There has been quite a transformation in the desktop CPU cooling market. Several years ago, innovation in the consumer cooling industry was beginning to stagnate ? air-based heatsinks were reaching impractically massive size levels while custom liquid cooling solutions saw little exposure outside of overclocking enthusiasts and boutique system builders due to their high cost and maintenance. Then a company named Asetek jumped the gun with the Low Cost Liquid Cooling (LCLC) concept. These were all-in-one (AIO) closed liquid cooling solutions squarely aimed at the mainstream consumer market, sold preassembled with an integrated pump, reservoir, coolant, radiator, and CPU block for an entirely maintenance-free experience. Coolit soon followed this untapped market and despite patent lawsuits surrounding the idea, the AIO concept became a game changer that brought the efficiency of water to the all-important sub-$100 CPU cooling price range.

Over the years, AIO solutions have evolved to encompass larger and thicker radiators, as well as integrated software for pump and fan speed monitoring. Despite that, this industry has not changed much over the years, largely due to the fact that it is still dominated by the two originators: Asetek and CoolIT. While companies such as Antec, Corsair, and Thermaltake have introduced their own AIO liquid cooler variations, base designs and manufacturing commonly sources back to one of the two big players. It is not necessarily a bad practice ? these OEM-based units have known to consistently perform well for relatively decent prices.