Thermaltake WATER2.0 Performer Closed-Loop All In One Liquid CPU Cooler Dual 120mm PWM Fans 120x25mm CLW0215

Overall my experience with this watercooler has been great, I purchased this cooler with my intel core i5 3570k with the intent to overclock my processor in a small form factor build in a silverstone sugo sg05. My temperatures are outstanding with just one fan installed running at 40% speed (899rpm) with my processor mildly overclocked to 4ghz for daily use. I can run the processor at 4.7ghz very easy and it can go up to about 80c on a prime95 torture test, although you wont see those temps while folding, or gaming so it is not a big deal. That is a 1.3ghz overclock, nearly silent with the temps you would be seeing the processor reach with the stock heatsink installed at stock speeds.

On to specifications, the radiator measures 27mm thick, which is a couple thicker than your average computer case fan measuring 25mm thick. The pump runs at 2800rpm which is near silent. The radiator has a cooling surface of 1385 cm2 which is considerably less than than the other thermaltake units, but only equates to a couple degress c difference with maximum overclocks. Most importantly the tubes measure 326mm or nearly 13 inches, so you should not have any problems no matter your computer setup. The tubes are also very flexible, unlike other all in one watercooling units which have very rigid tubes that arent easy to work with.

In my computer case, which is a silverstone sugo sg05, I could only fit on the the fans because I had clearance issues with the 24pin motherboard connector bending the tubes slightly, so I am only using one fan, and I am still getting amazing temperatures. This will not be a problems for anyone else who is not using a sugo sg05, this is only because my case is so small. But in my opinion, with a radiator this thin, I do not believe that 2 fans benefit much.

On to the bad, you are limited in a lot of ways with this cooler, I contacted thermaltake about horrible pump grinding noise and I was told that the only way to orient the unit for it to be silent and safe is with the tubes coming out of the radiator facing downwards because they dont fill the units all the way up with coolant. They claimed this was because it lowers the risk of the units leaking as some competitors units have leaked before. Also, I was having problems with the pump noise even after that, so I ordered a fan to molex connector so I could hook it up to my power supply, which completely fixed the grinding noise, and the only noise you can hear now is the slight noise of the pump working, which is only audible from ~8 inches away in a computer case with no sound dampening and a lot of mesh, it could be considered silent to many people, especially when most people dont sit with their head right next to their computer. So if you cannot orient the unit with the tubes downward and connect it directly into the psu, you could run into problems with the pump grinding. I cannot say for certain if the pump noise was caused by my motherboards fan connectors, or if the unit is just better being run directly off the power supply.

Overall, after fixing the initial problems I had with the unit, I am very pleased with the unit, and it works perfectly in my sff build. I would recommend this unit to people who want the best cooler in the smallest total package.

THERMALTAKE Water2.0 Pro CPU Cooler

I’ve been water cooling for a long time, so I took to these new self contained water cooling units with a little skepticism. Yeah, they looked nice and easy to install and maintain, but come on… cooling an over clocked processor with less than a custom loop and high priced water block… nonsense!

But then came the 1156 socket, and the matching CPUs that ran fast on ambient temps and the equation changed. Lately, I’ve been playing more with various high end air coolers than I have with custom water loops. A whole lot easier, and a whole lot cheaper.

So, when the opportunity arose to review the Thermaltake Water2.0 Pro, I was really looking forward to see what it could do matched up against some of its high end siblings!

Out of pure coincidence, I had recently completed a build using another manufacturers similar water cooling device, so some of those insights may also play a role in this review.

TEST BED

All tests were run on an ASUS MIVE P67 V3 MB with an i7 2600k processor, a 1200watt PSU, an AMD 5870 Video Card, and a WD Raptor with Win 7 Professional 64bit installed. All this sits on a Banchetto 101 Bench table for easy disassembly.

COOLING SOLUTIONS TESTED

- Thermaltake Frio OCK
- Thermaltake Frio Extreme
- Themaltake Water2.0 Pro

METHODOLOGY

Each cooling solution was measured with the CPU at stock clocks of approx. 3.8Ghz, and overclocked to a modest 4.4Ghz. Speed Step remained enabled, which is why you don’t see more temp variations at idle.

Core temperatures were monitored using Real Temp. The HOTTEST core temp was recorded, which means the results indicate the high spikes, not a long term temperature viewpoint.

Each solution ran IDLE, SuperPi 1M to completion, SuperPi 32M to interation 8, 3DMVantage – CPU tests only, Prime95 for 10 minutes.


RESULTS – STOCK CLOCKS

3.8Ghz........Idle......SPi 1M.....Spi 32M....3DMV......Prime95
OCK.............35C.......42C.......... 43C.........51C.........53C
EXTREME.....34C.......43C.......... 44C.........51C.........52C
H2Water......35C.......41C.......... 44C ........50C.........52C



RESULTS – OVER CLOCKED

4.4gHZ........Idle......SPi 1M.....Spi 32M....3DMV.....Prime95
OCK.............36C.......45C...........47C....... ...61C..........63C
EXTREME.....35C.......45C...........46C..........6 0C..........62C
H2Water......34C.......42C...........46C.......... 57C..........58C



OBSERVATIONS


If you’ve had the pleasure of installing any of Thermaltakes newer cooling solutions, you know that they are a breeze to mount to the 2011 socket. Moving down to a lower pin count socket does increase the complexity some, though not to the extent that even I could would not be able to figure it out.

Of the three tested units, the FRIO OCK was the loudest (by far), although this may not be fair as I had the fan controller on high whereas the other two units I let the PWM control fan speed. BY FAR, the Water2.0 Pro was the most quiet with the 2 PWM fans and the whisper quiet pump. The FRIO Extreme ran somewhere in the middle on noise.

Some of the highlights I think put the Water2.0 Pro a notch above their competitors;
1 – rubber hoses instead of articulating metal hoses
2 – the inputs actually pivot, so placement of the unit and the radiator is much easier.
3 – The PWM fans, a truly nice touch (white fans work nice too).

Packaging was Spartan, but effective in containing and protecting the parts. Unpacking was rather easy and it really wasn’t until I started assembling the mount for the 1156 socket that I ran into any troubles. The book is helpful, but not clear cut outright put peg A into slot B type. Thank God I had a magnifying glass so I could read which holes were for the 1156 ISO the 775 or 1366 sockets. Once I got that sorted the installation went easily and smoothly.

The unit installation once you get all the parts together is reminiscent of installing and old Swiftec GTZ, just screw down the 4 easy turn screws until they seat, then, you are done. I like the extra thickness of the radiator, and the entire unit goes together just right, feeling like a well engineered and put together system. Performance seems to bear this out as the unit clearly shines on the longer type computing you’ll run into every day.

I also commend Thermaltake on their price point, as this unit easily performs as well as competitors units costing considerably more.

What would I change? DON’T KNOW. Maybe an extra inch of tubing on each tube? Since I didn’t mount it into a case I don’t know if there would be any problem or not, though I guess there would not be with the unit being as well designed as it is.

In conclusion, all three Thermaltake offerings do an outstanding job keeping your CPU cool at stock clocks. When the CPU is overclocked, however, the Water2.0 Pro is clearly the solution of choice.

I give Thermaltake a big TWO THUMBS UP on their cooling solutions, this Water2.0 Pro in particular!










TWO FINAL THOUGHTS

While it’s viscerally satisfying to see the monster HSFs sitting atop the motherboards, they do occupy a lot of space. The pics above highlight this dramatically. If you prefer the looks of a huge HSF looking at you through the window of your case, then either of these two would do you good, but, if you prefer a nice clean look… the Water2.0 Pro shines.

Second, when it comes to building and shipping gaming computers, shipping out a tower with a two pound massive HSF bolted to the motherboard scares the hell out of me! I have nightmares of UPS guys throwing the boxes around to see if anything makes a noise. With the Water2.0 Pro that fear is completely GONE! The unit is lightweight, and more importantly, bolts to the MB and the case… no 100 lb gorillas waiting to wreak havoc on you build.

I can tell you for sure, the Water2.0 Pro is replacing the HSF that I had on this board. Even on a bench table it’s easy to mount, quiet, and efficient. Enjoy 

Thermaltake WATER2.0 Performer Review

I was recently selected by Thermaltake to review one of their WATER2.0 Performer coolers.. Nice!

I received the cooler in the mail 4 days after receiving an email that I was selected to participate, with a weekend in between - nice shipping, Tt!
I’ve been using the cooler since the day I received it, which was Monday 05/21/12, so it’s been used for a while in order to truly see how it performs.

With a price tag of $69.99 on The Egg, the WATER2.0 Performer can be considered “entry level” in the closed-loop water cooler market.

The cooler comes with Dual PWM fans (and a splitter), which is a first for these rads designed for 120mm fan holes. Each fan is capable of 2000RPM.

The coolers radiator is 25mm thick, with aluminum fins.

From the Manufacturer

No-maintenance operation
Traditional water cooling solutions require constant upkeep to prevent
clogs or performance degradation. Thermaltake WATER2.0 Series of
water cooling solutions are self-contained and proven to last.

Universal Support
Upgrading or switching between CPU platforms? No problem, WATER2.0
water cooling solutions are designed with universal mounting to support
all available AMD and Intel desktop processors.

Super quiet
WATER2.0 water cooling solutions offer the best of both worlds:
performance and silent operation thanks to the highly efficient
radiator and pump design.

Smarter cooling
Users should not have to adapt to the tool they are using. Instead,
WATER2.0 water cooling solutions all come with PWM-enabled fans
so the cooling performance adapts to you. WATER2.0 Extreme also
comes with software-based control system that allows the user to
fine-tune performance perameters.

A Flexible All-in-One Liquid Cooler that provides Easy and Safe Installation. No Refill Needed.
· High performance Copper base plate accelerates the heat conductivity.
· High reliability low profile pump provides quick liquid circulation lowering the temperature.
· Pre-filled coolant reduces the liquid replenishment hassle.
· Low evaporation tube decreases the loss of coolant effectively.
· The high-tech sealed circulation system prevents leaking issue.

Dual Automatic Adjustable 120mm PWM Fans maximize the cooling performance and tranquility.
· Powerful fan blows the heat of radiator out to the chassis to maximize cooling performance.
· PWM control function fan (1200~2000rpm) automatic adjust the fan speed according to CPU temperature, minimize overheating possibility.

Universal Socket Compatibility
Universal socket support:
Intel: LGA2011, LGA1366, LGA1156, LGA1155, LGA775
AMD: FM1, AM3+, AM3, AM2+, AM2


Packaging

The WATER2.0 Performer is packaged really well. On the front of the box the design is nice, displaying the product front and center with 3 key selling points. There’s also an “award-style” gold badge that declares Socket 2011 compatibility.



The rear of the box is a similar story, with a picture of the product actually installed on a board.If you’re curious, it’s a Maximus III Formula for the 1156 socket.
The picture aside, there’s a lot more information on the features offered by the product here, along with 4 smaller pictures detailing the 4 key components of the unit.



The left side of the box has a detailed spec sheet, whereas the right side has the features listed on the front of the box in an additional 12 languages.



Inside the box everything is packaged snugly. One fan is in a card shroud, the other is loose. The radiator is shrouded also, and the block/pump has a plastic protection cap on it to stop the thermal paste or block itself being compromised.



Each cable on the unit is “sleeved” though not in the traditional sense. The cables seem to be ruggedized and coiled.

First Impressions

The packaging is nice and the unit and accessories are well protected and laid out. Everything required is easy to find. I’d be amazed if any damage was caused to your cooler in shipping.

The unit itself is clean looking. The block isn’t overly huge and the WATER2.0 logo is actually pretty cool.

The rubber tubing is “stealthy” and wouldn’t ruin the look of any case, no matter your color scheme.


Installation

The installation instructions are fairly straightforward.

First, you need to take the backplate and insert 4 silver plastic grommets into the corresponding socket holes. The socket labels are kinda tough to see as they’re engraved into the black plastic, but squint hard enough and they will reveal themselves. Then, add the 2 mylar (pretty much dual sided sticky foam) to the correct spot on the backplate, align the holes and stick it to your motherboard. This can be kinda tricky, and the mylar is EXTREMELY adhesive, so if you’re using this review as an installation guide, try lining the holes up before removing the tab on the mylar.




After doing this you take the socket ring (there’s one for Intel and one for AMD) and attach the correct socket mounts to it. Again, these plastic socket mounts require specific positioning depending on your socket type, but squint hard enough again and you’ll be able to make them out. Then add the correct bolt screws to the socket ring. Then you’re going to want to put your socket ring over the pump. Finally, there’s another ring that you place here which locks everything in place.

Put your aftermarket thermal paste/grease here if you want - I did. This isn’t a thermal paste review, it’s a cooler review, so I used my own. If you’re going to do this, be sure to remove the preinstalled paste with isopropyl and a lint free wipe like a coffee filter.

Put the block on your CPU, and tighten the bolt screws to lock it in place.

Your pump is now installed and it’s time to install the radiator.

Check the airflow diagrams on the fan casings and make sure they’re both blowing the same way. I had mine blowing out, and that’s what Thermaltake recommend, but some of you like to have your rad fans blowing in. I don’t know why you guys do that, but, that’s fine if you want to. Just don't have the fans blowing in opposite directions or you’ll create turbulence. Mount the rear fan directly to the radiator, then line up the second fan with the 120mm fan holes on the rear of your case. Slide the extended mounting screws into the fan and you should have a small amount of screw poking out for screwing into the radiator.
Line the rad up and place it against the fan, and tighten it all into place.



Now we wire her up.

Your 2 fan cables both go into the fan Y-Splitter, and then that goes into your CPU_Fan1 header on your motherboard.

Then there’s another cable coming from the pump which determines how hard the pump works, and that goes into the CPU_Fan2 header.



Don’t have 2 CPU fan headers? Well, you can get 2x 4-pin PWM to 3-Pin Fan converters, and then connect them to your chassis fan headers, or get MOLEX adapters and connect them to MOLEX on your power supply. Please remember that the fans can no longer be controlled by the motherboards temperature readings, so you’ll have to keep watch yourself.. or have them at 100% all the time if you opted to connect them to MOLEX.

Installation Thoughts

I am a computer enthusiast, and with that, my case was purchased to accommodate my needs and wants. I use an NZXT Phantom, and it has a CPU cutout to allow me to mount aftermarket coolers with ease, without removing my motherboard.

Now, the problem comes in that with new technology such as the z77 chipset which I am using for this review, cases don’t automatically go “Oh, well, the CPU is slightly offset now, maybe we should move our cut-out.” My CPU is not where my cutout is. It’s slightly to the right, towards my 5.25” bays. This means 50% of my CPU socket, and therefore 50% of the backplate, is hidden. Whilst this isn’t Thermaltake’s fault, it would have been nice to have the backplate be a little be more rugged than plastic. The reason I say this is because every time I went to tighten the fourth and final screw, the backplate bent slightly, causing the plastic grommet to pop out of the socket hole. This particular hole was covered by my motherboard tray. This required me to re-clean the block and CPU, apply paste, remove the backplate, reattach the plastic grommet, reattach the backplate, and try again. Before you say anything, yes I did try just tightening that screw first.. but it still refused to play ball.



Three times I tried to install in-case, and every time the plastic grommet loosened from the backplate.

I eventually caved and removed the motherboard and held the grommet in with my hand, but this shouldn’t have been popping out in the first place.

That aside, installation is fairly straightforward. If you lack sight in one eye and your depth perception is off, then perhaps you’ll have trouble mounting the rad and fans to your case, but that aside, I can’t see any issues deterring you from installing.



Testing

Now the fun begins. I’d been waiting on getting a decent enough cooler to overclock my new toy; an i5 3570k.

At 3.4ghz, at stock the CPU is nothing to be sniffed at, but I wanted more. I’ve been overclocking a while and know how to achieve a good overclock at the lowest possible voltage. I’m also aware every chip is different. From testing and voltage limits, my chip appears to be relatively normal. In the silicon lottery, I am not a winner, but I’m not a loser either.

These max temps are after an incredibly short Prime95 Blend test - I ran it for ONLY 10 minutes simply to see if the chip was very unstable for further tinkering.

At STOCK 3.4ghz, stock voltage, idle temps are 28c and load temps are 60c.
At 4.2ghz / 1.216v - max temp 68c after 10minutes in Prime.
At 4.4ghz / 1.216v - max temp 70c after 10minutes in Prime.
At 4.5ghz / 1.256v - max temp 74c after 10minutes in Prime.
At 4.6ghz / 1.320v - max temp 82c after 10minutes in Prime.
At 4.7ghz / 1.415v - max temp 91c after 10minutes in Prime.

I draw the line at 90°C for Ivy Bridge, where I would have drawn the line at 85°C for Sandy Bridge.

IntelBurnTest produced some pretty sickeningly high temperatures, but that’s to be expected.. it’s IntelBurnTest. The clue is in the name. No temperature related crashes, though!

Keeping in mind that general use or gaming is unlikely to achieve 100% load, these temperatures are pretty much a normal persons theoretical maximum at these voltages on the 3570k.

That said, please don’t copy my settings, I don’t want to be and cannot be held responsible for you overclocking your CPU. This isn’t an overclocking guide, it’s a cooler review.
I’m aware that a 10 minute Prime95 Blend test is not a true stability test. I know that Prime doesn’t truly stress test until much longer in a cycle. It’s not meant for a quick stress test, it’s meant to run for hours at a time. Looking at the numbers I already had, I decided that I’d stick to the 4.5ghz clock speed, and run an 8 hour plus Prime run to see what temps could be produced.

Here is the result:



Max temp of 85°C after 8 and a half hours in Prime 95 is a perfectly acceptable temp, and I remain on that clock speed now.

Conclusion

Being able to keep my CPU from exploding at 1ghz+ overclocks even when running IntelBurnTest is quite a feat for what is in essence, an entry level cooler.

Given that Ivy Bridge runs substantially hotter than Sandy Bridge at even slight voltage increases, please don’t take these temperatures as “really high” as you would on Sandy. Ivy is a resilient chip, and temps of 80°C aren’t a huge issue for it.

In terms of noise, the stated claim that the fans are very quiet even when at full RPM is true. It IS very quiet. I can’t hear the pump at all, and the fans have a very gentle.. fan noise. If you’re going for full silence you’re not going to get it, but for what this unit offers you in performance to cost, a little noise is definitely nothing to sniff at.

The only problems I had with the cooler was the backplate during installation.

Yes, it’s not great for high overclocks, but it’s $70. It looks neat through a window. It’s exceptionally good value for what it is, and it comes with dual PWM fans. Don’t forget that, as most entry level coolers (or even high end ones) only come with a single fan.

Overall, I’d give the WATER2.0 Performer a 9/10.

Pros:
Looks cool
Built solid
Good cooling performance up to a certain clock speed
Quiet
Dual PWM fans
Well packaged
Out-of-Case installation is easy

Cons:
Backplate is flimsy plastic and can cause issues if your cases cutout is not in the perfect location.
Won’t keep high overclocks cool - but this is an ENTRY LEVEL cooler. I will not dock a point for that.