News Half of tested PC watercoolers don’t use the premium materials advertised, like copper: Report

[Admin]

Veteran hardware reviewer Igor Wallossek has published an investigation into AiO CPU cooler radiator materials. Checking six branded designs, three used brass where copper components were advertised.

Half of tested PC watercoolers don’t use the premium materials advertised, like copper: Report : Read more

 

[hannibal]

So some companies cheat… surprice…

 

[Notton]

I'm surprised they use pure copper for the radiator fins and cheap out elsewhere.
Aluminum radiator fins would lower cost while not affecting performance by much. It won't touch water, so there is no worry of corrosion either.

 

[Dantte]

I'm surprised they use pure copper for the radiator fins and cheap out elsewhere.
Aluminum radiator fins would lower cost while not affecting performance by much. It won't touch water, so there is no worry of corrosion either.

Actually, Aluminum fins would increase performance over copper. Copper is a great solid to solid conductor of heat, but Aluminum is far superior solid to air when it comes to heat, so having a Copper tube to Aluminum fin would work great.

The catch here is the connection point between the materials; such as with an air cooling block, the fins are not soldered, they are physically 1 piece so the heat transferer efficiency is 100%, where as if you were to have a Cu block and Al fins soldered on, you would lose efficiency and counter act any gains from Al cooling fins. A radiator is a different animal, it cant be 1 piece, so Cu tube to Cu fins soldered on, vs Cu tube to Al fins soldered on the transfer efficiency is the same and Al takes the lead.

What surprises me is the EKWB, I always thought of them as the gold-standard and its clearly labeled on their website that tubes are CU H90. So for this to be brass, not only does it go against my perception of the company, this is a lawsuit (myself included as I have a Quantum P-series radiator.) Granted I havent had any issues and it works good, I never even paid attention to the details in the spec sheets, it is very annoying to read this.

 

[TechLurker]

Personally, I hope he also tests Blyski's luxury radiator lineup in the Granzon series. I'm using a pair of them (one with an integrated pump) due to the fact that at the time of build, the Airplex Radical radiators with a pump integrated wasn't available. Blyski insists that their Granzon are made to a higher quality than the regular radiators, so it'd be a valid thing to test.

 

[hotaru251]

I wonder if you could file class action lawsuit for these brands that are lying about the material (as there is fraud)

You are paying for quality they aren't providing when they say they are.

 

[usertests]

I came looking for copper and I found BRASS

 

[bavor]

"Igor Wallossek has published an investigation into AiO CPU cooler radiator materials" - Yet it shows custom open loop components in the comparison?

 

[Alvar "Miles" Udell]

I wonder if you could file class action lawsuit for these brands that are lying about the material (as there is fraud)

You are paying for quality they aren't providing when they say they are.

Everyone would get about $5 after the lawyers take half.

 

[junglist724]

In the end as long as the they're not using materials that would result in harmful corrosion I'm not that bothered. The one Aqua Computer radiator that got the most praise from Igor is also one of the worst performing radiators on the market.

 

[USAFRet]

I wonder if you could file class action lawsuit for these brands that are lying about the material (as there is fraud)

You are paying for quality they aren't providing when they say they are.

"You" can't.

That requires a large legal team.

If successful, 6 years from now you get $4.24

 

[chris maple]

Actually, Aluminum fins would increase performance over copper. Copper is a great solid to solid conductor of heat, but Aluminum is far superior solid to air when it comes to heat,

Citation needed. As far as I can tell, aluminum and copper should transfer heat to air equally well if they have the same surface roughness. Radiative cooling effectiveness depends upon infrared albedo, which can be altered chemically or with paint for both aluminum and copper.

 

[hotaru251]

That requires a large legal team.

i meant "you" as in customers of them.

not you as in a single person.

 

[regs01]

clearly labeled on their website that tubes are CU H90. So for this to be brass, not only does it go against my perception of the company, this is a lawsuit

Judge will clearly dismiss you personal perceptions, if the website clearly states what kind of alloy it made from. When you buy something steel you don't expect it to be always same alloy. They differ. So as alluminium. It's often some alloy, rather than pure alluminium.

 

[rocky54635]

Actually, Aluminum fins would increase performance over copper. Copper is a great solid to solid conductor of heat, but Aluminum is far superior solid to air when it comes to heat, so having a Copper tube to Aluminum fin would work great.

The catch here is the connection point between the materials; such as with an air cooling block, the fins are not soldered, they are physically 1 piece so the heat transferer efficiency is 100%, where as if you were to have a Cu block and Al fins soldered on, you would lose efficiency and counter act any gains from Al cooling fins. A radiator is a different animal, it cant be 1 piece, so Cu tube to Cu fins soldered on, vs Cu tube to Al fins soldered on the transfer efficiency is the same and Al takes the lead.

What surprises me is the EKWB, I always thought of them as the gold-standard and its clearly labeled on their website that tubes are CU H90. So for this to be brass, not only does it go against my perception of the company, this is a lawsuit (myself included as I have a Quantum P-series radiator.) Granted I havent had any issues and it works good, I never even paid attention to the details in the spec sheets, it is very annoying to read this.

Aluminum is not a better conductor than cooper in any scenario whether it be thermally or conductively, regardless of how specific you want to make the scenario cooper will always perform better. Aluminum on takes a win in cost and weight other wise cooper is just hands downs better. Along with that you do not want to run aluminum in a cooling loop, it would be silly. Unlike nickel, brass, cooper, aluminum reacts with other metals and it would reek havoc on the cooling loop. This is preventable but making sure the correct amount of additives and DI are mixed but at that point you might as well dump car coolant in but it's just better to not throw aluminum into the mix.

 

[dimar]

Am I wrong to stay away from liquid coolers and just get something good like Noctua?
I always thought that liquid cooling mostly needed when pushing components beyond their standard specs, and in that case I'd get top quality kit by doing proper research.

 

[rocky54635]

Am I wrong to stay away from liquid coolers and just get something good like Noctua?
I always thought that liquid cooling mostly needed when pushing components beyond their standard specs, and in that case I'd get top quality kit by doing proper research.

No, liquid coolers are a nice addition to your system whether you want to push more out of it or you want to increase life span by keeping temps lower.

Don't get excited about this. This isn't even new news. Someone just wanted something to complain about and it's really irrelevant.

 

[das_stig]

Pure and simple cost cutting and unlawful ripping off the customer by declaring one spec in sales information and using an alternative in production. If somebody took the time to do a full investigation, would be interesting to see how many of the big-name companies fall foul and what the regional authorities would do, multiple massive fines would be justified.

 

[yngndrw]

Judge will clearly dismiss you personal perceptions, if the website clearly states what kind of alloy it made from. When you buy something steel you don't expect it to be always same alloy. They differ. So as alluminium. It's often some alloy, rather than pure alluminium.

But the issue is that it's misleading. "Copper H90" is not a real thing, as copper implies it's pure copper. It does not clearly state what kind of alloy it's made from, as copper is not an alloy.

In reality, they mean a 90% copper 10% zinc blend, which is brass - essentially any blend of copper and zinc is brass, or to put it another way brass is the correct name for a copper-zinc alloy.

Your example of steel is a poor example, as steel is itself an alloy.

Aluminium is also not a great example because, although it can indeed refer to the pure form, it is almost always used as an alloy. An aluminium alloy is a common expectation because pure aluminium is not very useful.

Copper on the other hand is often used in its pure form. When a cooling component manufacturer states copper, it is stated to separate the product from competitor products which may be an aluminium alloy or brass. It is extremely misleading to state "copper" when it is in fact brass.

EK used to be much better than this. We should all expect better than this.

 

[regs01]

"Copper H90" is not a real thing, as copper implies it's pure copper

No it doesn't. And surely it doesn't, when it straightly says name of alloy.

 

[yngndrw]

No it doesn't. And surely it doesn't, when it straightly says name of alloy.

Of course it does, an alloy of copper and zinc is called brass - It's purposefully misleading at best.

How is an average customer meant to know that "Copper H90" is actually meant to mean "Brass H90", when the word "copper" in that context is meant to distinguish this product from other products which use brass? The implication, in that context and for the intended audience, is that it's a product made of copper rather than the "lesser" competitor products which are brass or aluminium.

Again, "Copper H90" does not exist. It's brass by definition.

 

[regs01]

Again, "Copper H90" does not exist. It's brass by definition.

18/10, VG-10, AUS-8, 304 etc etc - they all do not exist?
"CU H90" is a name of alloy. They don't even say anything about copper. And yes, you can still refer to copper alloy as copper and steel alloy as iron. And that is exactly how aluminium alloys are referred to.

And surely when you've been told specifically which alloy is, you can't do anything in the court.