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RBMODS REVIEWS |
Date 2007-04-07
Provider: Coolit
Author: Michael Chiu
Editor: Amber Lupala
CoolIT PCI Cooling Booster Review
Looking to cool all of PCI cards in your computer but can’t get a fan mounted in the right place? We might have come across the answer, in the form of CoolIT’s PCI Cooling Booster. CoolIT, makers of a wide range of cooling products, has impressed us in the past with their innovative cooling solutions. Will this one give their reputation a boost? That is what we’re here to find out in this review.
About Coolit:
The New Standard for Cooling Computers
For years, CoolIT has been working with leaders in the computer industry to research, design, and provide an affordable new cooling product that provides a comprehensive solution for end users while exceeding high OEM standards. This carefully designed and patented technology unleashes the full potential of a PC, providing superior cooling performance while reducing system level noise and improving reliability of vital components. This small, but potent, pre-assembled product can be easily installed inside any standard chassis.
Aside from the current product offering, there are several additional products poised for release in the coming months to service the demanding cooling requirements of high performance video cards, multi-processor computers, and servers.
Leveraging the technology
The same core technology being utilized in CoolIT's computer cooling products is being applied to enable other useful products that have novel appeal. The first of which is the CoolIT USB Beverage Chiller which will keep your beverage cold to the last drop running silently off your USB interface.
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We felt it only appropriate to help keep your beverage cold while you're enjoying your new CoolIT liquid chilled enhanced PC. CoolIT's expertise in the field of thermoelectric cooler utilization will pave the way for many other innovative products that will not only appeal to the most tech savvy users but to the broader market arena as well.
Specifications:
Simple to Install:
• Simple bolt-in to any standard 7 slot PCI bay
• Plugs into any available fan header
Cools PCI Components:
•Provides direct airflow to cool all PCI cards to increase stability and reliability
•Guaranteed to reduce temperatures on video cards
•Maximize overclocking potential
The product:
Please click on thumbnails to get bigger pictures
The CoolIT PCI Cooling Booster arrived in a clear plastic container with the cooler prominently displayed on the front. The back provides a snapshot of the cooler in action and list additional features.
Please click on thumbnails to get bigger pictures
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Opening the package, we see that the design of this cooler is pretty straightforward, consisting of a 90mm fan on a bracket. The bracket is designed such that it fits across the entire PCI bracket, screwing in at the top and bottom PCI card slot. The fan is made of transparent plastic and has nice blue LEDs.
Please click on thumbnails to get bigger pictures
When sizing up the installation process, I first noticed that this cooler would only work if the case uses screws to secure PCI cards to the bracket; if you have a tool-less, I don’t think this cooler would work. Thankfully, the test case I was using did have screws, so installation was possible. After removing the top and bottom PCI screws, simply attach the two thumb screws to the case. Next, the bracket gets secured to those screws using two more thumb screws.
Please click on thumbnails to get bigger pictures
However, I did hit a snag on the installation when it came to plugging in the fan’s power connector; it initially didn’t reach any of the connectors on the motherboard. For some reason the cable is very short (~6 inches). I was able to get additional length by freeing the cable from its routing on the bracket, but I was forced to unplug a case fan in order to use this cooler. In addition to having more cable length, I think the cooler should come with an additional piggy-back connector or a way to connect it to a 4-pin peripheral connector, such that you don’t lose a fan connection.
Powering on the computer, I was greeted with a nice soft blue light from the LED. The fan runs fairly quiet and smoothly. However, looking at it inside the Ultra case I just reviewed, notice the difference between the fan’s position and the case vent. The cooler is positioned more towards the edge of the case as opposed to centrally located in the middle where a lot of the PCI card’s heat comes from. I think this might be another design oversight.
Current Real Time Pricing
Testing time >>>>> Page 2
Related Articles:
Arctic Cooling Accelero S2 Video Card Cooler Review
Coolermaster HyperTX Socket 775 CPU cooler
Rosewill RCX-Z775-SL CPU Cooler Review
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