Packaging

The S80 arrived in a very nice package – without a doubt, it will attract you when browsing the shelves of your local PC store. On the rear of the box, you learn about what is included in the package, as well as the technical specifications of the cooler.



Removing the cooler from the box requires not only opening the lid, but also flipping out parts of the box. The HSF then lifts up with ease it its plastic blister package.

In the package, you will find:

• AIO-S80DP
• Mounting kit for all supported sockets
• Manual

The Cooler

The cooler from several angles - Xigmatek's stickers are present on the sides of the heatsink. A nice feature is the arrow ontop of the cooler, which tells you the airflow direction, making mounting easier.


The dual-radiator setup, with the pump in the middle, directly connected to the reservoir.


The pump is protected by a metal plate. Removing it reveals the barcode on the pump itself. As you can see, the pump is very compact.


Lastly, the fan, bearing a Xigmatek sticker - attention to detail is obvious here, as normal users are unlikely to open up the heatsink and inspect what type of fan it has. The fan is rated at 12V, 0.4A.

The AIO S80-DP is not a traditional HSF by any means – it is a combination of a liquid-cooling loop with the form factor of an air heatsink. Attempts at constructing something similar have been made in the past. Yet usually the final product performed no better than a standard air cooler. What Xigmatek has done is combine two 80mm radiators, together with a 72 l/hr pump, reservoir and waterblock, and a single 80mm fan into a tower-like heatsink.
From the specs, we can see that the whole setup is similar to the original Thermaltake Big water, which, let's face it, wasn’t that spectacular in cooling performance. Also it did take up your whole case, had a much more restrictive water block and several feet of tubing – none of these is a feature of the S80DP.

So, what advantages and disadvantages does this heatsink have over any other other heatsink with heatpipes? First, we can see that the Xigmatek uses an 80mm fan, which is not easily accessible, should you wish to change it – a downside for those looking to build a truly silent PC. Also, the mounting mechanism is a little flimsy for my liking. On the other hand, the S80 is quite light, and uses water as heat-transfer material (water’s heat capacity is much larger than that of copper), which should give it an advantage during testing. And of course, Xigmatek’s HSF gives you the bragging-rights of showing off with a water-cooled PC.



While the manual illustrates a protective sticker over the base of the “waterblock”, there was none on our sample. Luckily, the base arrived unscratched. The base is flat and lapped very well. Faint milling marks can be seen.