CPU Water Block Round Up APOGEE GT/GTX vs. STORM vs. FuZion vs. APOGEE vanilla

Conclusion:

Honestly I love Swiftech’s new lineup. The chrome finish on the APOGEE GT, and the hand-crafted aluminum top on the GTX look even more stunning in real life than they do in a photograph. I also love the way Swiftech is finishing their bases so well that they are exhibiting mirror-like properties.

Maybe my expectations were a little bit too high, but I was a little disappointed by the APOGEE GTX. I was expecting significantly better temps on the GTX than with the GT, but I found that my temperatures were pretty much equal for these two blocks. I guess this goes to show how efficient the APOGEE GT baseplate is to begin with.

Honestly I think if you want great performance, and APOGEE GT would be fine, but if you want a block that includes metal barbs, and has a little extra "bling" factor to it, the APOGEE GTX is a great choice for about $20 more.

When it comes down to which block you should buy, it’s very hard to say at this stage. All of these blocks are so close in performance that it’s mostly within the margin of error of the Intel temperature sensor on these chips (+-1C), so although the FuZion, due to its more consistent, easier mounting edged out the other blocks in terms of average mounting temps, the APOGEE GT/GTX were able to get slightly better temps when bowed on some mounts.

Ultimately I think it’s going to come down to which block has the best aesthetics to you personally. They're all great performers, and they all sport a distinctive look that will appeal to some readers but not others.