Updated: Big, Bad, Cooling Systems

The Auras Heatsink

Although clearly not a water cooling setup, the Auras heatink is one of the more impressive looking air cooling devices we've come across.

The beginning of thin-blade fansinks started with the infamous original Zalman copper fan heatsink. Zalman still produces these types of heatsinks today.

Image: Courtesy of TadArai @ Flickr.

Zalman's Reserator 2

The above is a high-end liquid cooling system from Zalman called the Reserator 2, which succeeds the original Reserator 1. The original Reserator one was a cylindrical system, also housed outside of the main PC.

The system itself is the main radiator and stands independently from the computer, like the original.

Image: Courtesy of Zalman.

Reserator 2 Side View

The Reserator feeds into the main computer through the rear slots of the computer, cooling the CPU and GPU.

The original Reserator 1 has been discontinued, but this one is available.

Image: Courtesy of Zalman.

Water-cooled Rack System

The above custom-built liquid cooled system is called Sledgehammer and contains a cool looking tube reservoir mounted onto the side of a 4U rackmount chassis. The reservoir isn't filled to the maximum, allowing the circulation to create a bubbling effect when turned on. The front of the computer has a adjustment panel for system fan speed as well as pump speed.

CPU, GPU, and chipset are cooled in this sytem.

Image: Courtesy of TommyTech @ Flickr.

The Ominous Tube

A closer look at the Sledgehammer.

Image: Courtesy of TommyTech @ Flickr.

One Crazy Radiator

Here's a custom-built system with the craziest radiator we've seen. The circular metal sheet hanging on the wall with copper tubing wrapped around in circles is the actual radiator--all custom built. Using an extremely large surface area allows this system to release heat into the air without the use of fans, reducing overall system noise.

The large cylinder in the background that looks like a household water heater? The actual computer. Talk about a beast.

Image: Courtesy of syman_leeds_uk @ Flickr.

Green Goo!

The above system features an internal cylinder resevoir filled with what appears almost like a jelly liquid. In actuality, the effect is caused by bubbles.

Cool-looking green nevertheless. Check out several others shots here.

Image: Courtesy of PCGH Extreme.

Tubular

The above is a photo of a custom liquid cooling job, but we're featuring it simply because it's a crazy web of tubing. When you want to upgrade something, it's going to be a big pain.

Image: Courtesy of silviarb20det @ Flickr.

Purple Goo!

A custom water cooling system also using a cylinder resevoir. There's an clear trend to use these resevoirs for appearance purposes.

If you were building your own system, would you go cylinder?

Image: Courtesy of mustafa yusuf @ Flickr.

UV Glow

A custom water cooling system with UV-sensitive tubes.

Image: Courtesy of PC Tracer.

  • curnel_D
    Lol, is the last picture an OEM coolermaster with the sticker ripped off? If I'm not mistaken, they came in alot of branded 754 machines at the time.
    Reply
  • 08nwsula
    don't bother going to the submerged computer link, all the video links are 404
    Reply
  • rambo117
    woot, liked the borg cooling cube
    should be green LEDs though;)
    Reply
  • Asinger93
    08nwsuladon't bother going to the submerged computer link, all the video links are 404I didn't get that. I saw them fine.
    Reply
  • dragonsprayer
    Very lame -- come on guys! This is THG - there are some sites that have some really good stuff. You could have done better!

    i am big supporter here but this lame!

    You want dual triple loop with phase? or hybird water tech?

    that is real exotic cooling

    come on guys!

    thx! i love the site but.....
    Reply
  • Asinger93
    dragonsprayerVery lame -- come on guys! This is THG - there are some sites that have some really good stuff. You could have done better!i am big supporter here but this lame!You want dual triple loop with phase? or hybird water tech?that is real exotic coolingcome on guys!thx! i love the site but........ it's water cooling. it's not supposed to be exciting. By the way, it's not THG. It's THW.
    Reply
  • cangelini
    dragonsprayerVery lame -- come on guys! This is THG - there are some sites that have some really good stuff. You could have done better!i am big supporter here but this lame!You want dual triple loop with phase? or hybird water tech?that is real exotic coolingcome on guys!thx! i love the site but.....
    Thanks for the feedback Dragon--I think Tuan's idea here was more about casual weekend reading. Don't worry, come Monday, we'll be back to the usual editorial stuff! Coming up: a walk down memory lane with 16 years of Intel motherboards =)
    Reply
  • tuannguyen
    dragonsprayerVery lame -- come on guys! This is THG - there are some sites that have some really good stuff. You could have done better!i am big supporter here but this lame!You want dual triple loop with phase? or hybird water tech?that is real exotic coolingcome on guys!thx! i love the site but.....
    Heya dragonsprayer -

    Actually, I just wanted to show everyone some of the cool setups I bumped into while browsing the web, just to kick start some ideas for those who may be tempted to try out some exrteme cooling for themselves.

    Gotta start somewhere right? No worries though. I'm going to do a follow up with some really insane stuff. :)

    / Tuan
    Reply
  • terrornoize
    "May we suggest some cable management"

    i suggest you to choose another photo when works is done... :)

    Hi,
    TerrorNoize
    Reply
  • cheepstuff
    a better title for this would have been:
    "a man and his case"
    Reply