Thermaltake has announced its latest entry in the growing sealed-loop watercooling market, the Water 3.0 family of all-in-one processor coolers first teased at the Consumer Electronics Show back in January.
The three models in the new family - Water 3.0 Performer, Water 3.0 Pro and Water 3.0 Extreme - all share, as you might imagine, some commonalities: each has a full-copper cold-plate for maximum heat conductivity away from the processor, a pump integrated into the waterblock, and low-evaporation tubing designed to decrease the inevitable loss of coolant that occurs with all watercooling systems - but causes most problems in sealed-loop units, which cannot be refilled. Is the rate of evaporation from an all-in-one sealed-loop high enough to raise concerns? Probably not, but it's nice that Thermaltake is at least taking it into consideration.
Each also includes dual 120mm high-airflow fans, connected to radiators of designs that differ depending on model chosen. Bundled software - a Windows exclusive - is provided to monitor pump speed, coolant temperature and fan speed via integrated sensors built in to the system.
The family starts with the budget-friendly Water 3.0 Performer, the entry-level model in the range. Featuring fairly sedate 120mm radiator with a 24.5mm thickness, the dual-fan cooler could find a home in more cramped cases that need a slimline design - especially if one of the two fans is mounted outside the case.
Moving up the range, the Water 3.0 Pro doubles the thickness of the radiator to 49mm while retaining the same push-pull fan configuration - providing, Thermaltake claims, improved heat dissipation for those who have the room inside their cases for the extra thickness.
Finally, the Water 3.0 Extreme sits, as its name suggests, at the top of the tree with a 240mm radiator fitted with dual 120mm fans in a side-by-side configuration. Those who require extra cooling performance have the option of fitting an additional two fans, for a total of four, in a dual push-pull configuration - although these extra fans will have to be purchased separately, and don't form part of the kit.
So far, so standard: it's hard to see what differentiates Thermaltake's offerings from the growing number of rival sealed-loop systems on the market, and currently the company isn't sharing performance figures or - more importantly - pricing. If the company is planning to undercut the competition, it could have a winner on its hands - but if it misjudges the pricing, it could fall by the wayside.
Thermaltake's current Water 2.0 range of sealed-loop coolers, by way of preparation, cost between £60 and £130 depending on model chosen. Compared to the existing models, Thermaltake promises higher flow rates, the aforementioned tube enhancements and changes to the radiator design to improve heat transfer.
The three models in the new family - Water 3.0 Performer, Water 3.0 Pro and Water 3.0 Extreme - all share, as you might imagine, some commonalities: each has a full-copper cold-plate for maximum heat conductivity away from the processor, a pump integrated into the waterblock, and low-evaporation tubing designed to decrease the inevitable loss of coolant that occurs with all watercooling systems - but causes most problems in sealed-loop units, which cannot be refilled. Is the rate of evaporation from an all-in-one sealed-loop high enough to raise concerns? Probably not, but it's nice that Thermaltake is at least taking it into consideration.
Each also includes dual 120mm high-airflow fans, connected to radiators of designs that differ depending on model chosen. Bundled software - a Windows exclusive - is provided to monitor pump speed, coolant temperature and fan speed via integrated sensors built in to the system.
The family starts with the budget-friendly Water 3.0 Performer, the entry-level model in the range. Featuring fairly sedate 120mm radiator with a 24.5mm thickness, the dual-fan cooler could find a home in more cramped cases that need a slimline design - especially if one of the two fans is mounted outside the case.
Moving up the range, the Water 3.0 Pro doubles the thickness of the radiator to 49mm while retaining the same push-pull fan configuration - providing, Thermaltake claims, improved heat dissipation for those who have the room inside their cases for the extra thickness.
Finally, the Water 3.0 Extreme sits, as its name suggests, at the top of the tree with a 240mm radiator fitted with dual 120mm fans in a side-by-side configuration. Those who require extra cooling performance have the option of fitting an additional two fans, for a total of four, in a dual push-pull configuration - although these extra fans will have to be purchased separately, and don't form part of the kit.
So far, so standard: it's hard to see what differentiates Thermaltake's offerings from the growing number of rival sealed-loop systems on the market, and currently the company isn't sharing performance figures or - more importantly - pricing. If the company is planning to undercut the competition, it could have a winner on its hands - but if it misjudges the pricing, it could fall by the wayside.
Thermaltake's current Water 2.0 range of sealed-loop coolers, by way of preparation, cost between £60 and £130 depending on model chosen. Compared to the existing models, Thermaltake promises higher flow rates, the aforementioned tube enhancements and changes to the radiator design to improve heat transfer.
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