CoolIT ALC ECO review - Final words and conclusion

Final words and conclusion

The CoolIT ALC ECO left us a very solid impression, CoolIt has a seriously good product in their hands right here. Overall the baseline performance is just as good as any high-end heatpipe based cooler out there. With regular processor clocks frequencies it is offering normal, decent cooling, nothing out of the ordinary -- just good.

However the benefit here is that liquid cooling has a extra capacity, it has a little more reserve which shows under heavy processor load. And as such we took a Core i7 750 quad core 2.66 GHz processor towards 4.2 GHz with this cooler. That's where the ECO shines and really makes a difference. When we stress the CPU cores 100% for an extended timeframe, the system remained stable and most of all ... the temperatures remained under control at roughly 70 Degrees C. We have to mention here that this was a showcase, we used more CPU voltage than needed and applied a CPU voltage of 1.5 Volts. Really, 1.4 would have done the trick as well.

So what we are trying to say here is that the CoolIT ALC ECO is a progressive cooler that has very decent cooling capacity for many conditions. The performance is good. Then when we look at aesthetics, we are not disappointed either, the sheer simplicity of the design makes it look really good. No bulky aluminum colored cooler. Nope, tight, small, black ... it really is a good looking setup. Honestly, if I had to choose over the Domino ALC with LCD screen and this solution, I'd very likely pick the ECO. Simplicity works, it's as simple as that.

Installation wise, we can't complain either. The concept has been thought through very well. Many CPU cooling manufacturers can learn a thing or two here. Place the backplane on the motherboard, assign the proper screw holes and secure the cooler. A thin layer of thermal paste has already been applied for you. Secure the fan/radiator combo, connect the power cables and boom, you are good to go.

The one thing that can be noted, is that though the cooler remains silent, once your processor is under load and the fan RPM hits 80% RPM it will become audible. Not really annoyingly noisy .. but audible, you can hear it. So if you are an incredible audiophile that hates noise, then there are better alternatives. but again, it's not a lot or even remotely annoying.

Pricing wise the kit is labeled ECO for a reason, no RPM selection, no LCD displays, this is liquid cooling stripped to the barebones without forfeiting on aesthetics looks and performance. As such Coolit can offer the kit at a very competitive price -- 75 USD. That is as expensive as a good quality heatpipe CPU cooler, but interestingly enough, the Domino ALC is only 5 bucks more expensive, and that cooler does offer more options with fan controller and LCD screen. Well, have a look, have a browse and see what would suit you the best I'd say.

So there you have it, I have nothing rather negative to report on this cooler, it really is a solid performer with very decent capacity and superb clean looks.

The CoolIT ALC ECO is a well thought through liquid cooling kit at a very fair price. The concept is great and works out really well. Do not hesitate to pick it up as you'll like it very much, highly recommended.

Small tip: for Northern America CoolIT setup some promotions, check it out here (54 USD), here (55 USD) and here (59USD).

• Leave/read comments on this product
• Sign up to receive a notice when we publish a new article
• Or go back to Guru3D's front page.