Alphacool NVXP-G8 waterblock
Introduction
Published: 15th November 2007 | Source: Alphacool | Price: £54.21 |
IntroductionIt is a well known fact that in the quest for faster processors and the subsequent increase in performance, there is an unfortunate by-product...heat! Heat is the absolute enemy of the overclocker and performance enthusiast, period! Heat not only reduces the effective overclocking headroom of a particular component, but it also, if left unchecked, can lead to failure in the long run.
With the introduction of ATI/AMD and NVIDIA's latest generation of graphics cards - the 2900 and 8800 series particularly, heat has now become a real issue for graphics card manufacturers and no longer remains a problem exclusive to CPU's. There is a clear need for better cooling.
Subsequently water-cooling is really beginning to become a viable mainstream alternative to traditional air-cooling measures. No longer is water-cooling purely the domain of the hardcore overclockers, but increasingly, it is beginning to make its way into more and more regular users homes.
The thirst for for faster graphics hardware, and consequently, the said hardware having to play catch-up with software developers (read: next gen games); alternative cooling methods are needed to tame the heat. So how do we look towards cooling these GPU's more efficiently...With water-cooling of course!
Alphacool is a name synonymous with water-cooling hardware. The German based company made a name for itself by producing quality, well-performing hardware for the PC enthusiast. However, in recent times it seemed that they simply dropped off the radar, allowing competitors to muscle in on their hard-earned market share.
Today, a revamped Alphacool seeks to restore itself back to the position that it held in the past, and continue on with manufacturing high-quality hardware as a commitment to both their current dedicated fan base and you, the prospective customer. The effort being made by Alphacool to regain lost ground is evident. From the fresh and enticing web page, through to the updated product lines, Alphacool is on a mission!
Today I have been given the opportunity to review the new Alphacool NexXxoS NVXP-G8 8800GTS full-cover water block which promises considerably higher flow and performance over its older sibling the NVXP 3. During the performance review today the Alphacool NexXxos NVXP-G8 will be going head-to-head with another full-cover water block - the EK FC8800 GTS.
Anyway enough of my rambling, let's get acquainted with the review specimen...
Specifications
The Alphacool NVXP-G8's specifications were taken from SpecialTech's website, due to Alphacool not having the product information on their own site.
| Dimensions (L x W x H): | 180 x 89 x 26mm |
| Weight: | 795g |
| Connections: | G 1/4" |
| Flow Through: | 4.2 to 4.3 l/m (252 to 258 l/h) |
The NVXP-G8's specifications certainly look ok on paper, however, there are 2 areas that really stand out. Firstly, the NVXP-G8 weighs in at a smidge under 800 grams. That is one weighty water block especially when compared to the 600 gram EK FC8800 GTS...someone needs to go on a diet!
Secondly, the NVXP-G8 boasts an increase in achievable flow over the previous generation of the same block. It'll be interesting to see how this equates to real world performance when pitted against EK's best.
Let's head over the page and have a closer look at the Alphacool NexXxos NVXP-G8 8800GTS water block to see what you get for your money...
Most Recent Comments
Great review mate, I sadly can think of many improvments they could make to the design.Quote
Sound methodology and a balanced conclusion.
I'd take the EK over the alpha due to ability to change barb direction... That and it performs better lolQuote
I'd take the EK over the alpha due to ability to change barb direction... That and it performs better lolQuote
Thanks guys for the feedback, it's very much appreciated as it allows me to refine the process. Is there anything else that you would like to see done in future reviews that I haven't included?Quote
CSS Valid
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Let the games beginQuote