CoolIT Systems Domino ALC
H 2 Oh yeah!

CoolIT Systems names ease of replacement over stock equipment and good performance at affordable prices as its primary goals. It's fitting, then, that the Domino ALC—the three letter acronym standing for Advanced Liquid Cooling—strives to deliver the performance of water cooling in an all-in-one unit that's easy to install and sells around $70.

This turn-key approach eliminates at least one of the hassles associated with water cooling by bringing all the necessary components together in a pre-built, pre-filled, and factory-sealed unit. Even better, though, is the Domino's relatively low price, which allows it to compete with high-end air coolers like the Noctua. The only real difference between the Domino and the air towers we've assembled is the latter's use of liquid to transfer heat from the processor slug to an array of cooling fins, which on the Domino, is an actual radiator.

For all the inherent complexity of a water-cooling system, the Domino has surprisingly few parts. The water block isn't particularly large or heavy, allowing CoolIT to get away with a relatively simple mounting mechanism. Back plates are included in the box for both LGA775 and 1366 sockets, but not for Socket AM2/3 systems. The provided Socket AM2/3 mounting bracket requires that you already have a standard AMD back plate—something most but not all Socket AM2/3 motherboards use.

Leaks are arguably the biggest problem with water cooling, and you'll want to know about one before your system gets fried. To combat this issue, the Domino is equipped with a flow rate monitor that keeps tabs on water pressure. If a leak develops, or if coolant flow is obstructed within the system, the Domino will sound an alarm. Ideally, this warning should give a user enough time to shut down his system before a leak leads to magic smoke.

The Domino's pump is hidden under the control unit

In keeping with the Domino's drop-in aspirations, CoolIT puts a thermal interface pad on the mirror-like business end of the water block. All of the unit's tubing is connected and sealed at the factory. Even the Domino's small inline pump and fan come attached to the radiator.

Remember when I mentioned that not all Socket AM2/3 motherboards have a standard AMD back plate? Well, the Asus M3A32 MVP mobo I used for testing doesn't have one. Fortunately, the Socket AM2/3 retention clip for the Kingwin cooler fits perfectly over the Domino's water block, securing it tightly in place with no play.

Visible in the picture above, the Domino has a single control button that cycles through its three modes of operation: silent, normal, and performance. The control unit adjusts fan and pump speeds automatically based on the temperature of the coolant and the mode selected. As one might expect, the silent mode allows for warmer coolant temperatures, the performance mode favors higher fan speeds, and the normal mode shoots for a comfortable middle ground between the two. Because pump and fan control is handled internally, the Domino requires a constant 12V power source—don't plug the unit's three-pin power plug into a motherboard fan header that varies voltage to manipulate fan speeds.

Once the block is secure, you can position the main unit up to 7" away thanks to flexible tubing that holds its shape pretty well. The main unit is small enough to fit comfortably under the PSU in traditional enclosures that put the power supply above the motherboard. For those seeking more exact dimensions, the L-shaped control unit is 6.25" tall, 5.5" wide, and 5" deep in the orientation pictured above.

The Domino is designed to have its fan and radiator assembly mounted over a rear 120 mm case exhaust fan. CoolIT holds the system in place with four rubber nubs that are pulled through the fan mounting holes. With enclosures like Antec's P180, one also has the option of securing the Domino to fan mounts on a case's top panel. That arrangement would rotate the control unit by 90 degrees, though, making the coolant temperature display harder to read. Of course, if you don't have a case window, you won't be able to see the display at all.

Although I was skeptical of the holding strength of the rubber nubs that anchor the Domino in place, I was genuinely impressed at how securely the unit was mounted in our Spedo. Be sure to say that last sentence aloud the next time you're in a public place for full effect.

I've built several water-cooling systems, and each time I've had to worry about mounting the block, pump, and radiator; sizing and cutting the tubing; and clamping each connection point securely to avoid leaks. Compared to all that, the Domino ALC's simple installation is a dramatic improvement. Amazingly, the Domino is even easier to install than some performance air coolers. I have to commend CoolIT for building a solution that even the most timid of PC enthusiasts should be able to install.