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.