Introduction

When it comes to water cooling I am a true novice, I have avoided this type of cooling mainly for the shear fact that I'm a strong believer that water and electronics do not make good bed partners. After seeing how many people have successful gone the way of the water and the also seeing the results that I could only dream of using an air cooled system I decided it was time to get my toes wet, so to speak.  I sent a email out Swiftech and told Gabe I would like to review the new H20-120™ SERIES LIQUID COOLING KITS (Revision 3a) and write the review hopefully so that another novices would not be afraid to give the same upgrade a try.  But before we begin we need to give you bit of history on Swiftech.  Do you realize  that Swiftech is one of the few companies that specializes in top of the line computer cooling both air and water cooling at prices that sometimes hard to believe.  For example the kit we are reviewing today comes with everything you need and it is still less than $150.00. So you finish the Swiftech Bio and I'll meet you on the other side.

About Swiftech

Founded in 1994 by Gabriel Rouchon, Swiftech™ has emerged in the last four years as a leading force driving the high-end thermal management scene in the personal computer industry.

Pioneering work, innovation, and an uncompromising dedication to high performance and quality have resulted in award winning products setting standards for others to follow.

Corporate Mission

Technological leadership:

• Performance, Quality and Cost Effectiveness

• Innovation

• Superior thermal and Mechanical design

• Compliance with industry standards

• Research & Development

Dedication to customer satisfaction:

• Comprehensive documentation

• Responsive customer service and technical support

Company History

Swiftech was established in 1994 and incorporated in 2001. Its sales skyrocketed in early 2001 following the release of the MC370 line of heatsinks. Reviews of the heatsink in the Internet Press propelled Swiftech into the limelight as the number one source for high-performance heatsinks in the aftermarket computer parts Industry.

Milestones

• 1994: Swiftech is founded to maintain high-end UNIX imaging systems.
   

• 1997~98: Swiftech evolves to a system integrator for high-end personal computers.
   

• 1999~2000: Swiftech begins developing advanced overclocking solutions using thermoelectric cooling devices based on the Peltier effect to refrigerate processors below ambient temperatures. These solutions require much larger heatsinks than commonly available on the market. Swiftech adopts the “thin pin” heatsink technology and engineers form factors to work with its Peltier devices in mainstream CPU’s such as the Celeron and Pentium 3 processors. In parallel, the company starts developing and manufacturing liquid cooling systems to further improve the thermal efficiency of its Peltier based refrigeration solutions.
  
  Turning point in Swiftech history: As AMD hits the market mid 2000 with the Athlon processor, users are caught by surprise by its unprecedented heat dissipation requirements. Swiftech on the other hand already has high-end heatsink solution due to its thermoelectric coolers. The MCX370 heatsink is uncovered by Tom’s Hardware at the end of 2000, and the resulting publicity propels Swiftech to a high performance market leader overnight.
   

• 2001: Swiftech develops a patent for a helicoid pin to improve its heatsink dissipation characteristics, and pioneers several groundbreaking technologies or implementations never used before in cooling personal computer: (1) copper-based heatsink fan; (2) oversized 80mm fans; (3) high speed fans; (4) advanced highly flat heatsink base with lapping; (5) secure retention system to motherboard with proprietary retention mechanism to compensate for the high weight of the heatsink fan devices.
   

• 2002: A US Patent is obtained for the Helicoid pin technology in November 2002. Swiftech anticipates Intel recapturing the enthusiast market and develops advanced heatsink solutions for the Intel Pentium 4 processor. This results in the beginning of Swiftech’s cooperation with large OEM's. Swiftech reinforces its performance leadership and diversifies its advanced thermal management offering by intensifying focus on liquid cooling solutions.
   

• 2003: William Adams joins Swiftech as VP engineering, and develops a comprehensive testing facility unmatched in the industry. The MCX “V” series line of heatsinks is created to improve heatsink performance at low noise levels. The H20 line of liquid cooling products acquires an industrial dimension thanks to strategic partnerships with high-volume manufacturing facilities.

  2004: A major chip manufacturer becomes Swiftech’s largest account. OEM agreements are concluded with Voodoo PC, Corsair Memory, and an exclusive distribution agreement is concluded with the pump manufacturer Laing Thermotech. The H20 series liquid cooling kits garner more industry recognition awards than any other product in the Company’s history. Gross revenues increase by 37% compared to 2003.

Summary

In the past four years, Swiftech has demonstrated leadership through innovation on the high-end thermal management scene despite intense pressure from heavyweight industry players with powerful sales and marketing acumen. Swiftech has worked hard, and succeeded in creating a name recognized worldwide for quality and performance.