pci-e 2 slot and order the danger dan SLI connectors to link the 2 water blocks together. The distance between the 2 blocks is about 18 to 19 mm so it is very tight... the koolance 1 slot connector will not fit between the cards...

Plus i am not sure you can do a 2-way SLI with only the 1st and 3 slot populated on the R2E.

Boths cards have to be right next to eachother. I am going to use the Swiftech sli connector I used for my 9800GX2 blocks on my rampage II extreme. My PSU is at the top of my case, not an issue for me!!

[Humminn55]

Nice looking block......good looking temps, too. Thanks for the look.