Introduction

I would like to thank Asetek and Watercooling.de for making this review possible.

• Ultra Low Noise (Fan regulation & Ultra Low Noise Fan)
• 150W CPU Cooling Capacity
• Easy installation
• Safe Operation
• High Reliability
• Low Weight

When you ask hardcore overclockers about companies who have the best extreme cooling gear, you can bet that Asetek is among the first mentioned. Their Vapochill Extreme Cooling Units are legendary. But those units come with a hefty price tag of over several hundred dollars.
The average user is not willing to pay that much, he does not need such mad cooling performance anyway. Also installation of those units tends to be complicated because you have to insulate all parts against condensation which would form with the subzero temperatures.

In order to offer a product more geared to the more mainstream user, Asetek has engineered the Vapochill Micro series which are based on the same physical principle as the Vapochill Extreme Cooling units.
While the principle is the same, do not expect to reach sub-zero temperatures with the Vapochill Micro, it essentially is a heatpipe cooler, just with some very clever ideas. Asetek's experience in designing high-performance cooling units sure has helped here.

There are three different Vapochill Micro products:

• High-End
• Extreme Performance
• Low-Noise

All three share the same heatsink unit, only the fan is different. The Extreme-Performance and Low-Noise versions also include a fan speed controller.

Packaging

The clear package lets potential customers see how the Vapochill Micro is built. You can open the package without the use of any knife.

Box contents:

• VapoChill Micro
• Air duct
• Low-noise 92mm fan
• Four fan mounting pins
• PCI fan speed controller + mounting screw (not on high-end version)
• Fan and controller wires
• Mounting plate
• Instruction manual

Principle of Operation

Asetek's Vapochill Micro is based on heatpipe technology. Inside a metal tube a liquid is held at low pressure. Because of gravity, the liquid sinks down to the cooler base. Now when the temperature exceeds the boiling point of the liquid, the liquid evaporates (turns into gas) and rises in the tubing. While it rises, it gives away some of its heat to the surrounding tube, which conducts heat to the fins from where the heat goes into the surrounding air. This slowly cools down the R134A gas. Once the gas reaches a temperature below its boiling point, it condenses on the walls of the tubing and sinks down to the bottom as liquid again. This process is going on indefinitely - it does not create any noise nor is there any mechanical wear.


At the bottom of the fan duct is a small opening where air can escape and cool the other components on the motherboard, like memory and power regulation circuitry around the CPU.