MODTHEBOX.COM - Canada's Premier Case Modding Source - Reviews - PolarFLO Universal SF Water Blocks Review

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Out of the box, my initial impressions of the PolarFLO Universal CPU Water Block SF were very positive. The water block measures approximately 3.25" (L) x 2.60" (W) x 2.43" (H) and weighs just 10.9oz. The premise behind this product is that it has been designed as a high performance water block that can be universally used on both the Intel and AMD platform. The composition of the PolarFLO Universal CPU Water Block SF consists of an anodized or plated 6061-T6 aluminum top and a super flat and finished 110 Copper base. Consumers will be happy to know that the Horse of Iron offers at least 4 different anodized and 3 plated finishes which allows this product to be customized for any case theme. The SF designation on this product stands for "Super Finished" and for a good reason. The PolarFLO Universal CPU Water Block SF has one of the best polished and flat surfaces of any water block that I have evaluated here in the MTB Labs. For that reason, the Horse of Iron has a disclaimer on their website discouraging individuals from sanding, lapping or modifying the surface base.

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As previously mentioned, the PolarFLO Universal CPU Water Block SF consists of two pieces which make up the composition of the unit; a chrome plated aluminum top and solid copper base. There are a series of pre-drilled holes that penetrate both surfaces and are specifically used for mounting this water block on top of any Ziff socket. Six hex screws are used to keep both pieces together and can be easily removed using an Allen Key for easy maintenance. Once separated, you get a good idea in terms of the overall design of this water block. The PolarFLO Universal CPU Water Block SF like rival water blocks such as the D-TEK White Water or Danger Den RBX uses a three style barb configuration for high performance cooling. The center channel is the inlet which cools the dye of the CPU, while the two rear channels are offset water outlets for maximum flow velocity. The PolarFLO Universal CPU Water Block SF is designed to be customizable and consumers can adapt this product to use both 1/2" and 3/8" fittings. To waterproof the base of the water block, a black O-ring runs the circumference of the aluminum top and forms a water tight seal.

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The PolarFLO Universal VGA/CS Water Block uses the same approach in terms of design as the PolarFLO Universal CPU Water Block SF and again consists of two pieces which make up the composition of the unit. What is interesting about this design is the emphasis on the configurable barbs. Not only are the barbs adaptive for 1/2" and 3/8" fittings but consumers can also change the location of each barb to fit their particular case configuration. Barbs can be used from the horizontal or vertical position of the GPU block. One important factor to consider if you plan on cooling your chipset or GPU is to correctly identify the type of hole mounts used on your motherboard or video card. There are two different mounting kits available for Radeon and Geforce4 video cards. Even with the Geforce4 series there is difference in the location of the mounting holes between the Ti and MX series of cards. I did note that the copper base on the GPU block was not as reflective as the CPU water block. There were a series of noticeable machine marks on the copper base and there is no disclaimer on the PolarFLO website regarding lapping this surface for better performance.