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- Date:
- Tuesday , February 08, 2005
- Author:
- Steve Lynch
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
Koolance PC3-720BK
Koolance is back with a completely redesigned water cooling system that they claim is capable of dissipating up to 700W of heat energy. We evaluate the PC3-720BK on both an Intel and AMD-based system.
This full tower aluminum case, including the complete Koolance cooling system, weighs only 16lbs. This is a vast improvement over the previous Koolance full sized systems that tipped the scales at over 35lbs. If you are getting that odd feeling that you recognize the case used for the PC3-720BK, that is probably because Chenming produces the case for Koolance. Chenming’s cases are much like other popular cases such as those made by Antec and Chieftech in terms of build and quality.
When it comes to functional features, the PC3-720BK sports a removable motherboard tray, front mounted USB/Firewire/audio ports, a side door handle with lock, a window, and four 80mm fan mounts for additional cooling. The case has four open 5.25” drive bays and seven 3.5” drive bays (five internal, two external).
The Koolance cooling system fits snugly into the top of the Chenming case giving the PC3-720BK a very professional look without adding much to the overall dimensions of the case.
Another welcomed feature on any case of this size are the large retractable feet at the base of the case. With the feet in the outward extended position, the PC3-720BK is rock solid making it extremely difficult to tip the system over accidentally.
The PC3-720BK supports four additional 80mm case fans, though no fans are included with the PC3-720BK. Two 80mm fan brackets are located in the front of the case tucked neatly behind the front case bezel behind the hard drive racks. The other two are located at the back of the case just below the power supply. We will talk about the importance of correct fan installation and airflow later in this review.
Overall, the case is spacious, easy to work with, and well constructed. The downside of a pre-installed system like the PC3-720BK is that the end user has no choice over the case design. End users that do not find the Chenming case appealing probably won’t consider the PC3-720BK for their liquid cooling needs.
Components:
Now that we have looked at the case, let’s take a look at the heart of the PC3-720BK. The biggest improvement of the PC3-720BK over previous Koolance water cooling systems is the fact that 3/8” tubing is used throughout the system.
CPU Water Block:
The CPU-300-V10 waterblock is the very same block used in our Exos Al review. The CPU-300-V10 features the large 3/8" screw-on compression fittings, as well as a smaller footprint than previous water blocks, which allows it to fit on both Pentium 4 and AMD64 platforms. In addition, the hardened plastic top on the CPU-300-V10 is much larger than previous designs, most notably the area directly under the water block inlet and outlet ports.
The center of the waterblock has a strip of reinforcing steel down the middle that acts as the contact pad for the hold down mechanism. The threaded bolt of the hold down mechanism now fits neatly into one of three designated holes (depending on CPU) on the steel plate. This plate also helps distribute the hold down pressure across a wider area of the hardened plastic cover. Though the overall dimensions of the block are smaller than previous versions, the CPU contact area of the base is now much larger as it covers almost the entire face of the baseplate.
The CPU hold down device has been expanded to work with not only the Pentium 4 and Socket A CPUs, but also the Athlon64 platform. The appropriate "arms" are slid into place depending on the CPU it is used with, and the center tension screw is tightened to secure the block in place. The old (chrome) tension screw has been replaced by two color-coded tension screws. The blue tension screw is used in low-pressure situations where the CPU core is exposed (such as the Athlon XP), and the black tension screw is used in low-pressure situations where the CPU core is covered (such as the Athlon64, Pentium 4 and Xeon).
Radiator:
The large 11.5" x 4.5" 13 row aluminum radiator has been modified to accept the larger 3/8” hose. You will see that the four aluminum blocks with the new fittings have been welded in place of the much smaller original fittings.
