Conclusion

Performance

The Koolance EXT-440CU liquid cooling unit gives the user a superb amount of flexibility without compromising cooling performance. In conjunction with a stock or overclocked CPU, the unit was able to keep the system stable withe temperatures rivaling some of the other top cooling systems tested. Combine this with the pump and fan speed configurability that the unit provides and you have a viable contender.

Pricing

As of February 02, the Koolance EXT-440CU Liquid Cooling System was available at Amazon.com for $272.19. The cooler was also available from other retailers such as Koolance.com for $274.99 and PerformancePCs.com for $274.99.

The Koolance CPU-380I CPU water block was available at Amazon.com for $79.99 with free shipping. The cooler was also available from other retailers such as Koolance.com for $74.99 and PerformancePCs.com for $74.95.

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Conclusion

Before continuing with our closing thoughts on the Koolance EXT-440CU Liquid Cooling System kit, we would like to take this opportunity to give our friends at Koolance a hearty “Thank You” for allowing the opportunity to review us such an outstanding unit in combination with their CPU block and branded coolant. After playing with so many different iterations of Koolance products over the years, I was exciting to get my hands on their EXT-440CU unit as well as the latest generation CPU water block. The pictures really don't do the unit justice though. Koolance really took their time in designing the unit to be rugged and easy to use with obvious through put in to not only the unit's function, but how to make it easy to make field repairs as the need arises (and believe me, with a custom water cooling loop, the need does arise). The inlet and outlet ports accept G1/4" fittings for use with just about tubing on the market (up to and including 3/4" inner diameter) and the fill port is easy to access and evacuate if necessary. The included LCD display and included functions rival that of the functionality included with their bigger EXOS line of units with enough monitoring capabilities provided to appeal to the hard-core water cooling enthusiasts. Additionally, the provided pump is strong enough to support multiple in-line blocks or even additional radiators in the loop.

The CPU-380I is similarly well designed and meant for heavy use. The nickel-plating gives a level of comfort that the block will remain in good condition, while the hold down system gives enough downward force for superior block to CPU surface mating. The new block comes with a redesigned hold-down system, not that there is anything wrong with the older version. With the new version, they improved the design by replacing the screw-in threaded uprights (which you would fix directly to the bottom base plate) with Phillips-headed uprights. These uprights contain a slot and groove system so that they are locked in position with the bottom plate. The uprights are held in place with thumb-nuts affixed to the top-side of the motherboard, making for a much more secure holding mechanism for the upright in comparison to the old mounting plate. This minimizes the possibility of the upright coming loosing when you are attempting to install or remove the thumbscrews holding the CPU block in place (a common problem with the old-style mounting bracket that I encountered numerous times).

The only caveat to the EXT-400CU Liquid Cooling System was its price. At a base price of $279, the unit is not a cheap addition to you system and can most certainly be custom built for less. However, for the additional capital, you get the piece of mind and quality that comes as part of this finely built Koolance EXT-440CU Liquid Cooling System unit.

Strengths

  • Sleek black appearance
  • Performance under stock and overclocking conditions
  • System reconfigurability through use of standard size inlet and outlet ports
  • Build quality and unit durability
  • Improved CPU block mounting mechanism

Weaknesses

  • Price

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