Swiftech Introduces New Drive X3 All-in-One CPU Cooling Kits

[crazyeyesreaper]

Swiftech is proud to announce the latest advances in All-in-one Liquid Cooling CPU Cooler, the Drive X3. The new X3 AIO series has received a number of improvements, along with a new sizing and naming convention as well.

The Swiftech X3 will be available in two radiator sizes, dual 120mm fans and triple 120mm fans at the time of the release. These will include a new 120mm fan design that include improved static pressure and maximum discharge, lower operation noise level, and Swiftech IRIS compatible addressable RGB's built into the frame of the fans.



Also featured is a fully redesigned patented radiator/reservoir/pump combo with a tempered DIY grade glass reservoir and a leak-proof acrylic-free manifold design. The AIO will come with maintenance free Mayhem ultra-clear tubing, providing an overall custom look and feel of the product. There is also a new PWM and RGB controller: IRIS ECO V2, which features three customizable lighting effects allowing users to select effects and customize color and brightness. Color dyes (red, blue, green) are included along with the best coolant on the market, Mayhem Pastel White Nanofluid Coolant.

The Drive X3 will also feature a new CPU waterblock, the Apogee SKF "LT", which is based on the award-winning Apogee SKF, Swiftech's new waterblock released in 2017. The Apogee SKF "LT" will feature the exact same Skived Fins thermal engine.

The "LT" waterblock housing features an acrylic-free design and 6x Swiftech IRIS addressable LED's for endless customization, and the retention hardware has been enhanced for an even easier, trouble free installation. It is fully compatible with all current desktop processors from Intel and AMD.

For more information on the Swiftech Drive X3 AIO's: http://site.swiftech.com/drivexkits-2-2/#x3

These products are available now, and the MSRP on the Drive X3 AIO's starts at $139.95 USD.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Caring1]

Stupid design that doesn't allow for top mount in a push configuration, also that CPU block looks cheap and fragile.

 

[HZCH]

Stupid design that doesn't allow for top mount in a push configuration, also that CPU block looks cheap and fragile.

Funnily enough, this stupid design made former swiftech AiO the best in the market, without the leakage shitshow from EKWB and its Predator, or the bad performance/ performance-per-noise of any other brand...

 

[Caring1]

Funnily enough, this stupid design made former swiftech AiO the best in the market, without the leakage shitshow from EKWB and its Predator, or the bad performance/ performance-per-noise of any other brand...

You have sales figures to back that up Or is that a marketing award?

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

You have sales figures to back that up Or is that a marketing award?

To be honest I still have the Prestige H220x2 that came before this still works great 2+ years 24/7 use. Same goes for a standard H220x2. My two predator units i reviewed and kept on hand? Both leaked and killed hardware.

While ive seen many AIOs eventually fail, my worst luck was with the Predator kits. My best luck? has been with swiftech for whatever that is worth.

That said EK Phoenix MLC I have is still going strong so it seems EK side of things they got it figured out and its a damn good unit just loud.

For these new units I have sent in a request to get them in for review so will see what happens.

 

[Sp33d Junki3]

Stupid design that doesn't allow for top mount in a push configuration, also that CPU block looks cheap and fragile.

Had to be done as Asetek sued them from the H220 series having pump on block. Knowing the cost was the same as there own and perform better.
Swiftech had to change the design so they can sell in the US.

You can do top push, just change the fans around, plus you can still mount 2 fans under the rad.
So 3 on top, 2 under. Which is still plenty. But not needed.

You have sales figures to back that up Or is that a marketing award?

The info is everywhere, not hard to google it.

 

[Arrakis9]

The price is inticing, quality questionable. The pictures don't really tell us anything. how about a review tpu?

 

[ZoneDymo]

I think this one looks pretty damn fantastic, want

 

[Animalpak]

It is a good design but the 240mm rad is held back the cooling performance. To me looks just looks very cool.

 

[Caring1]

I have read reviews of previous models, and they all basically say the same, they are good units, but held back by the placement of the pump on the radiator limiting the use of extra fans, and where the unit can be mounted.
Having said that, I would still like one of these for my system.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

The price is inticing, quality questionable. The pictures don't really tell us anything. how about a review tpu?

literally two posts up I mentioned that I have already asked for samples for review. lol

 

[mnemo_05]

what i love about these pump/res combo design is the space that the radiator require. most aio will have 240mm rads but then will be close to 280mm in length due to the tubes coming out at the end, same goes to any custom rad you can buy at the moment.

i was able to fit their h220x2 on the top of a fractal core 500 and there is still enough space for another 120mm rad on the rear. this while keeping all the fans inside the case.

this is a very interesting iteration, i hope it performs equal if not better to compared to the previous versions.

 

[sinnedone]

Stupid design that doesn't allow for top mount in a push configuration, also that CPU block looks cheap and fragile.

Difference between pull vs push is 2-3C tops, and that would be with fan RPM at 2000+. Non issue really.

 

[John Naylor]

While never installing a CLC, we have installed dozens of the H220 - X and X2 and they are great for the folks a bit wary of taking on a custom build. Nothing more than a Swiftech Block, Pump and rad from heir custom cooling line preassembled at factory. Nothing cheap in the whole package, and each piece had alreday made a name for itself when sold as separate products. Great design and yes, EK did have a problem (recall) with their original predator line; we never had to deal with it as the cost for the EK was way outta bounds.

https://www.ekwb.com/news/important...xlc-predator-240-and-360-r1-0-product-recall/

Based upon testing at martinsliquidlab, push has a clear advantage at lower rpm < 1500 ... pull has an advantage at > 1800 rpm and it's basically a wash in the middle. In a typical custom loop, I don't like the fans to exceed 850 rpm. In a Swiftech AIO build, won't see 2000 unless a GFX card added tho in most instances, also add a 2nd rad in which case 1200 rpm is a rarity.

 

[Vlada011]

I only don't like Swiftech CPU Block, everything else is great.
But because of that could be used Maelstrom D5 X50 with Koolance CPU 400 block.

 

[Semper]

As someone who is currently using the H240x2.... it's not left me with an outstanding impression of premium quality.

I'm on my fourth one, all covered under warranty (and if I were bothered enough to go through it again, should be on my fifth).

My first unit arrived with substantial, deep marring/scratches on the CPU-side surface of the block.
My second unit arrived and failed within 12 hours, leaking from a crack (of what I can only assume to be a stress fracture in the acryllic) stemming from the output threading of the block. Caused failure of a 780 FTW.
The third unit arrived with the same stress fracture (almost identical, even in shape/path) having leaked roughly a third of it's coolant into the box before it was even able to be used.
The fourth unit failed in the exact same way as the previous two. Caused failure of a 1080 Ti SC2 (which I can place blame as much on myself for trusting the block as I can the block itself at this point). I gave up at this point though, and just scrapped the block, replaced it with a Raystorm Pro. The reservoir/radiator mounted LED's have also failed outright.

SwifTech refused to cover the cost of either failed card (which, to be fair, is stated in their warranty), making this unit far more expensive, and time consuming than even a somewhat unreasonably exotic method.

The fourth unit is showing micro-fractures and odd cracks/bubbling around the joint where the pump connects to the res. I know it's a ticking timebomb. I keep several layers of paper towel under the block and check it every few days.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

As someone who is currently using the H240x2.... it's not left me with an outstanding impression of premium quality.

I'm on my fourth one, all covered under warranty (and if I were bothered enough to go through it again, should be on my fifth).

My first unit arrived with substantial, deep marring/scratches on the CPU-side surface of the block.
My second unit arrived and failed within 12 hours, leaking from a crack (of what I can only assume to be a stress fracture in the acryllic) stemming from the output threading of the block. Caused failure of a 780 FTW.
The third unit arrived with the same stress fracture (almost identical, even in shape/path) having leaked roughly a third of it's coolant into the box before it was even able to be used.
The fourth unit failed in the exact same way as the previous two. Caused failure of a 1080 Ti SC2 (which I can place blame as much on myself for trusting the block as I can the block itself at this point). I gave up at this point though, and just scrapped the block, replaced it with a Raystorm Pro. The reservoir/radiator mounted LED's have also failed outright.

SwifTech refused to cover the cost of either failed card (which, to be fair, is stated in their warranty), making this unit far more expensive, and time consuming than even a somewhat unreasonably exotic method.

The fourth unit is showing micro-fractures and odd cracks/bubbling around the joint where the pump connects to the res. I know it's a ticking timebomb. I keep several layers of paper towel under the block and check it every few days.

Interesting I still have my unit on hand run 24/7 since the review been installed in 3 different cases now no cracks no leaks no issues. Only problem they develop is the tubing and block will stain if using the dyes and the blocks tend to get plugged up pretty quick when using the red dye. Otherwise been a solid performer for me. Unlike the two Predator units I had which both failed.

First Predator had the bad gasket supposedly wasn't part of the affected batch, Second one failed while sitting on a shelf dumped the fluid and had a bad fitting. That said EK MLC series is still working fine for me. So I definitely want to take a look at these new units see how much has changed in regards to Swiftechs products compared to the EK offerings.

 

[Semper]

Interesting I still have my unit on hand run 24/7 since the review been installed in 3 different cases now no cracks no leaks no issues. Only problem they develop is the tubing and block will stain if using the dyes and the blocks tend to get plugged up pretty quick when using the red dye. Otherwise been a solid performer for me. Unlike the two Predator units I had which both failed.

First Predator had the bad gasket supposedly wasn't part of the affected batch, Second one failed while sitting on a shelf dumped the fluid and had a bad fitting. That said EK MLC series is still working fine for me. So I definitely want to take a look at these new units see how much has changed.

The unit itself does perform well. While the block was working, I was happy with how it was dissipating heat (my Raystorm runs just ever so slightly warmer than the XL2 did). Reviews stating that their blocks leaked, though, are a dime a dozen, a lot of them showing failure in the same way as mine (outlet), some with leaks from the inlet, and some with leaks from both. But the volume of issues I've had with it can't be overlooked as bad luck. The crux of function failure has been the XL2 block itself. I wouldn't trust it as far as I could throw it. The Helix fans, while obviously inspired by Gentle Typhoons, aren't. They work well enough to the point that I haven't considered replacing them, but they do not move as much air dB for dB as GT's.

I want to like this unit, It ticks off all the right boxes for an AIO, but history has shown that it's just failure waiting to happen for me, which is what i'm waiting for it to do once again. I don't know what I will replace it with when it does.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

The unit itself does perform well. While the block was working, I was happy with how it was dissipating heat (my Raystorm runs just ever so slightly warmer than the XL2 did). Reviews stating that their blocks leaked, though, are a dime a dozen, a lot of them showing failure in the same way as mine (outlet), some with leaks from the inlet, and some with leaks from both. But the volume of issues I've had with it can't be overlooked as bad luck. The crux of function failure has been the XL2 block itself. I wouldn't trust it as far as I could throw it. The Helix fans, while obviously inspired by Gentle Typhoons, aren't. They work well enough to the point that I haven't considered replacing them, but they do not move as much air dB for dB as GT's.

I want to like this unit, It ticks off all the right boxes for an AIO, but history has shown that it's just failure waiting to happen for me, which is what i'm waiting for it to do once again. I don't know what I will replace it with when it does.

I wonder for the many failures of the XL2 how many were because someone changed the fittings?

I know the XL2 uses G1/4 technically but many other brands fittings will not work. The threads are slightly different. I can confirm that here as my EK fittings do not work with the unit at all. Forcing them results in well leaks and cracks and problems so i abandoned reusing the block. Something that was fixed with the later designs. Considering they are now using a tempered glass resevoir and a block based on the SKF design which has been solid. I have high expectations. That said won't know anything unless I get one in for review.

 

[Semper]

In my case, all the fittings were as shipped from SwifTech. In fact, they’re the same ones I put on the RayStorm block I replaced it with.

It definitely is possible that it was the cause of failure for some, but I don’t believe that to be the primary cause.

For the x3 line here, it looks initially like the fittings thread into the block itself, not the tempered glass shroud. That remains to be seen, obviously with hands-on but it seems like that would be the best option.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

In my case, all the fittings were as shipped from SwifTech. In fact, they’re the same ones I put on the RayStorm block I replaced it with.

It definitely is possible that it was the cause of failure for some, but I don’t believe that to be the primary cause.

For the x3 line here, it looks initially like the fittings thread into the block itself, not the tempered glass shroud. That remains to be seen, obviously with hands-on but it seems like that would be the best option.

It all depends but yeah i removed the fittings from my Prestige kit and cleaned it piece by piece after using the dyes. The threads are courser on the Swiftech fittings in the kits and the blocks are made with swiftech's fittings in mind. Reviews on various etailers even make note of it on the XL2 block as well. Sold in the kit or separately the blocks retain this particular issue. A great deal of failures were from people just plain forcing the issue. Granted that is Swiftech's fault for using a courser thread than everyone else or maybe genius since your stuck using their fittings or nothing. Eitherway SKF blocks etc don't have this issue they worked fine with all the various fittings I have now. That said Ill keep an eye out if I get samples in for review.