MODTHEBOX.COM - Canada's Premier Case Modding Source - Reviews - Kingwin AquaStar AS-3000 Liquid Cooling System Review

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The AquaStar two bay aluminum enclosure forms the heart of the system and it can occupy two 5.25" drive bays inside your computer or be installed externally outside. Kingwin provides hardware for both configurations. On the front of the unit is an 80mm blue LED fan and a control panel. The control panel has 4 buttons: 1 for adjusting the LCD display color, 1 for toggling between system fan RPM and an external fan’s RPM, 1 for toggling between Celsius temperature and Fahrenheit temperature, and 1 for setting a threshold temperature; whereby the system fan will throttle up if the probe temperature hits or exceeds the temperature you have set.

In the middle is a rheostat controlling the front of the two fans. RPM speed can be adjusted between 1260 RPM and 2600PM, while the fan at the rear of the unit spins at a static low RPM, and is not reported by the control panel. This knob on this particular sample had a tendency to rub against the front face panel while turning. While I was irritated by this, it did perform its function. The LCD display shows the RPM of the AquaStar’s fan and an optional external fan of your choosing. It also displays water pump activity, temperature of the thermal probe, reservoir fill status and noise of the inside of your case in dB. The display is very clear and the backlight can cycle through all the colors of the rainbow, which helps to match the lighting theme for your PC case. At the bottom right of the AquaStar’s face plate, is a spinning propeller signifying a flow of coolant throughout the system. This is backlit as well, and automatically cycles through a soft mix of colors.

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Popping the lid we see how all the various components are laid out. A submersible pump is sealed in a Plexiglas reservoir. A two pass radiator with aluminum fins and copper tubing make up the bulk of this package. The surface area offered by this radiator is very impressive, and should cool your components adequately. There are two 80mm cooling fans that circulate air in series, and the control panel wiring is also made visible in this shot. This cooling design is very similar to two fan PSU coolers; where there is one intake fan, and another exhaust fan in the immediate area. The risk with this design is that it can create turbulence (and noise) within the system. PSU manufacturers are able to side-step this problem, by only allowing the exhaust fan to throttle up if necessary. My key observation about Kingwin’s AquaStar is that the speed adjustable fan is on the intake side of the enclosure.

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Another feature of this system is the CPU and GPU water blocks. These units are all copper, with a machined aluminum exterior. The two pieces are fastened together by screws. The top of each block has a positioning stud which compliments the socket/video card fasteners allowing for a centered and solid fit to your system. The contact surface is well polished and very smooth. The surface has been treated to minimize oxidization of the copper over time.