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Vapor-phase Processor Cooling

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the over-the-top-approaches dept.

Econolinecrush writes "If even exotic water-cooling isn't enough for your processor cooling needs, there's always vapor-phase cooling. The Tech Report has an interesting review of Asetek's latest Vapochill system, an admittedly pricey cooling option, but one that manages to fight off condensation while keeping even high-end processors running at sub-zero temperatures. A little extreme? Sure, but it's undeniably cool nonetheless." I haven't seen a cooling system this intense since my organic chemistry labs.

2 of 167 comments (clear)

  1. The thing you people miss... by unterderbrucke · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...is that processors actually have a limit to how much they can be cooled. To be cooling it below zero is a ridiculous waste of power, money, and will only shorten the lifespan of your CPU.

  2. Peace of mind by milkmandan9 · · Score: 3, Insightful
    In the end, what the Vapochill gives you is peace of mind, the luxury of never again having to worry about an important aspect of your system, processor cooling. Upgrade the rest of your system to your heart's content, but two things will remain constant: The Vapochill as your processor cooler, and the temperature of that cooler at a nippy five degrees above zero.

    Unfortunately, reliability is exactly what the Vapochill does not provide. When it comes to reliability, there is often no replacement for simplicity. I never worry about the 486 I've got in my firewall because it doesn't need a heatsink or fan. I can be fairly certain, however, that the fan on my workstation processor will seize up someday and the chip may self-destruct.

    These guys can't be more wrong about the reliability. This thing may shut itself off if it overheats, but if reliability were the number one concern, I'd underclock a new chip so that even if the cooling system does fail, it's not a catastrophe.