Further Installation

With our LGA 1366 test rig standing by (sans-graphics card), we went about first removing the rear 120mm fan and then sticking on the backplate to the socket. Next, after getting it all screwed in, now is the time to coax those rubber grommets out of the holes like curious nipples.

The Cooler Master Stacker case has a nice chunky edge to it, so the Domino ALC fits in rather neatly; however, having tried to install it in much thinner cases where the 120mm fan and the case side are much closer together (in such cases as Lian Li's or Antec's), the Domino ALC won't fit as the slight budge prevents it. It might also interfere with some side-panel case fans because of its large presence too, for what it's worth.

Admittedly this is no different to large coolers like the Titan Fenrir or ThermalRight Ultra Extreme that protrude outwards and conflict with some side-panel case fans and removable motherboard trays, so remain vigilant and check before purchase. The difference here though is that the Domino ALC has no real need to be this large - it's almost entirely superfluous, only holding the small pump and a PCB in place so you can see the LCD screen, which will likely be hidden by most case side panels anyway.

CoolIT's answer to this is that people without windowed case sides didn't want to see into their cases anyway, but that negates the point that very few other products have information readouts on them (beyond POST), and twisting your head around the side of your case to have a look at it is hardly the easy answer. And it goes without mentioning the fact that should we want to change the setting, the case side panel has to be removed. Again, this screams of a design for system integrators and not enthusiasts - it enforces a set and forget policy.


Depending on where your CPU socket is relative to your rear fan will determine the amount of pull and twist from the hoses - as you can see above the Domino ALC does not sit exactly straight with the grommets, although using the screws will cure this. We showed CoolIT the tight angle below, and it did not consider it an issue for testing - the company does not define that as a restriction or kink. And so we proceeded.

As you can see, for system builders it certainly has an upside: it not only directly removes the heat from your CPU and case, saving the cost of an extra fan, but bolted (using the screws not grommets) to the rear of the case it can be transported far more securely than any large and heavy heatsink fixed to the motherboard. We all know our delivery service drivers are also Rally Cross enthusiasts and Football fans, so minimising the potential internal damage getting a whole PC from one place to another is essential to a company's bottom line and customer satisfaction.


One exception to the build quality we did have - particularly when using the Domino ALC with AMD CPUs and their large surface area - is that when trying to remove the cooler from the CPU, because the seal is often vacuum tight, the plastic screw in the metal threaded hole will simply sheer off when applying force.


The way to get around it is to remove it first, then the metal bracket holding it down leaving the waterblock on the CPU by itself. Then gently slide it along before releasing the ZIF clip and taking it all out together. Then simply slide the CPU off the block and it prevents ripping it out of the socket and potentially bending the pins.