Viewing page 3 of 5 pages.
Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next
ZALMAN ZM-GWB1 VGA WATERBLOCK
|
Product
|
ZM-GWB1 VGA Waterblock |
|
Manufacturer
|
Zalman |
|
Market Price
|
$29.95 at Sharkacorp
(if purchased separately from the Reserator1 kit) |
Image courtesy of Zalman
Included in our testing is the new ZM-GWB1 VGA waterblock.
The VGA cooler is available as an optional add-on to the Reserator1 kit,
or as a stand-alone item to be combined with non-Reserator water-cooling
setups.
With the huge recent increases in the heat production coming from GPU's, the
same logic that supports water-cooling the CPU also applies to the GPU. The
Wattage of the newest VGA cards, such as the 100+ Watt Nvidia 6800 Ultra's,
actually exceeds that of the majority of CPUs found in users PCs. If it makes
sense to move the CPU's heat outside the case, then the same should be true
of the equally-hot GPU.
More info from Zalman:
Features:
1. Pure aluminum base ensures optimal weight and heat dissipation.
2. Anodized product surface prevents corrosion.
3. Two types of water blocks provide support for virtually all
types of ATI and NVIDIA VGA card. This product can be reused with
upgraded video cards. (Note: This product is not compatible with
VGA cards that do not have holes around the VGA chip)
4. RAM heatsinks provide effective heat dissipation.
Components:
1. Small - 1EA, Large Type - 1EA
2. RAM Heatsink - 8EA
3. Tube Clamp
4. Thermal grease
5. etc (O-ring - 4EA, Nipple - 2EA, Bolt & Nut - 1EA)
|
Dimensions
|
Small Block
|
35.6 x 66 x 27.5 mm
|
|
Large Block
|
35.6 x 76 x 27.5 mm
|
|
Weight
|
Small Block
|
60g
|
|
Large Block
|
75g
|
|
Waterblock Material
|
anodized aluminum
|
|
Ram-sinks
|
anodized aluminum 8pcs, 5g/p
|
VGA WATER BLOCK DESIGN
Apparently Zalman got the bulk rate on the blue anodizing.
From a design standpoint, the ZM-GWB1 is about as elegantly simple as a
waterblock could be. It is an anodized aluminum block milled straight through
with a single 8mm hole. The design seems an excellent choice for inclusion
in a low-flow system like the Reserator1. The straight, unobstructed water
path is produces the least amount of flow restriction possible. To the water
flowing through the system, the ZM-GWB1 is virtually the same as a few extra
inches of tubing.
Note 1" EAR fan mount atop ZM-GWB1 base.
The mating surface is relatively smooth, on par with Zalman's heatpipe
VGA coolers.
Aluminum ramsinks are included with the
VGA cooler
8 non-blue-anodized aluminum ramsinks are included with the
VGA cooler. They come with pre-applied thermal double-sided tape, and installation
to the VGA RAM is a simple peel-and-stick affair.
WATERBLOCK INSTALLATION
Installation of the waterblock is simple for anyone familiar with Zalman's
heatpipe VGA coolers and northbridge coolers, as it uses exactly the same mounting
system. As with the heatpipe coolers, two different sizes of component are included
to ensure compatibility with both Ati and Nvidia cards. That's a particularly
nice touch, since it allows easy future upgrading from one card maker to the
other, without worries about whether you'll have to buy a new waterblock to
fit your new card. (And the extra waterblock could probably be pressed into
service as a northbridge cooler; the mounting system and general size are the
same.)
For testing the ZM-GWB1 was installed on a Sapphire 9500 VGA card. While
no longer anywhere near the top of the AGP heat or performance heap, it
does have a couple of points in its favor for our testing purposes:
Installation onto the 9500 went smoothly: Just matter of selecting the
proper block, assembling the washers and thumbscrews, and sticking on the
ram-sinks. Overall, a much simpler process than installing Zalman's heatpipe coolers (HP series).
| Help support this site, buy from one of our affiliate retailers! |
|
