XSPC RAZOR GTX680 SLI Waterblock Review

👤by Richard Weatherstone Comments 📅28-04-13
Conclusion

There is no denying that watercooling adds to the aesthetics of a PC. Removal of bulky, unsightly cooling makes for a very attractive layout allowing you to feast your eyes upon those expensive components you have invested in. Add a smattering of LEDs and the effect is enhanced more.

The XSPC Razor GTX680 waterblocks look devine, even without the LEDs with the brushed aluminium upper faceplate. Sadly, in a modern PC case the only time you are likely to see these are if you have your case upside down or in BTX format. Thankfully, XSPC have had the foresight to add LEDs to the waterblocks so even though you may not see the lush faceplates, you will still have the pleasure of looking upon the electric blue acrylic sandwiched between the faceplate and the copper base.

Sadly, our sample had a minor defect with the LEDs which while not a deal breaker (at least XSPC include LEDs) it spoilt an otherwise pleasurable experience. Fitting the blocks was easy thanks to the detailed instructions and the optional Flow Bridge adaptors were a perfect match and highly recommended if you intend on watercooling SLI/Crossfire GPU's.



Performance was as expected amazing when compared to aircooling but the performance and aesthetics come at a steep cost: £95.99 (x2) + £10.19. So for the kit we reviewed today you are looking at paying around the £200 mark which is nothing to be scoffed at, especially if you don't have a custom watercooling loop to add these components to which will set you back at least another £150.

However, when you consider the price of graphics cards today, the pressure to overclock and overvolt them to within an inch of their lives, it pays to have that little bit of insurance in knowing that temperatures will not be an issue and may well extend the life of your components. Add to this the high price of copper, the very impressive performance benefits and the gorgeous looks and £200 soon becomes a little more easy to swallow.

To summarise, the XSPC Razor waterblocks not only look divine, they have performance to match. If a little more attention were given to the manufacturing process (machining finish and LED drill holes) then this would be an a Vortez platinum product. As it stands it is granted our coveted Gold and Elite awards

Pros
+ Stunning Aesthetics
+ Exceptional Performance
+ Near Silent alternative to aircooling
+ Higher Overclocks Possible

Cons
- No included G1/4 fittings (barbs/compression)
- LED holes too small
- Some machining evident
- Expensive




Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.


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