During Computex last week Alphacool showed off an interesting customizable all in one (AIO) liquid cooler called the Eisbaer Extreme. The new cooler blurs the lines between a closed loop AIO and a custom loop with a radiator, pump, reservoir, CPU block, and tubing coming together and hooked up out of the box but with two built in quick disconnect fittings that can be used to expand the loop to include other Eisbaer equipment or your own custom loop tubing and blocks as the Eisbaer parts use G1/4” fittings.
[H] has photos of the prototype cooler as well as a video from Alphacool touring their booth.
The Eisbaer Extreme houses the radiator, pump, and 200 ml reservoir inside a thick shroud that features a fill port on the top of the radiator which should make filling and bleeding easier. Two 140mm Be Quiet! Silent Wings 3 fans cool the radiator and the power cables are routed out through a single port on the shroud to make cable management easier. The current radiator option is a 280mm model but 240mm and 360mm version are reportedly also in the works. Because the reservoir and D5 pump are housed within the radiator shroud, the radiator portion is quite thick and much longer than a normal 280mm radiator which is an important consideration for SFF builds which may not have enough clearance for it depending on the case. On the other hand, because Alphacool is using a traditional CPU block (no pump top), the CPU block is much lower profile.
Speaking of the CPU block, Alphacool is using a flat black CPU block from its XPX series with a nickel plated copper base. The Eisbaer Extreme AIO that Alphacool showed off at Computex lacked the RGB LEDs that were part of the model it showed off at CES which was a bit confusing when writing this up (heh). However, as it turns out, Alphacool will be offering both models with the non-RGB all black version coming out first and a version with RGB LEDs along the sides of the radiator and surrounding the CPU block coming later. On the latter model a ring of RGB LEDs can be fitted around the clear acrylic top block to illuminate it. (The RGB LED ring will also be sold separately as it is compatible with Alphacool’s other CPU blocks including the Eisblock XPX according to Think Computers).
Alphacool is apparently not quite finished with the Eisbaer Extreme AIO which was first demoed at CES 2018 and was still in an early prototype state at Computex where Alphacool indicated to Optimum Tech that it intends to refine the design a bit more by tweaking things such as the quick disconnect fittings which are now flat black rather than red and blue as in previous iterations. Alphacool is also not yet talking pricing or release dates, but the AIO cooler(s) should be available sometime later this year. You can see videos of the non RGB cooler at Computex by Optimum Tech or the RGB-ified cooler at CES by Think Computers and Joker Productions.
I am curious how it will perform and what price point it will hit as it tries to straddle the line between sealed AIOs that are install and go and fully custom loops that require much more research, effort, maintenance, and most importantly money to get done correctly (though don’t get me wrong it can be done on the cheap if you are willing to buy used as I did). It is in kind of an odd place though there is not as much competition here either.
What are your thoughts, is the Eisbaer Extreme cool enough for you?
So this looks like the EKWB
So this looks like the EKWB setup. Its nearly identical except for the metal/plastic shroud around the radiator.
https://www.ekwb.com/solutions/all-in-one/
So unsure what’s new here? This time Alphacool could be on the receiving end of a lawsuit for copying ?