Performance Summary

With CPU waterblocks, both thermal performance and liquid-flow restriction are important metrics. Unlike radiators where component liquid-flow restriction is not as big a factor in the loop's overall flow rate, the CPU block choice will impact average flow rate a lot and can thus not be ignored. In order to quantify relative performance for a CPU block thus, a normalized (% based) data set was created, with 70% weightage given to thermal performance and 30% weightage given to liquid-flow restriction. The data set created was thus plotted with the subject of this review at 100%.


With better than average performance in both metrics, the Bykski FOUR ends up doing even better here in terms of relative performance. Only three other blocks outperform it, with one being a much smaller operation too. It is thus very impressive to see the Bykski offering doing better than the majority of the usual suspects, and there is scope for the brand and product to improve further still.

Performance per Dollar

Prices were taken from Performance PCs in the USA when available, with all numbers reported in USD. For products not available there, the most obvious retail source was chosen, such as a manufacturer's webshop. For products no longer available, the last available reasonable price point was considered.


This was not easy to calculate owing to the lack of an MSRP that was adhered to by retailers. Given the only way to buy one of these is from Asia, and some resellers sell it on Amazon.com and eBay.com whereas others only do so on Taobao.com and Aliexpress.com, there is a large price range to go on with an equally large range of shipping costs as well. I chose to use $70 for the Bykski FOUR CPU block based on its average cost from sellers with a positive reputation above 95%, and note that the press release mentioned an MSRP of $99, which would have changed things drastically.

As it is now, the Bykski FOUR continues to be in the better half of things in the performance-to-dollar metric, so overall, it does remain an impressive product.