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The fashion for All-In-One CBOs has affected almost every more or less well-known manufacturer of computer cooling systems. This trend has reached the be quiet! company, which has set a course for the constant expansion of its product range. In secret, we note that they did not reinvent the wheel and took advantage of the eminent Alphacool in their new developments. The first CBO series from the company was called Silent Loop and it includes three models with a 120-, 240- and 280-mm radiator. The more, the better, we decided, and took the flagship solution of the line for a test – Silent Loop 280mm. Let’s see what she can do in action.
Packing and scope of delivery
The box is designed in the corporate black and white style of the company. The photo of the product is on the front cover of the package, the technical specifications are indicated on the sidewall, and on the back there is a brief description of the main advantages of the system. Protection against damage during transportation consists only of an inner mold made of pressed cardboard and many bags. Therefore, this box should be handled with care.
In addition to a radiator combined with a water block and two 140 mm fans, the following parts were found in the package:
- instructions for installation and operation;
- four-pin splitter for fans;
- syringe with thermal interface;
- plastic reinforcement plate for Intel LGA 775, 115x and 1366 sockets;
- two mounting feet for installing a water block on Intel processor sockets;
- set of four long mounting screws for Intel LGA 775, 115x and 1366 sockets;
- a set of four long mounting screws for Intel LGA 2011 sockets;
- a set of four mounting springs, gaskets and nuts;
- nine long screws for attaching the propellers to the radiator;
- nine short screws for mounting the heatsink to the case;
- two mounting feet for AMD sockets;
- four long mounting screws for AMD sockets.
Appearance
Design be quiet! Silent Loop 280mm is not much different from other similar systems. However, the devil is in the details. The body of the radiator has a size of 319x144x30 mm and supports the installation of two 140 mm fans. The radiator itself consists of 16 water channels, between which a corrugated tape with an average density of 15-17 fins per inch is laid. The gap between its ribs is about 2 mm. The total heat dissipation area is 7700 cm2.
The radiator is copper, which can be easily seen by looking at it slightly at an angle. This not only improves the heat transfer rate compared to aluminum radiators, but also greatly reduces the risk of oxidation with subsequent clogging of the pump and water channels. The radiator is filled with a special liquid with anti-corrosion and antibacterial additives, therefore, when replacing, it is worth using a refrigerant similar in properties.
The radiator and water block are connected by flexible hoses with an 11 mm outer diameter and a length of 390 mm. They are fitted with springs to prevent bending. The hoses are fixed on both sides with threaded ¼″ fittings, which will undoubtedly make life easier for the user when servicing or upgrading this system. The hoses are rigidly fixed to the radiator at an angle of 90 degrees and cannot be rotated. In general, this is also not bad – there is less chance of getting into the air circuit.
The water block combined with the pump has a relatively small size (66x73x31 mm). The case is plastic with beveled corners, and its top face is a beautiful plate of black brushed aluminum with a silver company logo.
The hoses are connected to the water block from the side of the top panel using straight threaded fittings. A 250-mm three-prong braided power cord enters the case from above, and to the left of it there is an unscrewed plug for filling the CBO circuit.
A reversible centrifugal-type electric pump with a ceramic bearing is installed inside. Its innovation lies in the fact that the liquid enters the copper microchannel heat exchanger from the sides, and is sucked in by a pump from above it. This ensures optimum flow circulation and reduces vibration. The pump operates at a constant speed of 2200 rpm at 12 V voltage and the manufacturer strongly recommends not to reduce it. However, this is unnecessary. After all, at full speed it emits only 35 dB (A) of noise, it can only be heard when approaching 10-15 cm. This is the quietest pump of all maintenance-free CBOs that I have ever met. Of course, after installation on the motherboard, additional noise and vibrations appear, but this already depends on how well the chassis itself is made.
The base of the water block is made of nickel-plated copper. It is held in place by four screws, and three more hold the case together. The sole is mirrored, flat in the central part, but with curves on the sides, which is clearly visible in the reflection.
A pair of 140mm be quiet! Pure Wings 2. They are attached to the radiator with long screws, without any vibration isolation. The bearing is a threaded sleeve. The rotation speed is controlled by PWM, the permissible speeds are in the range from 500 to 1600 rpm. With voltage control, they are able to start from 3 V. These propellers do not have parasitic overtones, but when installed on a radiator, they are not audible only up to 600 rpm and 40 dB (A). Everything above is already well perceptible by ear. The top speed of 1600 rpm is accompanied by 64 dB(A) of noise and it is quite loud, although the sound of the impeller is not annoying. The length of the four-pin power cord without braid is 450 mm. The electrical characteristics are visible in the photo. The kit includes a splitter that allows you to connect both fans to one connector.
Let’s move on to installing the CBO and testing its effectiveness.
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