Intel Advanced Liquid Cooling

Posted by John Goulden Categories: Corporate News, Design, Misc. Tech, PC / Laptop

Watercooling was once a niche market enjoyed only by those with a knack for tinkering, but in the last year or so has begun to invade the mainstream.  Even Intel has taken notice and decided to get in on the action with their Advanced Liquid Cooling prototype.  The cooler was designed by enthusiasts in Intel’s engineering department, who would like to see the company shy away from their current view toward overclocking (that it’s evil).  The team wanted a watercooler that was robust, reliable and efficient enough for mainstream use and that differed from current kits on the market, which were viewed as complex and flimsy. 

What they came up with was a centrifugal pump that uses a brushless DC motor, a CPU block with a copper core, and a radiator cooled by a 120mm fan.  All of the items are tied together with solid metal tubing, with the pump residing on top of the CPU block.  Everyone has their own opinions as to the optimal location of the pump in a watercooling loop, but apparently this design works well for Intel.  Their test system, which houses a 3.8GHz EE CPU, was overclocked to 5.01GHz.  Although we have no idea what the ambient temperature was during the test, the CPU remained stable at 62 degrees Celsius which is well within spec limits.

Intel is looking to have the cooler go from prototype stage to actual production, and because commonly available parts were used to build it, they expect it to sell for less than $50 USD.  Watercooling enthusiasts may argue design specifics and compromises made, but watercooling for the masses is a notable goal.

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