Testing of Gigabyte's new water cooling system

Our test laboratory didn't pay attention to water cooling systems for a long time. And, that would always go on like this, cause the really interesting solutions has not been noticed at all. However Gigabyte Technology has unexpectedly provided on the market a product that is absolutely stunning in the looks department – 3D Galaxy GH-WIU01, which we have tested here. It is not a secret, that Gigabyte is one of the greatest developers of computer "device", but not so long ago they have started to work with cooling systems. Let's take a look at some of the specifications of 3D Galaxy. Is it possible to use constantly such cooling system in your PC at home?

3D Galaxy GH-WIU01 package

• radiator
• waterblock
• tank & pump assembly
• mosfet air-cooling fan
• water tube
• clips x 6
• screws
• P4 clips
• K8 clips
• fan speed control box
• PCI rear fan speed control panel
• radiator rack
• pump power cabel
• grease
• fan speed control poser cabel
• Gigabyte liquid coolant, 600ml
• fastener strips
• installation guide

We can say that 3D Galaxy comes with everything what you need. The only thing that we shall note - tubing is not cuted. You can cut it really easy with just a simple knife, but be careful doing this - to find one more the same tubing will not be so easy and the package comes only with unique.

So let's take a look at 3D Galaxy in details in order to throw away any doubt about its quality.

Radiator

Radiator and its case are made from aluminium, they look like as a small imitation of car's radiator. Radiator provides in system a fine heat exchange and excellent circulation of coolant. Cooling is realized by means of 120cm large tranquill fan with a dark blue LED to enhance the visual appeal of the cooling system; provides the directed air stream from a radiator to the fan that promotes more effective heat dispersion. 3D Galaxy Liquid Cooling System has a thick tube (with additional rubber isolation) that together with the powerful water pump carry out heat away from the CPU. Gigabyte is in earnest to such particulars. Also 6 water tube clips are included - special protective which close radiator for the period of transportation or water cooling system storage .

Water block

We have a unique water block of new generation here: made from copper, so heat exchange is going on through many copper pins. Thus, coolant mixs up in water block much better and provides more effective cooling, rather than traditional aluminium water block with heat-removing channels.
The copper bottom is well polished, however after a long contact of copper with oxygen it can be oxidized a little.

Water pump

Water pump - a heart of cooling system. The system will stop without it and … further... all will depend on luck. Certainly, all modern processors and motherboards are supplied by various of  overheat protection systems, so the stop of cooling system will not bring a big harm. Nevertheless, the pump remains the most important and technically complex component of water system. So, on assurances of the manufacturer the water pump features a ceramic shaft to increase reliability.

Productivity of the pump also impressed us - enables about 400 L/hr (liters per hour) and provides an astounding life expectancy of 20000hrs. Parameters are rather impressing for the device with such small dimensions, but that's not all. Tank is mounted on the same chassis as a pump is - helping to extend the lifespan of capacitors in the vicinity of the CPU. So, the user will avoid some problems with installation. Additionally, the 3D Galaxy Liquid Cooling System features LWP (Low Water-level Protection) and OHP (Over Heating Protection) that powers the system down if the water level falls below the standard mark or the temperature gets too high. 

We shall also look through electric part of this cooling system in details later.

Installation

In fact a new water cooling system 3D Galaxy is designed to mount into the Gigabyte Aurora cases, however due to the lack of the this case we have tested a system in our favourite  – Tree Top Alien case, it is one of the best cases tested in our laboratory for last year.

Having studied an applied manual, we have noted, that installation of 3D Galaxy can be not so easy for beginners. Nevertheless, any one can install the kit  - to read attentively and think it over will be enough for that, the whole process is very simple. We have decided to use a cooling system with processor on Socket 478, also possible to use it with processor sockets 478, LGA775 and 939 (please look– Intel PIV4, AMD Athlon 64 and Athlon FX). Thus the consumers using old kind of Socket A 462 are out off this topic and as for test of 3D Galaxy on AMD Athlon XP 3000 + it is impossible, unfortunately.

To mount this cooling system inside the case correctly was the most intricated task. As the tubing has already been cut on parts, have increased a little complexities in installation.The only problem we noticed was the mounting of radiator. Radiator can be mounted inside the case if it has a 120mm fan port, or using the included mounting bracket that attaches to the top of the radiator and the bottom of the power supply, it can be mounted on the back of the case. Except of a problem described above, everything was ok. We mounted water block on by means of fixing clip. We want to note that it does not fully cover the heat spreader on the processor. The corners of the heat spreader are left bare due to the circular base.Then we mounted a pump. Included in the kit is a 3-inch strip of Velcro. One side sticks to the case and the other to a pump. It was handy when we needed to set the pump just outside the case to fill it, because then we could just stick it back into placeand to screw it to the bottom of the case with the hole provided. We recommended you to think over carefully each step.

However, we have simplified installation a little. In contact group for connection of a pump to the system there is a socket duplicating Power Switch. Thus the pump can switch off computer. The pump receives a feed from IDE power supply. The radiator's fan can be connected to motherboard directly, but we recommend you to follow an example described in the instruction. A fan speed controller also comes with the kit and is part of the PCI pass-thru bracket for the tubes.The inclusion of a fan to put on the block to cool the MOSFET components is a huge plus as it should increase the lifetime of the motherboard.

Finally, let's check all contacts and hoses, it is time to fill the system and turn it on. So what it is necessary to know about this liquid? Nano-scale water-coolant with anti-freezing and anti-corrosive functions. First, do not taste antifreeze! It is poisonous and can cause a poisoning and in especially heavy cases - death. Secondly, if the liquid has got on your hands - carefully wash them by water. Remember, long contact of your skin with antifreeze can be very harmful. About qualitative structure of antifreezes you can read in any literature in automobile chemistry. Fill a liquid into a tank up to the top level (no need to closed). Then start a system, and the liquid will instantly depart to a pump, and in a tank the alarm will signal about dangerously small level of antifreeze. Continue to add antifreeze in a tank - after a while the system will be filled completely. Remember, if necessary you can  also dilute a cooling liquid by the distilled water (you can buy it in any drugstore).

After start of a computer and filling of system with antifreeze you will see, that everything is simple! For example, how to expel all air-bladders from a system? Elementary! Simply do not close a tank and all air will leaveand you will observe a technogenic beauty of cooling system: it looks really tremendous! The unique UV tube and crystal clear water tank carry light from blue LEDs to enhance the visual appeal of the cooling system.

In the system block there is no a lamp with ultra-violet illumination - to allocate hoses on the general background.

Nevertheless, beauty - is not the main thing here: the level of noise and risk of overheating for us was interesting, how much this system allows to cool the processor. So we will go on to the next part of our review.

Testing of Gigabyte 3D Galaxy

It is significant, if you decided to use 3D Galaxy you need a closed case, though it has a "water" essence, a pump worked not so quiet even on the background of a whole computer work. For the noise conscious user, the fan can be slowed to a mere 1200 rpm while continuing to provide sufficient heat dissipation for the system. As to functioning system we shall describe below.

What we would like to test? Certainly, besides the efficiency of cooling, we would like to understand is water cooling better than air and what are the advantages. We have tested a great amount of different coolers, so we have decided to unite all testing results in one comparison.
So let's look what we have got....

Configuration

• CPU: Intel Pentium IV 3.0 HGz S478
• MB: MSI Neo 2P (865PE)
• Memory: Kingston 3x256 DDR400 PC3200
• HDD: 3 x80 Gb HDD Seagate
• Video: Leadtek Win Fast GeForce FX6600 GT 128 Mb
• Case: Tree Top Alien

For comparison we have chosen some testing results from the most outstanding and have resulted them in one table.

We have used :

• Zalman CNPS 9500
• Zalman CNPS 7700Cu
• Titan Vanessa L Type
• Spire Atlantic Wave CF200-NEB

All four opponents have been tested in our test laboratory on the different processors. Moreover, we can say that all coolers are absolutely different, that will not allow us to doubt of objectivity of our test.

Table 1. Comparison.

Table 2. Comparison.Used - Burn K7

table 3. Comparison.Used - Half Life 2.

Table 4. Comparison.Used - Office.

Increase of the fan's speed  has led to reduction of temperature. You can see from the tables, 3D Galaxy cools perfectly even the minimal turns, and we may assert, that another the alike successful water cooling system with a good price does not exist at a present moment at all.

Nevertheless, we would like to note, that all tests show us evidently, that water cooling not so  advanced then air one, as we would like. However, we should not forget, that we compared 3D Galaxy with a real large copper monsters and dimensions of Titan Vanessa even exceed the sizes of radiator from Gigabyte.

Conclusions

Cooling system works perfectly - look over the testing results. The 3D Galaxy Liquid Cooling kit is a good performer for an entry-level kit. The kit is very easy to install (though the instruction is not so detailed) and fill and can be completely internal. So if you decided to use a "water system" you can look to Galaxy, as it is a qualitative product from Gigabyte - a leading manufacturer of motherboards, VGA cards, PC coolers and other computing hardware solutions. 3D Galaxy liquid cooling system, the company’s first generation water cooler for PC enthusiasts and extreme gamers, comes in a big attractive packaging.

From author. 3D Galaxy has one small lack - fan is very quite at 1300rpm, tolerable at 1800rpm and down right loud at 2500rpm. The inclusion of a fan to put on the block to cool the MOSFET components is a huge plus as it should increase the lifetime of the motherboard.