Thermaltake WATER 2.0 Performer and Pro Review

Final Thoughts
Put simply, if you’re in the market for a closed-loop cooler, the Thermaltake WATER 2.0 series should be in your list of considerations.

AIO coolers always look good in most systems. They’ve got a small footprint and don’t obscure anything at all if you mount smartly, allowing your craftsmanship in piecing your system together to shine (or perhaps not, as the case may be.) The tubing is stealthy and doesn’t draw any unnecessary attention, and the block is unobtrusive and sits nicely amongst any color scheme. The Pro’s radiator is quite thick, so if mounting on the exhaust fan location of your chassis, it may take up quite some room – especially if in push/pull, which will be 98.8mm with fans included. All components have a quality feel and I felt confident that nothing was going to leak over my components when installing.

Installation is more complicated than an air cooler, though not by much. The backplate is slightly flimsy so installing out-of-case will be a lot easier if your chassis does not have a sufficient cpu cooler cutout. Block installation seems complicated at first but once you set aside the correct components it’s very straightforward. Radiator and fan installation is typically a breeze, so long as you can reach a mounting location with the 326mm tubing – which shouldn’t be an issue, really.

Performance wise, the WATER 2.0 series are excellent. You have to keep in mind that the Performer is an entry-level unit, and shouldn’t be treated as anything more. It’s great for mild overclocks, and kept my notoriously hot Ivy Bridge CPU cool enough during all tests. The Pro reduced temperatures by, on average, around 5C, which for those hunting those last few degrees is a huge benefit…and it’s not much more expensive. Also note that our testing method is brutal. Running Intel Burn Test using the stock Intel cooler results in the processor hitting the processors thermal maximum in a matter of seconds, causing shutdowns and potential damage. To keep the processor cool enough when overclocked, with a little extra headroom, is a huge achievement. We did notice also, that for those not interested in attaining the lowest temperature absolutely possible, running the fans at only 30% kept the processor only a few degrees higher than at 100% speed. This shows that the radiator and block transfer heat exceptionally well, and if you’re seeking a quiet system, the fans at the lower speed produce a very low amount of noise. At 100%.. well.. they were definitely audible, but nothing too pesky unless you’re a silence enthusiast.

The Thermaltake WATER 2.0 series is currently available for $62.99 and $89.99  (Performer and Pro respectively) at my favorite online retailer. Overall, these coolers are very impressive and ThinkComputers would like to award the Thermaltake WATER 2.0 Performer and Pro a well deserved 10 out of 10 and our Recommended Award!

rating10 10 small TC award recommended small

Pros:
– Exceptional cooling potential
– Quiet enough
– Installation mostly user friendly
– Looks good in any system
– Will fit almost anywhere
– Compatible with any “current” system.

Cons:
– Backplate could be more rigid