Review: Zalman LQ315

Conclusion

All-in-one liquid CPU coolers that are easy to install and more than adept at cooling modern processors are readily available from a growing list of manufacturers, and there isn't a lot to choose to between them.

Throwing its hat into the ring, Zalman's LQ135 is a solid performer at the £65 price point. Employing a 38mm-thick radiator and a water block that attaches using a clamp-ring mechanism, this is another all-in-one solution that's presented well, simple to install and effective at whisking heat away from an overclocked processor.

Performance is excellent for a 120mm radiator with only a single fan, but keeping temperatures low is only part of the challenge for a modern-day cooler. In order to elevate the LQ135 from good to great, Zalman needs to consider including a metal backplate as standard, and in an effort to strike a better balance between performance and noise, both the pump and fan need tweaking to run quieter than they currently do.

There's room for improvement, but if cooling performance matters most, the LQ135 delivers and does so in a stylish and easy-to-use package that doesn't break the bank.

Zalman LQ315

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The Zalman LQ315 graphics card is available to purchase from Scan Computers*.

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