Cooling specialist Asetek has announced a trio of sealed-loop liquid cooling systems designed for use in systems where space is at a premium.

The three cooling systems are based around radiators that fit to 92mm fan vents, rather than the more common 120mm size found on most cases. Each features a factory-sealed closed loop system filled with cooling fluid, a radiator with one or two 92mm fans, and a copper-based waterblock with integral pump system for connection to the system's CPU.

The company claims that all three models, the single-fan 545LC and the dual-fan 565LX and 585LX, offer high-performance cooling in space-tight systems at an alleged 26dBA volume using the included fans. Each unit is claimed to last for 50,000 hours with zero maintenance - unlike traditional watercooling systems.

Sadly, the sealed-loop system trades flexibility for convenience: while it requires no maintenance or topping up of its fluid reserves, it also can't be extended to cool system components other than the CPU.

The base model, the 545LC, cools a single Intel 775, 1156, 1366 or AMD AM2, AM2+, or AM3 socket processor and includes a 92mm radiator for small form factor gaming systems. The 565LX upgrades to a dual-92mm radiator for systems with a bit more space, while the top-end 585LX is designed for dual-processor systems and again requires a dual-92mm fan vent on the chassis.

Thus far, Asetek hasn't offered a clue as to pricing - but has revealed that it will be offering the devices to OEMs and ODMs in quantities of eight. It's not yet known whether the systems will see a retail release.

Do you think that factor-sealed systems like these can offer a useful bridge between the world of air cooling and custom watercooling, or is Asetek just trying to prey on OEMs that are looking to add a tickbox to their feature list? Share your thoughts over in the forums.