Testing;
The test system is as follows:
Intel P4 socket T 3.4GHz
ECS PF21 Extreme mobo
1GB OCZ PC2 4200 DDR2
HIS X800XL
Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 sound
2 x WD 74GB Raptors
Cooler Master Real Power 550W PSU
ASUS DVD burner
Lite-On DVD burner

I'll be testing it against the best air cooler I have, the Thermalright XP-90C One thing I would like to point out here is when using the Thermalright with a 92mm fan, I am also using 6 other 80mm fans to help with cooling. 2 front intake, 2 exhaust, 1 blowhole and 1 on the side panel. When using the Swiftech watercooling kit I tested it 1st with all of the extra fans then I removed ALL of the 80mm fans except the blowhole fan.

Temps will be recorded using a thermal sensor next to the CPU (held in place with Arctic Silver Ceramique) under a variety of conditions and load. To achieve a load on the CPU I used Prime95 and F@H simultaneously while burning a backup of a movie to DVD. Idle Temps were recorded while doing what your average computer user would be doing while at the PC, surfing the Internet, checking e-mail etc.

Stock Performance

Overclocked Results

Results:

To be honest I wasn't expecting a HUGE difference in Temps and was pleasantly surprised with how much lower the temperatures were when the CPU was under load, this goes a long way to illustrate just how efficient the STORM waterblock is at moving heat away from the CPU. What I was surprised with was the drop in noise level while still maintaining excellent cooling performance. After having a PC that sounds like a jet engine preparing for take off sit next to you for several months the silence is almost creepy. All of the extra intake and exhaust fans had zero effect on the performance with the Apex kit so they were permanently removed from the system.

Overclocked we see the same results, excellent cooling performance and near silent operation. I'm not a big fan of overclocking, mostly because of my fear of killing yet another piece of hardware, but results like this tend to boost my confidence and I've been running "overclocked" full time now.

A year or so ago I said I would never go back to watercooling, there were just to many headaches and the risk vs. reward didn't appeal to me any longer. Now that I've tried it again I can't see myself going back to an air cooling solution. When I first saw the PR for this kit I didn't think it could possibly perform near as well as it did, my main concern was how efficient the radiator would be attached that close to the back of the case, it just didn't seem like there would be enough room for decent airflow. All of my doubts and concerns were promptly squashed once it was installed and I started using it.

Results, Pt 2.:

No water cooling review will be complete without comparing to other water cooling kits. Using a similar setup (P4 3.4GHz, 2 x Raptors, 1GB ram, etc.), here are our results:

	Idle	Load
Swiftech H20-Apex	32.5°C	42°C
Koolance PC3-720SL	36.5°C	49°C
Titan Robela	36°C	48°C
asetek Extreme Waterchill	34°C	43°C

Both the Koolance and Titan kits are full enclosures, and obviously the choice of cases used by the companies may or may not be ideal depending on what you're looking for. The asetek kit was setup in a Lian Li V1000, with the side panel off. Even then, the Swiftech finishes on top of the pack and is the leading performer of the water cooling kits we've looked at this year.

One other edge the H20-Apex has over the water cooled cases is that you can custom design the Swiftech to your needs. You also have the luxury of moving the setup to another case with minimal modifications and that is a big plus in our books. Our buds at CrazyPC carry this unit and we have no problems directing our readers to them for your cooling needs.

Pros: Ease of install, excellent performance , almost universal kit (radiator mount, CPU block mount etc.), silence, all inclusive.

Cons: I had to buy a 7/8" hole saw, other than that this kit was perfect.

Final thoughts: With the amount of kits for watercooling your PC that are out on the market today it's hard to decide what would be best for you, throw in all of the different types and sizes of cases that are available and choosing a kit could be a real nightmare. Swiftech has done all of the leg work with the Apex-H2O kit and have made a damn near universal water cooling kit that requires very little if any "handyman" work to install. In most cases all you'll need to do is drill some holes. My hats off to the folks at Swiftech, they did their research and put together a kit that is not only easy to install but performs like a champ as well.

If you have any comments, be sure to hit us up in our forums.

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