Koolance PC5-1326SL Design and Features
Koolance is a one-stop shop for custom liquid-cooling assemblies. Rather than attempting to fit all markets with a standard kit, it sells individual components to suit a wide range of needs.
| Component | Part Number | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Case Kit | PC5-1326SL | $390 |
| CPU Water Block | CPU-340 | 55 |
| Pump | RP-1000SL | 208 |
| Nozzles | 6x NZL-V10KG1 | 27 |
| Tubing | 8x HOS-AP009P | 10 |
| Coolant | LIQ-702BU-B | 15 |
| Row 6 - Cell 0 | Total Price | $705 |
Some buyers will be drawn in by the moderate price of a Koolance case, only to be turned away by the final costs. But high-end builders will be pleased to note that the above components are only a small sample of what’s available, as Koolance carries many case designs, the widest range of graphics card liquid cooling blocks, chipset coolers, and even unexpected items like hard drive and RAM coolers.
We mentioned that most high-end liquid cooling systems start out with either a jumble of external components or a great deal of case modifications, but the experts at Koolance have applied mass-production methods to assure consistent quality in its pre-modified cases. The PC5-1326SL begins with Lian-Li’s venerable PC-V1200 case, which Koolance reworks to fit a four-fan radiator assembly.
The biggest problem with Lian-Li’s case design is that it places the motherboard upside-down, which can negatively affect the operation of chipset heat-pipe assemblies. On the other hand, this orientation eases cable routing for the bottom-mounted power supply, which is a design that leaves room at the top for Koolance’s enormous 4x120 mm radiator and fan assembly.
Because the motherboard is upside-down, the PC5-1326SL opens from the right side. Notice that the RP-1000SL pump/reservoir assembly is mounted in the second drive bay, because elbow fittings on the radiator block the top bay. This leaves only three of the PC-V1200 case’s five bays available for drives.
Users who would like to get one bay back have several options. Koolance sells an aluminum spacer that allows the radiator to be mounted on top. Users who don’t want to destroy the look of the case with a spacer may also have the option of turning the radiator around so that its nozzles cover the motherboard’s bottom slot, rather than the top drive bay.
The PC5-1326SL comes with all the hardware needed for component installation, plus a set of rubber-band “tires” for its aluminum wheels and a jumper wire for turning on the power supply without a motherboard installed.
Other components required for our test include the CPU-340 water block assembly, two straight 3/8” nozzles, thermal paste, and coolant. The water block is held in place with threaded pins and spring nuts.
The gold-plated bottom of the Koolance CPU-340 water block is almost perfectly smooth. The smudges are our fault.
