Conclusion
Testing:
Test System:
AMD 64+ 3200+ S939 Winchester
ECS RX480-A Motherboard
Corsair 1GB ValueSelect PC3200 DDR RAM
GeForce 7600GS
Western Digital 250 GB 7200 rpm harddrive
Idle temperatures were taken running Windows and full loads were taken after running SiSandra�s Burn-in Module for 30 minutes.Temperatures (in degrees Celsius) were recorded at 2 fan speeds (high and low), with the CPU results compared with a previously reviewed Corsair Nautilus 500 watercooling kit.Ambient temp was about 22C.
Results after overclocking to 2200 MHz-
As seen in both tests, the Thermaltake Bigwater 735 kit outperformed the Nautilus 500 at both fan speeds, but not by much.However, the Bigwater 735 is much quieter than the other watercooling kit, which is an external kit.Note that I did not measure a noticeable difference between the low and high speeds, which may be due to the large external radiator.Let�s see how the GPU waterblock performed compared to a solid performing air cooler, the Sytrin KuFormula VF1.
As expected, the GPU waterblock outperformed the air cooler and produced less noise.Finally, let�s look at the Northbridge waterblock
Again, the Northbridge waterblock outperformed the stock version.
Conclusion:
At ~$139 USD, the Thermaltake Bigwater 735 kit is an affordably priced liquid cooling system that is relatively easy to install and has solid performance.The kit itself comes complete and holds its own against other liquid cooling kits, and the wide range of accessories that Thermaltake offers allow you to liquid cool just about everything.While this kit may not be for everyone (especially if you have a small case), if you are looking for a good liquid cooling kit, you should consider this product.However, I did have some issues with a couple of the accessories that I couldn�t get to work. I would rate the kit itself a 4.5 out of 5 and its accessories a 3.5 out of 5, for a combined score of 4 out of 5.
Pros:
+ Easy installation with complete set of accessories
+ Good cooling/sound performance at low fan speeds
+ Clean design, especially the CPU waterblock
+ UV sensitive components
Cons:
- Loud at high speeds
- Takes up space and is better suited for full-sized cases
- RAM heatsink design needs improvement
- Could not get the liquid level monitor to work
- Provided amount of coolant barely adequate
Recent Comments