Here comes a new challenger.

This is an Asetek 545LC AIO water cooler with a 92mm radiator. This was my original BIG IDEA(tm) when I first got the NUC, because the dimensions are similar to the NUC footprint (102x102mm), which will make enclosure building easy, compact, and tidy.

It’s a very unusual AIO in that the radiator is only 92mm, while everything else on the market is at very least 120mm. This 92mm one is popular with the Shuttle community being the only AIO that will fit. It’s very difficult to find – only sold by Asetek themselves through Ebay, and only in the US, with a high-ish price tag. Rarer than a hen’s teeth.

Unfortunately I haven’t had time to 3D model a bracket for it yet, and I happened to have some scrap aluminium bars around that fit quite well, so for this experiment I’m going to easy route. But if one day it turns into a permanent solution then a proper bracket will be made.

Again the north bridge is only cooled by a small aluminium plate for now. I’m reusing the Noctua NF-A9 fan for consistency.

Experiment #5 – Asetek 545LC 92mm AIO + NF-A9. Result – ~39C. Wow that’s nice! I don’t get how it can have such a big difference to the NH-L9x65 considering the same fan is used? But I’m not complaining! Maybe it just mounts better.

However, playing around with it for a bit, I’m sad to say this solution is a no-go. The tubing is just too long and WAAAAAAAY too stiff. There’s no chance of making a proper enclosure for it. 🙁

There’s the possibility of replacing the tubes of course, but the difficulty and potential problems are probably not worth it… Unless anyone can suggest an easy way?