Cool runnings

In 1965, Gordon Moore predicted that the number of transistors on CPU would double every two years. Now, with Intel’s Core i7, for example, containing 731 million of them, the potential for overheating becomes a problem that will increase exponentially alongside the growth of CPU capability.

"Temperature dictates performance," says CoolIT’s application specialist Barry Reicker. "The entire overclocking – and to some extent the PC – industry is cooling dependent. People who overclock are able to do so because they have a cooler that is capable of handling the extra heat. Poor cooling leads to high temperatures, which can lead to instability and component damage."

For CoolIT, the future of personal computing is liquid cooling and it has created a number of products to bring it to the mass market, most notably the Domino ALC.

"Five years ago, the concept of watercooling a PC was unthinkable except to a few niche enthusiasts," continues Reicker. "But we believe it will go completely mainstream within a couple of years.

"The benefits of liquid are undeniable, so as time goes on, more and more people are looking to get involved. Our mission is simple: to develop products that make liquid cooling more affordable, reliable and easier to use than ever before."

Domino has been specifically created to jump the gap between specialist enthusiasts and ordinary PC users. It can be installed in less than five minutes, and comes with user friendly features like pre-installed thermal paste and rubber mounting grommets. In addition, the system is sealed and does not require any maintenance or refilling.

"There are three elements to the success of Domino," says Reicker. "Performance, price point and ease of use. This product doesn’t just appeal to people who are interested in water cooling. It’s maintenance free and since it doesn’t cost much more to upgrade from a traditional heatsink, we are seeing air enthusiasts using it too.

"CoolIT is happy with the direction it’s taking as we’re essentially creating a new market segment. Traditional heatsinks are a mature industry where the products have only got bigger. Advanced liquid cooling is the natural next step and to me, it is the future of PC cooling. On top of our regular business with OEMs like Dell, Apple and BFG, we are now looking at applications for liquid in classrooms, HTPCs, digital home equipment, laptops and more. Liquid cooling is definitely here to stay."