TT Bigwater SE or Zalman CNPS9500LED?

[alphakp295]

hi,
i just bought Thermaltake Bigwater SE watercooling system from clearance sale from local compusa store for $40.00.
i thought it was very cheap, so just picked up the last one left.
i have zalman cps9500led installed in my computer;
my oced athlon x2 @ 2.75ghz runs @ 40deg w/ cps9500led aligned with a rear blow fan.
does anyone know if TT Bigwater SE performs better than zalman cnps9500led?
if bigwater se is better, is there a significant difference?
thanx for helping me out in advance.

 

[fpdoc]

I've heard good things about the TT bigwater.
I went with the Zalman set up like you are looking at.
CPU temps are 21 idle and maybe will hit mid to high 30's at low. I have the Zalman exhausting into a Arctic Cooling 120mm fan with a second 120mm exhaust fan above it. Case Gigabyte 3D Aurora. even after 1 hour on F.E.A.R. the temps are very reasonable.

 

[Assman]

I had a Thermaltake Bigwater SE on my x1600 pro 512mb, and comparing to zalman vf700 cu, it droped temp. by 4-5C from 40-41 to 35-36C
a little bit off the topic, but i hope it'll give you some idea

 

[phreejak]

Here's a review that you might find informative:

http://www.trustedreviews.com/article.aspx?art=1805

 

[1Tanker]

hi,
i just bought Thermaltake Bigwater SE watercooling system from clearance sale from local compusa store for $40.00.
i thought it was very cheap, so just picked up the last one left.
i have zalman cps9500led installed in my computer;
my oced athlon x2 @ 2.75ghz runs @ 40deg w/ cps9500led aligned with a rear blow fan.
does anyone know if TT Bigwater SE performs better than zalman cnps9500led?
if bigwater se is better, is there a significant difference?
thanx for helping me out in advance.

Here's a direct comparison article.


Result - Bigwater SE vs. 9500 LED:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/16watercooling_18.html

Full article link:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/16watercooling.html

 

[chuckshissle]

Yes, there would be. The CNPS9500 to start is not that great but nice looking and expensive. The Big Water will have better results and be sure to use a push-pull fan set up for the radiator.

 

[alphakp295]

hi,
i just bought Thermaltake Bigwater SE watercooling system from clearance sale from local compusa store for $40.00.
i thought it was very cheap, so just picked up the last one left.
i have zalman cps9500led installed in my computer;
my oced athlon x2 @ 2.75ghz runs @ 40deg w/ cps9500led aligned with a rear blow fan.
does anyone know if TT Bigwater SE performs better than zalman cnps9500led?
if bigwater se is better, is there a significant difference?
thanx for helping me out in advance.

Here's a direct comparison article.


Result - Bigwater SE vs. 9500 LED:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/16watercooling_18.html

Full article link:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/16watercooling.html


i read that article, but it seems a bit odd.
according to them, gigabyte 3d galaxy is better than bigwater;
bigwater is better than zalman cnps9500led;
it clearly says gigabyte 3d galaxy is better than zalman cnps9500led.
here's another link from x-bit:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/zalman-cnps9500_6.html
this shows that zalman cnps9500led has similar if not better performance than gigabyte 3d galaxy.
did i read something wrong?
or something i'm missing??
any suggestions? 8O

 

[1Tanker]

hi,
i just bought Thermaltake Bigwater SE watercooling system from clearance sale from local compusa store for $40.00.
i thought it was very cheap, so just picked up the last one left.
i have zalman cps9500led installed in my computer;
my oced athlon x2 @ 2.75ghz runs @ 40deg w/ cps9500led aligned with a rear blow fan.
does anyone know if TT Bigwater SE performs better than zalman cnps9500led?
if bigwater se is better, is there a significant difference?
thanx for helping me out in advance.

Here's a direct comparison article.


Result - Bigwater SE vs. 9500 LED:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/16watercooling_18.html

Full article link:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/16watercooling.html


i read that article, but it seems a bit odd.
according to them, gigabyte 3d galaxy is better than bigwater;
bigwater is better than zalman cnps9500led;
it clearly says gigabyte 3d galaxy is better than zalman cnps9500led.
here's another link from x-bit:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/zalman-cnps9500_6.html
this shows that zalman cnps9500led has similar if not better performance than gigabyte 3d galaxy.
did i read something wrong?
or something i'm missing??
any suggestions? 8OYeah, i see the discrepency. Good observation. The only reason i can see, is that they used an overclocked P4 @4GHz+ on the 9500LED review, and a complicated homemade testbed(vs. an actual CPU) in their W/C shootout. Hard to say which result is more accurate. :?

 

[RichPLS]

I have used the BW SE, and now I use the Bigwater 745 which is a more robust system with a higher flow pump.
I have a LianLi PC-60plus case, and have fit the pump and resovoir internal sitting on the drive cage...

It keeps my Opteron 175 OC'd to 2.64GHz under 40C at full load... and I do not even have the second single radiator installed... which would make CPU run even cooler...
Considering the 745 costs around $150 it is a bargain indeed. and their is a model 735 which has same components, but just one radiator.

 

[3lfk1ng]

i thought it was very cheap, so just picked up the last one left.

There is a reason why it is cheap....it sucks. STAY AWAY, dont not use the big water....get the Zalman. The TT Bigwater is a joke....I repeat dont not use the big water....get the Zalman.

I had a TTBigwater, it ran fine for about 2 weeks...then the cables started to leak, which fried my Asus 9800xt.

Also the system relies on realy heavily on cheap rubber "o" rings to keep the water in ...not a good design.

The cables can kink...which shows they are cheap cables, and the liquid is conductive...most high quality water cooling systems aren't conductive.

Whatever you do....stay away from the TT Bigwater. On a hot summer day in May 06' the cables started to leak again because the heat from summer softened them up.I actually took out the whole system with the flow meter and the level indicator and threw it in the trash can I was so pi$$ed. Then I went out and bought a Thermaltake Big Typhoon, and I get better temps anyways.

Also it's a pain taking to lan parties because you have to check it for 10 min before turning the computer on.....then check it for another 10 min before you start playing games just so your system doesnt die during the lan...what a waste of time.


Get this:
Scythe Ninja Rev. B
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835185038
or wait for the new 110mm Zalman cnps9700
http://www.matbe.com/actualites/12713/zalman-cnps9700

But w/e you do, don't use the Bigwater...

 

[RichPLS]

I have been using the Bigwater SE for about 7 months before I upgraded it to the Bigwater 745 system... which I have been running for about 8 months now...
And they are built very well, and with minimal care should not leak.
The 735/745 systems also are very efficient at removing heat from the CPU and out of the case, much more so than ANY standard heatsink...

My Opteron 175 overclocked to 2x 2.64GHz under stress testing does not ever go over 40C... and that is with the radiator fan running at half speed, virtually silent...
Even tho it costs $150, and you have some additional maintenance with all water systems, it beats the pants off any heatsink in terms of performance/silence...

 

[Talon]

Since you already purchased it why not just slap it in there and see first hand what it does with your specific setup?

It may or may not give you much better temps at idle but almost surely will be able to handle OC speeds with better efficiency.

I saw some of that compusa clearance stuff but only on thursday. By that time most of the sweet stuff was long gone 🙁 Sure wish I'd known about the clearance at the beginning of the week.

 

[kwalker]

I used the thermaltake se for about 6 months without a problem and kept my presler cool enough to stay over 4ghz .
its no job for extreme oc's with that 1/4 inch tubeing.
for a buget system its fine and the pump was redesigned because of earlier failures.

 

[1Tanker]

Look at the design of CPU WB for Gigabyte LCS vs. TT BW-SE, the tubing (3/8" vs. 1/2") and the pump used.
Then look at the price NewEgg is selling for Gigabyte LCS now, it's a no contest.

It's the reason why Thomas Soderstrom used it in the THG 'Cheap Thrills: Core 2 Duo E6400 Overclocked to 3.33 GHz' article instead of other water kits.

I realize that the BW SE is a budget system, and wasn't even recommending it, he just wanted to know which would cool better(BW SE or CNPS 9500). That's why i linked the review for him. He does, afterall, already own it. Which of the 2 do you dislike more, i know the CNPS 9500 is a sore spot with you? :?

 

[top41]

The BigWater SE's pump is suck
and the block as well
if you colud change the pump and the water block
it would perform extremly great

 

[RichPLS]

Since he has both already, I would use the BW-SE, and the 9500 can be a backup if results are not adequate... For some people, it would be a nice learning experience...

 

[kwalker]

The BigWater SE's pump is suck
and the block as well
if you colud change the pump and the water block
it would perform extremly great

Well I guess one side of the pump sucks ...the other one blows.
there we have it. 8)

to the OP
lap the CPU block and you,ll have a nice cooling solution.
I personally saw a 6C drop in temps after lapping .
dont pay attention to us just enjoy your Rig.