14 DAY TRIAL // Zalman Reserator 2 was tested by Virtual-Hideout and - beyond the fact that is the best looking cooler out there (from its category) - the results are impressive.
"Reserator" is derived from "Reservoir" and "Radiator" and it acts like a reservoir while radiating heat. This product also integrates a water pump, a coolant flow sensor, as well as a flow indicator in the front.
The new cooling system has no paint or clear coat to trap heat, and the aluminum fins and housing are lighter than the previous model. However, the holding tank is much smaller and built in to the rear of the unit and can be accessed by removing the screws holding the lid. The power cord comes through a hole at the top of the reservoir that can allow water to leak out if the Reserator is tilted too far. At the bottom, there are In and Out ports.
The R2 comes with a CPU (ZM-WB4 Gold) and VGA (ZM-GWB3) water blocks, which are the same blocks included in the first version. They incorporate a polycarbonate cover with a gold plated copper base that makes them look like mirrors.
The list of accessories you receive with this kit includes a manual, degassing tube, I/O PCI Plate, high quality thermal grease, feet and hose rings.
Here's the testing system and the results: AMD 64 Opteron 150 (Stock 2.4 Mhz) (Oveclocked 2.9 Ghz), Abit KN8-Sli, 2x1GB G.Skill PC3200ZX, GeForce 7800 GT PCIE, 80 GB Seagate SATA, Enermax EG-495P-VE. The R2 obtained: For the CPU: 32c (Idle), 37c (Load), 45c (Overclock) For the Chipset: 31c (Idle), 36c (Load), 42c (Overclock) For the CPU: 37c (Idle), 45c (Load), 49c (Overclock).