INTRODUCTION

   Just a few years back you needed to spend a very respectable amount of money in order to take your first steps into watercooling and because of that even today serious watercooling solutions are considered to be a niche market aimed primarily at people who place cost beneath performance such as enthusiasts and overclockers. However today we have something that we didn't back then namely AIO (All-In-One) Liquid CPU Coolers that offer hassle-free installation and good performance levels at low prices making them ideal for use by regular consumers, gamers and even professionals alike. Naturally because the market for such devices is quite large many companies have released AIO models over the years one which is Antec and since they've been around since the beginning their solutions are without doubt amongst the ones at the top (largely thanks to their successful cooperation with Asetek). We have already reviewed their latest KUHLER H2O 650 and 950 AIO Liquid CPU Cooling Systems and today on our test bench we have the flagship 1250 model.

   Antec, Inc., is the leading global brand of high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) markets. Founded in 1986, Antec is recognized as a pioneer in these industries and has maintained its position as a worldwide market leader and international provider of efficient, quiet, and reliable products. Antec has also achieved great success in the distribution channel, meeting the demands of quality-conscious system builders, VARs and integrators. Antec’s offering of enclosures includes a large range of cases, such as its technically advanced Performance One Series, cost-effective New Solution Series and server grade cases designed for the needs of all workstation and server markets. Antec’s products also include front line power supplies such as its TruePower Quattro Series and EarthWatts, the most environmentally friendly power supplies available. PC gamers are an increasingly significant consumer of performance components, and many Antec products are geared toward the gaming demographic, like the Nine Hundred, the premier gamer enclosure. Antec also offers a computing accessories line comprised of many original products, including its patented LED Fans and Notebook Cooling solutions. Antec is headquartered in Fremont, California, with additional offices in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, as well as in Germany, China and Taiwan. The company’s products are sold in more than 40 countries throughout the world. Please visit www.antec.com for more information.

   No one can really deny the popularity of both the KUHLER H2O 650 and the 950 models and the main reason behind that popularity is obviously their size followed very closely by their performance. So since both are single 120mm AIO solutions that pretty much means that every user out there can attach one at the towers rear exhaust port with ease and be done in just a matter of minutes. Well the 1250 model is a much larger 240mm long AIO solution (actually 280mm in length) ideal for people who seek even better performance but unfortunately not every PC Case out there has the required space to accommodate such a cooler. The real question here that we need to answer however is just how much of a difference the extra size of the radiator and the addition of an second 120mm fan with an integrated pump can make compared to the previously reviewed 650 and 950 models so let’s find out.