Hyte's Thicc Q80 Trio, introduced in January of this year, is among the more visually appealing AIO 360mm liquid coolers available on the market. Unfortunately, Hyte has identified a manufacturing defect that causes the coolant to leak; therefore, Hyte has recommended that all owners cease using the cooler and contact the company or their reseller for assistance.
Following the launch of the liquid cooler, Hyte says it received numerous reports from buyers indicating that certain units were leaking and causing staining of the packaging with coolant. The company responded promptly by securing the affected units and dispatching them to the manufacturer for failure analysis.
According to the OEM's report, "a fragile internal component" inside the Thicc Q80 Trio is the culprit. Although the report does not specify the exact nature of the component, the manufacturer believes it is vulnerable to damage during transportation, which explains why the cooler is leaking even before installation into a case. Nevertheless, it is a critical component as it significantly influences the proper functioning of the cooler or may ultimately lead to its failure.
The unspecified component is located within the cooler, making it inaccessible for the user to observe whether it's leaking or not. Hyte has assured its customer base that this issue is isolated and exclusively pertains to the Thicc Q80 Trio. Earlier models, such as the Thicc Q60, remain unaffected as the two coolers do not share the same design.
Hyte is uncertain how many of the shipped units are affected. Therefore, to be on the safe side, the company recommends that all Thicc Q80 Trio owners stop using the liquid cooler and uninstall it from their system as soon as possible.
Hyte has already informed its network of distributors and resellers to cease the sale of the Thicc Q80 Trio. Concerning returns, customers who purchased the liquid cooler directly from Hyte will be issued full refunds and will receive additional instructions regarding the proper disposal of the unit. Furthermore, Hyte will engage with authorized resellers to contact end-users who have acquired the Thicc Q80 Trio and provide them with appropriate guidance on subsequent actions.
The risks of liquid coolers leaking are, naturally, unavoidable. Although such instances are relatively infrequent, they are nonetheless possible. A Google search will likely yield numerous user reports of leaks, even from prominent brands such as Corsair, Cooler Master, or Thermaltake.
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