Couple things I thought were missing from the survey:
- Question 10: An important point for choosing a brand/product is availability. Corsair being available at Microcenter is a big plus to me. I was able to get some Corsair fluid and fittings when I was in a pinch and couldn't wait weeks for stuff to come in stock online. It's nice knowing I have the option. While I like brands like Watercool, Optimus, Aquacomputer more than Corsair (depending on the product category), I'll go with a Corsair product if I "need" something quick and the availability is there. I do wish microcenter carried your tubing though as it is my favorite. 14mm clear, satin and black plz!
- Question 14: One thing I like about some CPU blocks is the option to customize the appearance or a variety of potential design options. Acetal, plexi, all nickel, colored inserts, etc. This aspect is really captured by the options in the question and is one reason I haven't considered Corsair blocks (mostly, I just really don't like the way they look). Also not mentioned is build quality (Optimus, EK Magnitude, Watercool, etc all have really good build quality). Same with GPU blocks, I haven't been impressed by Corsair's quality.
- Question 17: Pump and res should really be separate. I have a Heatkiller res, but an Aquacomputer D5 Next PWM pump. This preference/distinction isn't captured. Some people may have a res from one brand and a pump top from another.
- Question 18: Again for reservoirs, build quality (material choice), various heights offered, features like multiple ports or multiple mounting mechanisms are not mentioned. All reasons I didn't consider Corsair.
- Question 19: Missing price and variety of fitting type. Barrow offers a really wide selection of fittings (at a very low price). Personally, I can't justify Corsair's fittings (which are just Bitspower without the Dragon logo). Especially when they don't offer certain fittings and I now have to have mismatching colors/finishes.
Overall, Corsair wins points for making top quality OEMs like Mayhems and Hardware Labs more available and that terrific satin tubing. The biggest negative is aesthetics and build quality. Corsair's blocks and reservoirs feel and look pretty "cheap" compared to other brands. There are also few aesthetic/customization options. EK, the most direct competitor, has really stepped up their quality (at least in certain categories) and aesthetics over the years. Comparisons to Watercool/Aquacomputer/Optimus aren't fair since they operate at much lower volume and availability levels, but they do offer many very compelling products.
I just don't feel like Corsair's water cooling products have any compelling differentiators. Perhaps more novel or well integrated RGB, brand specific special edition models (ROG, Aorus, MSi, EVGA) with matching aesthetic to the brand ID, more tight software integration (send me a text message if my pump reaches 0 RPM and shut off my computer), LCD screens on stuff (blocks, res, etc) or products that just aren't widely available (bendable chrome tubing).
