The new revision VapoChill case is a great improvement over the previous version, despite the fact that the two cases look superficially similar. One of the key areas of improvement is in accessibility. Where as the original case came with an all-in-one "U" shaped cover which was held in place by flimsy plastic retention bars (which tend to snap off all the time - sorry Amil!), the new one has much easier to use removable side panels which are held in place by Lian-Li style thumb-screws. The original case also came pretty much in kit-form, as the front bezel had to be attached to the case. Not so the Second Edition! Open the box, install the mounting kit and you are pretty much good to go with this baby! Another VERY important difference which on first glance you might miss is that the Vapochill SE has been enlarged by some 50mm. This doesn’t seem like much but it does mean that Extended ATX motherboards can finally be used, as can full-length professional graphics adaptors.
The current VapoChill is available in two configurations, the VapoChill SE and the VapoChill PE. Which one you require will depend on how you plan to use the vapochill, and how far you intend to push your hardware. The way in which the two systems differ is in how powerful the compressors are. With the Premium Edition, and increase in cooling power of some 25% is observed, what this means in real terms is that where as the SE can effectively dissipate 130W at -5 degrees, the PE can dissipate more than 160W. Note that unless you are REALLY planning on taxing that system to the limit, an SE will be more than enough cooling power and is significantly cheaper.
Improvements over the previous edition of Vapochill do not just stop with case ergonomics. Aesthetics have also been improved considerably, and my own pet-hate with the original has finally been addressed. The LED read-out of the original VapoChill was some 1.5 inches back from the front of the bezel, which meant you really had to be at eye-level (+ or - 20 degrees) in order to read the temperature. With the redesign, the LED readout it now right on the front meaning you can read the temperature of your case from pretty much any angle.
Another welcome improvement is a major price cut. Where as the original Vapochill would have set you back more than £500, the new PE can be had for as little as £329 from Chillblast in the UK, or from €538 from Asetek's Webshop if you live in the rest of Europe. American Readers are catered for by the following resellers , whilst Canadian resellers by these stores.
The substantial internal design improvements of the new generation Vapochill will be covered later during installation.
