Fan thickness
This parameter must be considered in the context of whether the fan will fit into the computer case. Standard case fans are available in the order of 25 mm in thickness. Low-profile coolers with a thickness of about 15 mm are designed for small-sized cases, where saving space is extremely important. Fans of large thickness (30-40 mm) boast high cooling efficiency due to the increased impeller dimensions. However, they are noisier than standard models at the same speed and do not always fit into the case normally, sometimes touching other components.
Socket
Pump size
The dimensions of the pump that the water cooling system is equipped with.
Most often, this parameter is indicated for all three dimensions: length, width and thickness (height). These dimensions determine two points: the space required to install the pump, and the diameter of its working part. With the first, everything is quite obvious; we only note that in some systems the pump simultaneously plays the role of a water block and is installed directly on the cooled component of the system, and it is there that there should be enough space. The diameter approximately corresponds to the length and width of the pump (or the smaller of these dimensions if they are not the same — for example, 55 mm in the model 60x55x43 mm). Some operating features depend on this parameter. So, the large diameter of the pump allows you to achieve the required performance at a relatively low rotation speed; the latter, in turn, reduces the noise level and increases the overall reliability of the structure. On the other hand, a large pump costs more and takes up more space.
Pump rotation speed
The speed at which the working part of the pump rotates, which is nominally provided in the water cooling system.
High speed, on the one hand, has a positive effect on performance, on the other hand, it increases the noise level and reduces the time between failures. Therefore, with the same performance, relatively “slow” pumps are considered more advanced, in which the necessary pumping volumes are achieved due to the large diameter of the working part, and not due to speed.
Pipe length
The length of the tubes connecting the water block to the radiator in a water cooling system. By definition, there are at least two such tubes (supply and return), and sometimes more, but they all have the same length. This length corresponds to the largest distance from the water block to the radiator, possible for this system in the standard configuration; this nuance must be taken into account when choosing water cooling for a specific installation location. In general, most models are
38 or
40 cm long, which is enough for basic needs.
Pump power source
Type of power connector for the water pump.
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3-pin. The three-pin power connector on older motherboards does not allow you to control the speed of the water pump motor in liquid cooling systems. At the same time, the pump always works in the maximum performance mode. Fresh "motherboards" are able to change the voltage on such connectors, thereby providing a change in engine speed.
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4-pin. When using a 4pin power connector, it is supposed to control the speed of the pump motor using pulse-width modulation. A voltage of 12 V is applied to it with pulses. By changing the duration of the pulses, you can accurately set the speed of the water pump motor.
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SATA. The SATA power connector will come in handy if all free 3pin and 4pin connectors are occupied on the motherboard.
Manufacturer's warranty
Manufacturer's warranty provided for this model.
In fact, this is the minimum service life promised by the manufacturer, provided that the operating rules are followed. Most often, the actual service life of the device turns out to be significantly longer than the guaranteed one. Among the modest indicators there are
models with a 1-year or
2-year warranty, more serious models already have
a 3-year warranty, and the most confident manufacturers give
a 5-year or even
6-year warranty.
Dimensions
General dimensions of the cooling system. For water systems (see "Type"), this paragraph indicates the size of the external radiator (the dimensions of the water block in such devices are small, and there is no need to specify them in particular).
In general, this is a fairly obvious parameter. We only note that for case fans (see ibid.), the thickness is of particular importance — it directly depends on how much space the device will take up inside the system unit. At the same time, it is customary to refer to
fans with a thin case for models in which this size does not exceed 20 mm.
