System setup and testing
Basic setup- Intel Pentium 4 3.2GHz 800FSB CPU
- EPoX 4PDA2+ i865PE Springdale motherboard
- Corsair Hydrocool 200
- Thermaltake AX478 with 26CFM CoolerMaster fan and 68CFM Delta.
- 2 x 256MB Corsair XMS3500
- IBM 41.5GB Hard drive
- Crucial Radeon 9800 Pro
- MSI 52x CD/RW
- 420w Samcheer PSU
- Samsung 181T 18.1" TFT
Software
- Windows XP Professional Build 2600.xpclient.010817-114
Contrary to Corsair's recommendations, we used normal tap water for testing. We wouldn't do this on a long-term basis for fear of damaging the unit. The use of tap water is not recommended by Delphi / Corsair, so results obtained here may not be perfectly indicative of the unit's performance. Prime 95 was used to heat the CPU up for 15 minutes and a reading was then taken. The CPU's temperature was read from the latest build of Motherboard Monitor. Ambient temperature hovered around 26c.
Firstly, 3.2GHz with a load voltage of 1.5v.
We had expected the Hydrocool to be better than a premier air-cooling combination. What was unexpected, though, was the lack of improvement when going into Turbo mode. Turbo was left running for 10 minutes yet it only improved temperatures by 1 - 1.5c.
Adding a little more speed and juice.
Again, the perplexing aspect isn't the fact that its better than air cooling, it's the lack of improvement of the banshee-like Turbo mode. Could this be to do with the contact between block and CPU ?. That assertion is born from the fact that an ill-fitting heatsink is usually heavily compromised with respect to performance. Still, with the current block, the Corsair Hydrocool is able to beat out one of the most impressive heatsink and fan combinations currently available. It's hard to argue with that kind of ability.
