Alphacool is at CloudFest—the world's largest event for cloud, hosting and internet infrastructure! The Alphacool team awaits all interested parties at booth #G10 and #G11. CloudFest, taking place from March 18-21, 2024 at Europa-Park (Rust, Germany), is the go-to venue for professionals to meet, network and explore new partnership opportunities. With so many captivating presentations, important workshops and exciting networking events, this festival can be the kind of experience that can transform businesses in a meaningful way.

An Alphacool highlight is the prototype of a CDU (Coolant Distribution Unit) for servers. With this first model, Alphacool presents a highly effective way of cooling servers on a large scale. The Alphacool 2U 19" Coolant Distribution Unit paired with the Alphacool 4U 19" Radiator Unit has a cooling capacity of up to 8000 watts in its current state of development. This is enough cooling for 40 1U servers, for example. External management is supplemented with in-house software.

Corsair today unveiled the iCUE LINK XH405i RGB, the latest evolution in its award-winning Hydro X Series of custom cooling kits. Since the launch of the original XH305i kits in 2020, Corsair has revolutionized the custom cooling market, offering enthusiasts a comprehensive package that simplifies the entry into custom cooling. These kits have successfully introduced thousands of new DIY builders to the hobby. Building on this legacy, the XH405i RGB kit elevates the experience with an advanced suite of cooling components augmented with RGB lighting, harmoniously integrated with Corsair's innovative iCUE LINK technology to further streamline the building process.

The XH405i kit, available in stealth gray or white, bundles everything you need to set up a stunning iCUE LINK-enabled CPU custom cooling system. This includes a high-efficiency CPU water block, a top-tier D5 pump/reservoir combo unit, three stunning QX120 RGB fans, a 360 mm performance radiator, and more. Taking advantage of the game-changing iCUE LINK ecosystem that vastly reduces the complexity of component connections, the XH405i makes custom cooling a genuinely accessible hobby for enthusiasts of all levels - not just the most dedicated builders.

Edged Energy, a subsidiary of Endeavour devoted to carbon neutral data center infrastructure, announced today the launch of its first four U.S. data centers, all designed for today's high-density AI workloads and equipped with advanced waterless cooling and ultra-efficient energy systems. The facilities will bring more than 300 MW of critical capacity with an industry-leading average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.15 portfolio-wide. Edged has nearly a dozen new data centers operating or under construction across Europe and North America and a gigawatt-scale project pipeline.

The first phase of this U.S. expansion includes a 168 MW campus in Atlanta, a 96 MW campus in the Chicago area, 36 MW in Phoenix and 24 MW in Kansas City. At a time of growing water scarcity where rivers, aquifers and watersheds are at dangerously low levels, it is more critical than ever that IT infrastructure conserve precious water resources. The new Edged facilities are expected to save more than 1.2 billion gallons of water each year compared to conventional data centers. "The rise of AI and machine learning is requiring more power, and often more water, to cool outdated servers. While traditional data centers struggle to adapt, Edged facilities are ready for the advanced computing of today and tomorrow without consuming any water for cooling," said Bryant Farland, Chief Executive Officer for Edged. "Sustainability is at the core of our platform. It is why our data centers are uniquely optimized for energy efficiency and water conservation. We are excited to be partnering with local communities to bring future-proof solutions to a growing digital economy."

Arctic is giving finishing touches to its new Liquid Freezer III all-in-one liquid CPU cooler. Designed almost entirely in-house by Arctic, the cooler features a few unique design improvements over its predecessor, the Liquid Freezer II series. To begin with, the pump-block features a unique design resembling an aircraft turbofan engine intake. In the previous generations of Liquid Freezer, the VRM area ventilation fan appeared suspended on top of the pump-block, like it's a secondary fixture. Here, the fan is located inside top vent of the pump-block, and guides all its airflow laterally, providing some airflow to your CPU VRM and memory areas. The pump is located adjacent to this fan.

There are three color trims with four size variants, each. The color trims include White + ARGB, Black + ARGB, and Black sans lighting. In the White + ARGB and Black + ARGB variants, the lighting includes an addressable RGB LED element on the pump-block, with the fan vent serving as an LED diffuser; and each of the included fan having lighting of its own. Size variants for each of the three trims include 240 (240 mm x 120 mm); 280 (280 mm x 140 mm); 360 (360 mm x 120 mm); and 420 (420 mm x 140 mm). Arctic has made improvements to the radiator design, to extend its finnage (heat dissipation surfare area) to the edges of the frame. We'll learn more detailed specs such as the cooling performance and fan specs, as we head closer to product launch.The leaked teaser trailer for the Arctic Liquid Freezer III follows.

Bitspower brought a large bag of new toys at the 2024 International CES. The first thing that caught our attention was a familiar-looking case with infinity reflection lighting. On a closer look, it turned out to be a Lian Li PC-O11D Evo XL that's been given a neat aesthetic uplift thanks to the new Enigma Light Panel kit by Bitspower. You arrange these along the edges of your side- and front panels, and the provide an impressive, infinity reflection effect. It works with standard 3-pin ARGB, so you can mix it with your regular lighting setup. Next up, are a slew of CR Slim series reservoirs that are designed in the distribution plate format, which they line up with one of your glass panels, providing a better view of your coolant. There are various sizes, ranging from 120 mm x 120 mm, going all the way up to 803 mm. x 140 mm, with fitting ports at strategic locations to align with your CPU and VGA blocks, and radiators. The reservoirs come with preparation for a standard D5 pump, and feature a side cover that has the ARGB LED lighting, the diodes aren't studded into the acrylic as such. Bitspower released a mounting brackets of various sizes to help you correctly mount the reservoirs and accessories in place.

The TechPowerUp team visited the EK water blocks booth at the CES 2024 international show. We previously covered the company's latest direct-die all-in-one (AIO) water cooler, but many more products were on display. First in line is EK's Quantum-X NoCase chassis, which contradicts traditional PC enclosures with its open, no outer shell design. This radical departure from convention results in a nearly invisible frame crafted from aluminium for a featherlight weight of approximately 3 pounds. Its design is meticulously engineered to be as airy and lightweight as possible without compromising the support needed for essential hardware and liquid cooling components. The case integrates the advanced Reflection² distro plate, equipped with dual D5 pumps to facilitate separate cooling loops for both the CPU and GPU, ensuring optimal thermal management in a minimalist aesthetic.

During the CES 2024 show, EK unveiled an exciting new addition to their premium all-in-one (AIO) CPU cooler lineup—the EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Direct Die D-RGB. As the name suggests, this new 360 mm AIO water cooler is purpose-built for direct die cooling of delidded Intel LGA1700 CPUs. The EK-Nucleus Direct Die stands out with its custom cold plate and mounting mechanism, which are exclusively engineered for exposed CPU dies. The nickel-plated copper base ensures compatibility with liquid metal TIMs like the included Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut, which comes in the package. EK has worked with der8auer to provide delidding service kits and tools to facilitate easy DIY removal of the integrated heat spreader (IHS).

The package also contains a contact frame and protective foam for safe liquid metal application. At the heart of the cooler is a powerful AIO pump EK co-developed with the OEM manufacturer, meaning it is not an off-the-shelf pump found in other AIOs and is capable of up to 500 L/h flow rate. The reinforced, sleeved rubber tubing is fitted with aluminium covers for durability. Integrated omnilink connectors allow daisy chaining of the three included 120 mm D-RGB fans for cable management. The EK-Nucleus Direct Die offers extensive RGB lighting customization with illuminated circle accents on the removable pump top covers. The diamond-cut brushed aluminium side panels and radiator cowl add to the premium aesthetic. The new AIO will be available for the Intel LGA1700 platform, with hopefully more versions later. The EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Direct Die D-RGB is now available for pre-order at €202.90 MSRP price tag.

TECNO, a global innovative technology brand once again participated in the Berlin International Consumer Electronics Show (IFA), showcasing its innovative prowess from September 1st to 5th, 2023, TECNO unveiled two "world-first" concept devices: the Water-Cooling MEGA MINI Gaming PC and the Phantom Ultimate rollable smartphone.

Throughout the exhibition, TECNO's exhibition design under the theme "Dazzling Youth" stood out, showcasing the brand attitude of "passion, innovation, and modernity" through a comprehensive and stylish visual dialogue with consumers. TECNO's presence was marked by exciting product launches, TECNO highlight products' presentations, and immersive experiences that left a mark on the world of technology. With a focus on addressing evolving consumer needs and trends, TECNO's participation at IFA Berlin 2023 underscored the company's dedication to elevating the smart ecosystem mobile tech landscape.

INNO3D, a leading manufacturer of pioneering high-end multimedia components and innovations proudly unveiled its much-awaited INNO3D GeForce RTX 4090 Frostbite new editions in Ultra and Pro. These next-generation INNO3D graphics cards promise unparalleled performance due to their Ada architecture. The iCHILL Frostbite has significant upgrades in both aesthetics and performance.

Dating back to 1998, INNO3D was founded with the aim to develop innovative computer hardware products on a global scale. Today, INNO3D is recognized in the gaming community for our avant-garde and bold approach to design and technology. We live by the mantra of being "Brutal by Nature" in all our endeavors, ensuring that we provide you with a superior gaming experience.

Raijintek's exhibit at Computex 2023 was a captivating showcase of their innovative products for water-cooling enthusiasts. The company turned heads with its all-black brushed aluminium finish components, beautifully augmented with RGB lighting. Raijintek started off with their CPU water blocks, engineered to provide efficient cooling for high-performance CPUs. The RGB lighting breathed life into the elegant all-black blocks, rendering them both practical and stylish. Also featured was their state-of-the-art pump and reservoir combinations, with the same design ethos and a spotlight on efficient operation. Using the same black design, Raijintek extended their design to their radiators, with efficient heat dissipation to keep systems cool. Furthermore, their distribution plates continued to impress with their sleek designs, offering optimal flow paths for cooling fluid. There was a Chinese-inspired mod that showed usage of the company's components in the modded build.

Alphacool at Computex presented a few new products that highlighted what the company has been working on. First off, we have the Apex Stealth Metal fan among the latest products introduced by the brand, hailed as the world's first computer fan designed with entirely decoupled propellers, bearings, and motors from the chassis. The design minimizes both the vibration and the noise generated by the fan. The fan frame is constructed entirely of metal, showcasing the fresh Apex design. Additionally, it employs a 6-pole motor. The fan is touted as being silent due to its HDB (Hydro Dynamic Bearing) design. The fan blades are also fine-tuned to achieve maximum airflow and pressure, though specific details will still be released. The Apex Stealth Metal fan will be accessible in black, chrome, and white variants. Also in the pipeline is a unique variant called Alphacool ES Stealth Metal Fan Black, specifically designed for "Enterprise Solutions," featuring an integrated ventilation grill. The Apex Metal fan SKUs will be available for around $30 or less.

Galax has expanded its NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card lineup with a new Hydro models available in white or black - the latter will become available at a later date. The new design sports a 360 mm AIO liquid cooler with a triple-fan setup and 50 cm long tubing, which seems to be a first for Galax - all of its previously released GeForce RTX 40-series cards have been air-cooled. A full-cover aluminium alloy backplate is attached, according to Galax's product page.

It is not clear where the RTX 4090 Hydro cards sit in Galax's model rankings, but the pair look to be positioned below their flagship air-cooled HoF (Hall of Fame) sibling. The HoF boasts a 2595 MHz boost clock plus a 1-Click OC Clock of 2610 MHz (enabled via Galax's software), while the Hydro makes do with a 2580 MHz boost clock which aligns it with the 4090 SG 1-Click OC (air-cooled) variant, but the specification sheet points to the Hydro missing Galax's software-enabled overclock feature.

EK, the leading computer cooling solutions provider, is expanding its Nucleus AIO portfolio with a brand-new model, EK-Nucleus AIO Dark. EK constantly pushes the envelope of available products, trying to make something for everyone. This AIO retains the shape of the original model but offers a price-competitive, all-black, non-RGB option for people whose budget or taste doesn't allow for additional FPS otherwise harnessed from RGB lighting #joke.

EK-Nucleus AIO Dark Series
The EK-Nucleus AIO Dark is an all-black all-in-one liquid cooling solution for modern AMD and Intel CPUs. It comes without any RGB on the fans or the pump-block unit. Unlike the standard model, it doesn't have a shroud over the end tanks that hides the fittings on the radiator, or the aluminium shroud across the radiator. These cost-saving measures allowed EK to offer a fully performance-oriented yet budget-friendly AIO solution.

EK, the premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer, has issued a statement for its loyal customer base regarding the upcoming changes in the pricing of certain products: Dear and valued EK customers. In light of full transparency, we wanted to inform you of some changes that will be taking place in the coming weeks. Due to various factors like raw material sourcing difficulties, material prices, and labor costs, we will raise the prices of a selected range of our products.

These changes will occur on March 31, 2023, and the price increase will only affect certain products. Those prices will increase by 8% on average, applying to any selected product or product line our company currently offers.

With Core Storm and Core Hurrican, Alphacool provides further complete water cooling sets that contain all components for setting up a performance-oriented CPU cooling. The sets differ in that Core Storm comes with SoftTubes, while Core Hurrican comes with HardTubes. Due to the included mounting hardware, the bundled CPU coolers are compatible with all common mainstream sockets from AMD and Intel. Even AMD's newest AM5 socket can be water-cooled with the Core Storm or Core Hurrican sets with ease.

The sets are not only aimed at beginners, but also at enthusiasts. The selected components are optimally matched and come from Alphacool's DIY program. By using the Alphacool quick-connect coupling included with the Core Set, the loop can be easily expanded with additional components such as radiators, GPU coolers or sensors without having to drain or rebuild the water loop.

[Editor's note: Our review of the new Hydro X Series iCUE XH303i RGB PRO kit is published here for those interested.]

CORSAIR, a world leader in enthusiast components for gamers, creators, and PC builders, today announced new complete hardline CPU custom cooling kits in the award-winning Hydro X Series: the CORSAIR iCUE XH303i RGB PRO and XH305i RGB PRO. With all the key parts you need to build a custom cooling loop, from CPU water blocks, to pump/radiator combos, to all the necessary tubing and fittings, these kits remove the guesswork and streamline the process of building a stunning hardline loop.

The XH303i RGB PRO and XH305i RGB PRO deliver all the necessary components for powerful CPU cooling in one box, in either black or white. An XC7 RGB PRO CPU Water Block, compatible with Intel LGA 1700/1200 and AMD AM4 processors, keeps your CPU temperatures down with more than 110 micro-cooling fins under a nickel-plated copper cold plate. Both kits disperse heat through a 30 mm-thick XR5 360 mm performance radiator, and contain all the hardline tubing and fittings you need, along with an included cutting/bending kit for making beautiful bends.

EK, the leading computer cooling solutions provider, is introducing a whole series of Vector² liquid cooling products for EVGA's XC3 graphic cards. We made sure that powerful EVGA GeForce RTX 3080, 3080 Ti, and 3090 XC3 cards get their Vector² water block with passive backplate, new synergistic active backplate, and other aesthetic pieces to customize your water-cooled 30-series EVGA GPU to your own desires. The EK-Quantum Vector² EVGA XC3 RTX 3080/90 D-RGB is a complete liquid cooling solution that includes a new Vector² water block, black-anodized aluminum backplate, and mounting mechanism. Minimalistic straight lines dominate the new look of the next-gen water blocks.

The 3rd-generation Vector cooling engine combines the jet plate with a 3D machined Plexi insert to improve flow distribution and thermal performance. This new cooling engine is still based on an Open Split-Flow cooling engine design, which proved to be a superior solution for GPU water blocks. It is characterized by low hydraulic flow restriction, meaning it can be used with weaker water pumps or pumps running on low-speed settings and still achieve top performance. We went to great lengths to achieve a symmetrical flow domain by utilizing an internal bridge to secondary components. This was done to ensure the cooling of secondary components without sacrificing flow distribution over the GPU core.

Alphacool today presents the Eiswolf 2 All-in-One solution for GeForce RTX 3080 NVIDIA Founders Edition and Radeon RX 6800/6800XT MSI Gaming X Trio graphics cards. The Eiswolf 2 uses the Alphacool 360 mm NexXxoS ST30 full copper radiator. For the fans, we use the 120 mm Alphacool Aurora Rise. The AIO is completed by the Eisblock Aurora water cooler. This not only cools the GPU chip, but actively cools all relevant components such as the memory and VRAM. It also has brilliant aRGB lighting.

All components used (radiator, fan, cooler, DC-LT 2 pump) including fittings and tubing are part of the Alphacool DIY range and are therefore available separately. The combination of all components results in a solution that is as easy to install as an AIO, but offers the performance of a pre-assembled and pre-filled custom loop.

Xiaomi today unveiled its latest breakthrough in heat dissipation - Loop LiquidCool Technology. Inspired by cooling solutions used in the aerospace industry, Loop LiquidCool Technology utilizes a capillary effect which draws liquid cooling agent to the heat source, vaporizes, and then disperses the heat efficiently towards a cooler area, until the agent condenses and is captured via a unidirectional closed looped channel. Compared to conventional vapor chambers solutions, this new technology has twice the cooling capabilities and ranks as the most efficient smartphone cooling solution. Xiaomi aims to bring Loop LiquidCool Technology to its products in H2 2022.

This new technology features an annular heat pipe system that is composed of an evaporator, a condenser, a refill chamber, as well as gas and liquid pipes. Placed at heat sources, the evaporator has refrigerant that evaporates to gas when the smartphone is under high workload. The gas and airflow is then diffused to the condenser, where the gas condenses into liquid again. These liquids are absorbed and collected through tiny fibers in the refill chamber—which refills the evaporator—making it a self-sustaining system.

CORSAIR, a world leader in enthusiast components for gamers, creators, and PC builders, today announced new, highly customizable additions to its ELITE line of all-in-one CPU coolers: iCUE ELITE LCD Display Liquid CPU Coolers. With a vivid 2.1" LCD screen on the pump head to display anything from system vitals to animated GIFs, ELITE LCD coolers offer a unique window into both your PC's performance and your own style and personality. The ultra-bright LCD screen is also available as an upgrade kit for CORSAIR iCUE ELITE CAPELLIX coolers, letting you add a digital dashboard to your existing cooler.

The new H100i ELITE LCD, H150i ELITE LCD, and H170i ELITE LCD are also equipped with new ML RGB ELITE Series fans, delivering powerful concentrated airflow with the performance of magnetic levitation bearings and AirGuide technology, illuminated by eight individually addressable RGB LEDs per fan. ML RGB ELITE fans are also available separately in both 120 mm and 140 mm sizes and either black or white frames, so you can take advantage of their high performance to cool your entire system as well.

Featuring a duality design that lets users customize their water-cooling from subtle to stunning, the Lumen has six addressable LEDs and connects directly to the motherboard or controller. Lumen is designed to be as easy to work with as possible - that's why we've included our latest Aspect fans, pre-applied the thermal paste, and ensured compatibility with the most common Intel/AMD sockets. There is also a plethora of ways to control the color effects, as the pre-installed settings at launch include Asus AURA, Gigabyte Fusion, MSI Mystic Light, Razer Chroma and ASRock Polychrome support.

EK, the premium water cooling gear manufacturer, is introducing a wide range of Quantum Torque colored Compression rings. The compression rings come in 6-packs and only contain the locking (compression) rings in the chosen color. The entire Torque soft (STC) and hard (HDC) fitting range gets the same color options, pairing these new colored compression rings with Torque Colored Aesthetic rings gives users infinite possibilities in mixing and matching colors.

Available colors:

• Nickel, Green, Gold, Purple, Blue, Red, Black

These premium compressing rings are exclusive to the EK-Quantum Torque series fittings. The ring with a nickel finish is made of nickel-plated CNC machined brass, while the Black, Green, Gold, Red, Blue, and Purple are made of CNC machined aluminium. The compression ring has cutouts in the EK Quantum signature shape allowing for the colored aesthetic ring to be shown. These colored rings are available in many colors and are screwed onto the fitting before the compression locking ring. They are sold separately.

[Editor's note: Our review of the Aqua Computer LEAKSHIELD can be found here]

The German company Aqua Computer introduces a breakthrough system to prevent leakage in water cooling systems. The system, called LEAKSHIELD, actively creates an optimally calculated negative pressure in the cooling system that prevents coolant from escaping in the event of a leak. If a leak occurs, only air is sucked into the cooling system. This works very reliably even in the case of larger leaks, such as broken acrylic glass components. An integrated vacuum pump is activated in a fraction of a second and maintains the negative pressure. A demonstration video shows several examples how LEAKSHIELD helps to prevent a leak: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UiRv0nDch0

In addition, the protection system uses a pressure sensor with a resolution of less than 0.0001 bar to detect and indicate even the smallest leaks. This allows countermeasures to be taken at a very early stage - ideally even before the system is filled with coolant. Although LEAKSHIELD was developed by Aqua Computer for the ULTITUBE reservoir series, it can also be used with reservoirs from other brands using an adapter kit. The minimal size of the sophisticated device is impressive: all components have been integrated into the small cover of the reservoir. Power supply and control are provided via USB. The device has an OLED display and a push-button control. This allows the most important functions to be controlled directly on the device.

Sharkoon Technologies is an international supplier of high-performance quality PC components and peripherals. With the TG6M RGB, Sharkoon now presents a variation of its popular TG6 RGB ATX case. With this latest addition to the "TG" PC case series, particular importance has been given to a strong airflow, and the tempered glass of the front panel has been thus replaced by an air-permeable mesh grille. And this time, the fans have circularly arranged LEDs, bringing the case closer to the traditional look of previous models.

Thanks to the front panel with the mesh grille, the TG6M RGB aims to ensure a continuously optimal temperature, even when the system is in full operation. Behind the front panel, three 120-millimeter addressable RGB LED fans with rubberized contact points are pre-installed, with no visible screws and in a modular framework. A fourth fan of the same type ensures that the heated air is removed through the back of the case. As an option, three additional 120-millimeter or two 140-millimeter fans can be installed in the top of the case, which is protected by a dust filter. Additional dust filters in the front and in the underside of the case should provide additional protection against dust and dirt.

Alphacool today introduces three different server racks in 1U, 2U and 4U formats. Alphacool is the first manufacturer to offer server racks that are directly prepared for water cooling components. Previous solutions consisted of expensive and complicated complete solutions from individual manufacturers with external cooling or you could buy corresponding water cooling sets for which you had to subsequently adapt cases.

Alphacool takes a different approach. The enclosures offer a largely classic interior design. However, special and versatile mounting options for reservoirs, pumps and radiators have been taken into account. A special carrier, which is included with every case, offers the possibility of accommodating radiators directly in the case. Further mounting options for the special and optionally available ES Distroplates allow neat hosing in the case. In this way, other components can also be easily integrated with the Alphacool ES quick connectors.