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PolarFlo Universal & VGA Water Blocks |
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Intro
PolarFlo SF CPU and VGA/CS Water Blocks.
These two blocks come to us from Horse of Iron Inc. dba PolarFlo. That’s dba as in “doing bidness as”. Horse of Iron is a full service machine shop located in Bozeman Montana. Montana…where men are men, women are men and the sheep are nervous. I kid, I kid. That of course would be New Zealand. =P Actually Bozeman is a small town nestled in the beautiful Montana high country. Originally from a small town, I think I would feel quite at home in Bozeman.
In all honesty the original PolarFlo block debuted with more of a whimper than a roar. But the latest version is putting up some stellar numbers in recent testing. Even edging out the famed White Water block in a recent review. No doubt in part due to PolarFlo’s new “Super Finish” process.
In addition to the newfound performance in its CPU block, PolarFlo has introduced a hybrid Video and Chipset block into its growing line-up. And if that’s not enough to get your attention, both blocks are offered in a wide variety of finishes. Basic black, blue, red and purple colors are available in a anodized finish. And for the discerning modder with deep pockets, plated finishes in copper, chrome and *ka-ching* gold. Ooooh….gold
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Photo courtesy of PolarFlo
This is not a budget block, base price for the CPU block is $79.99 on PolarFlo’s website. The copper and chrome plate run an additional $20 and the gold plate $40. At $119 the gold version is the most expensive cpu block I have seen to date. The vga/cs block rings in at $48.99 with the same price as the cpu block for the plated versions. A AMD clip mount is also available for $9.99.
The Blocks
The blocks arrived without incident. Packaged extremely well, wrapped in light foam padding, individually boxed, then dropped into a larger box with copious amounts of peanuts. Even Conan the Destroyer (my pet name for the neighborhood UPS guy) couldn’t damage these blocks. Nothing was missing or abused.
CPU
We will be testing out the 3/8” option in basic black. Everything looks good in black. A 1/2” or, if you so choose, a mix of both 3/8” and 1/2” option is also available. In addition to the mounting hardware, you get the wye fitting you’ll need to accommodate the twin outlets. And a nice little bonus, hose clamps! The fit and finish are what you’d expect from a machine shop turned water block maker, excellent.
The finish on the base is extremely reflective, I don’t know the specifics of PolarFlo’s Super Finish process, but it appears to be copper plated. Shiny of course doesn’t mean it’s flat, but you probably don’t want to try hand lapping this block
VGA/Chipset
The vga/cs block should work with a wide variety of systems. Two barbs and two plugs are provided with the block. The only difference in vga and chipset block is how you install these. The Geforce4 option of course has different mounting hardware. The mounting hardware is held to the base by four screws and can easily be rotated 90 degrees to accommodate various installation options. Although it’s easy enough to configure yourself, PolarFlo goes a step further and allows you to order the block exactly as you will be using it. I gotta say, I really like the red finish. It’s a deep vivid red and contrasts nicely with the black fittings. The photos really don't do it justice.
The blocks base does not have the same finish as the CPU block. It seems quite rough to the eye, machine marks are readily apparent. The manual it's sitting on is more reflective than the block's base. It doesn't mean it's not flat. It certainly "feels" smooth. Without very specialized equipment, I certainly can't judge flatness. It isn't pitted or poorly machined, it just "looks" rough in comparison to its big brother.
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