Packaging:
The
Cooler Master Aquagate Mini R80 is sold in the briefcase like cardboard box shown below. The various panels are covered with photos, features, and specifications, giving a would be buyer a good idea of what they might be getting into with this purchase.
Inside the box, a few compartments isolate the major components, and did a good job keeping everything safe and secure on its coast to coast journey for this review.
The Basics:
The images below provide a look at the main items you see when you open the box. The below left image shows the aluminum radiator set up to accept an 80mm fan on either side, the waterblock/pump/reservoir combo unit, and the black rubberized tubing connecting the two. The unit really does ship ready for use, as it is prefilled with cooling fluid, which
Cooler Master calls "anti-icing fluid", and they guarantee that you will not need to refill for 2 years.
The above right image shows the 80mm cooling fan with speed controller and a steel fan grill to protect your digits. The fan doesn't ship installed, as it allows you to mount it on either side of the radiator, and it can be oriented to blow through, or away from, the radiator.
The images below show a close up of the radiator. The tubing just slips over stubs on the radiator, and simple clamps are used to hold it tightly in place. There is nothing fancy about these components, and the black tubing gives it an almost industrial appearance. Clear tubing may be nice for observing the fluid, but clear may eventually haze over and look less appealing. The heat exchange occurs thanks to thin fins that carry the fluid from one end to the other, unlike many radiators that have a series of "s" tubes with less surface area to work with.
