CoolIT Domino A.L.C CPU Cooler Review

Up Close and Personal Con’t

The most interesting new feature of the Domino (besides its push button controller) is the new and improved pump. This ceramic bearing pump, dubbed the CFF1 or “Compact Form Factor Version 1” is a brand new unit designed to not only deliver a small noise envelope but increase durability as well. As a side benefit to this new pump design is it now fits inside the side shroud, further decreasing the size of the Domino. Our only concern with this unit is the lack of information with regards to flow rate, head pressure or any detail specifications at all for that matter. We can only assume as time goes by CoolIT will start to release more information about their brand new (and proprietary) shiny new pump. In either case, quality will always shine through in the performance numbers and we will then be able to make a more educated judgment. For now, it looks to be a moderate flow pump at best and it is unclear whether or not the new mounting location will result in more or less vibration related noise.


Also on the positive side, the base of the water block (AKA Fluid Heat Exchanger) is perfectly flat but it does show some minor polishing and tool marks. For its price range it is fairly good and is better than the PURE’s. On a side note this water block came with TIM already pre-applied in a nice thin and even layer (though ours had some very nice circular smudges in it, we are putting this down to either shipping bumps and bangs or our fumble finer handling).

For shipping it comes with a plastic protection shield held over the water block via a rubber band. While it may not be a high tech way of keeping the protector in place you can’t argue with results. To keep things as even as possible for the testing phase of this review we removed this TIM and used Arctic Cooling MX-2 on all CPU cooling solutions.


Before we move on there is one very interesting feature worth noting about this new water block: it has an improved retaining mechanism. This new mechanism consists of a large nut and washer directly in the center of the waterblock which holds the proper mounting bracket in place. To swap out the i7 bracket for the AMD one, you simply spin the nut off and lift it out, put the new one in place and screw it down. Since the retaining nut is directly in the center of the block and the retaining bracket is firmly melded with the majority of the top of the waterblock, this combination should easily provide constant and even pressure over the entire water block when you install it onto your CPU. Constant pressure is the number one critical component in WC’ing and without it the best loop in the world with only give mediocre results at best.


The fan of this unit is a complete mystery to us as it has been “sterilized” and is missing any and all clues which could give away its identity (besides being made in China). With that being said, CoolIT does provide some basic information about it. This fan rotates at anywhere from 1100rpm to 2500+ rpm. This in and of itself is not much information to go on but after working with this unit (and playing with the fan while it was removed from the Domino) we are able to make some educated guesses about it. To us it feels looks, sounds and acts like a ball bearing fan.

While the amount of vibrations it makes is on the low end of the spectrum, the fan does have that ball bearing “clicky” feeling to it. The “click” vibration it makes does not feel like a rifle ball bearing setup nor does the amount and type of noise point towards ceramic ball bearing. It is our opinion that this is your standard high end 2 ball bearing fan. It is possible that it is a bad example of either a ceramic or rifle bearing fan but the odds are against it.


In any case, the fan is very tight and exhibits almost no shaft nor off axis slop. Like we said earlier it’s a darn good fan. Besides the FDB wish we really, really wish CoolIT had taken their Boreas / Freezone Elite 120x120x38mm Panflo fan and stuck it on this bad boy as it would have certainly increased the radiator's performance. Of course this would have been to the detriment of the noise characteristics which CoolIT was aiming for and as such was a darn good choice…even if any and all 25mm thick fans make my WC’ing snob side cringe.