Main Cooling Unit – External View
The Reserator XT’s main cooling unit is relatively heavy (7 kg) and exhibits the same heavy duty, premium construction we have come to expect from Zalman. The clean lines and beautiful anodized finish are impressive and the heavy-duty, industrial grade construction is obvious. All of the component parts are machined from extruded aluminum pieces and bolted together with SHCS (Socket Head Cap Screws). The main chassis contains both active and passive radiators, a reservoir, pump, flow meter, fan, control panel, and tubing.
The front panel is gorgeous and looks more like a piece of high-end audio gear than a PC water cooling system. The gauge bezels, push buttons and fasteners all feature a dark-chrome finish, which gives the Reserator XT a very classy, high-tech look.
The center gauge is what Zalman refers to as the Flexible Numeric Display (FND). It displays coolant temperature and ambient air temperature in either °C or °F and displays a small A when in Auto mode or M when in Manual mode. The FND will also flicker if a low coolant level or high coolant temperature is detected. The gauge on the left side reports fan speed and the gauge on the right side displays the coolant flow rate.
The control knob in the center of the front panel (labeled Volume) allows controlling the fan and pump speed when the Reserator XT is in manual mode. The three smaller push buttons are used for control functions.
• Temperature Mode: Select °C or °F
• Auto/Manual: Selects either Auto or Manual operating mode
• LED/Reset: Turns display lighting On or Off and resets the Reserator XT
When the Reserator XT is placed into Auto operating mode, the fan speed and coolant flow rate (pump speed) are adjusted automatically based on a preset coolant temperature. In Manual mode, the fan and pump speed can be controlled manually using the Volume knob. The dark red LED lighting can be turned On or Off by a quick press of the LED/Reset button. Holding this button in for at least 5 seconds will reset the Reserator XT.
The only notable feature on top of the Reserator XT is the fill port cap. The reservoir screw cap is solid aluminum and sealed with an O-ring. There is a small vent hole in the center of the cap, so don’t turn the Reserator on its side once filled.
