Conclusion
I do have some complaints - let’s start with the fan that was included with the R120. After my testing for this review was complete I replaced the fan with a different one; something quieter yet adjustable. Immediately I noticed that the rattling was gone. The stock Cooler Master fan was not only loud but it was just plan noisy - even at low speed it was noisy. I would recommend finding a quieter fan that can still push decent CFMs. The next complaint I have is the location of the tubes coming off the CPU block. On the DFI Ultra-D, a very popular Nforce4 Motherboard, the tubes either route over the memory or will hit the backside of the video card. I’d suggest to Cooler Master reworking the CPU block and routing the tubes off the top of the block to eliminate this as an issue. In fact, I could not even install Corsair XMS Pro memory while using the Aquagate R120 unit. Lastly, the installation. This required the removal of the Motherboard from the Case - I feel there should be a way to mount this from the top using the stock AMD64 backplate. Issues aside...

Cooler Master touched upon something great with the Aquagate Mini series. I feel a new revision that would reflect some user input would push the Aquagate Mini R120 from great to perfect. Even with the issues I had, I'm a tinkerer - and being a person that cannot leave things alone I removed the fan stamping from the front of my Case and changed out the fan with something quieter pushing temperatures even a few degrees lower than the stock setup and significantly lower than even the best air cooler I have. My only other problem would be the location of the tubes and where they come off the block, the tubes interfere with the memory location on the Motherboard used in this review and this was something even a tinkerer couldn't fix.

I am always more critical of products that I really enjoyed working with. Products that with a slight bit of change could just be incredible. Overall I feel the Cooler Master Aquagate Mini R120 is an excellent product. I really didn't think it would best my air coolers - a collection containing the likes of the Thermaltake Big Typhoon and Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro. However, today we proved that even high end air cooling could not touch the performance of this entry level water cooler. We are giving this product a 9 out of 10 but awarding it our 3DXtreme Editors Choice Award for the innovation, creativity and performance this product delivered! The R120 found a permanent home in my PC.

Thanks to Yolanda from Cooler Master for providing the sample used in this review.

Pros
Great Performance.
Price.
Easiest to use water cooling system on the market.
Innovative and creative.

Cons
The stock fan is noisy.
Location of the tubes could interfere with other components.
Installation can be difficult, removal of the Motherboard is required.

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