Titan Robela H20 Cooled Case Review

Cases & PSU/Cases by KeithSuppe @ 2006-05-24

Titan has long been a name associated with air-coolers, cases and recently water-cooling. While their early stand-alone H20 solutions haven?t been hailed as performance beasts, their innate form seems ripe with potential function. There?s one area where Titan may be as successful as they have been with other products; water-cooled cases. Today we investigate the Robela (TWC A88/AB) water-cooled case.

  • prev
  • next

Robela Cooling system

Robela H20-system


Madshrimps (c)


Opening up the case and reversing the side-panel exposes the true extent of the water-cooling apparatus. Along with the CPU and VGA water-blocks Titan also included memory heatsinks compatible with any number of graphic-cards. The aluminum memory heatsinks have a double sided adhesive thermal backing.

Madshrimps (c)


Case/Radiator Fan specifics

Madshrimps (c)


Below we see the radiator itself is quite large which is promising, the pump, reservoir and related electronics are housed in the molded plastic "box" bearing the Titan name which is partially obscured in this photo. In the thumbnails below are close-ups of the water flow-gauge and a close-up of twin-120mm radiator fans. The spec chart above gives the performance details on the 120mm fans and the thumbnail below gives a close-up of the radiator fans.

Madshrimps (c)


Madshrimps (c)


Looking at the water-cooling panel from another perspective we see the molded pump/reservoir/electronics enclosure. The thumbnails below this photo give a closer view of the flow gauge and inlet/outlets. Titan arranged the cooling system so water returning from the VGA-block outlet passes through the radiator where heat is removed after which it's drawn into the reservoir. At this point it's pumped back to the CPU-block inlet. I prefer the radiator placed just before the water blocks especially in a system where the pump is submersed in the reservoir thereby adding additional heat.

Madshrimps (c)


Madshrimps (c) Madshrimps (c)


Titan engineers simplified the fill/bleed process by placing the reservoir and pump at the highest point on the side-panel (highest point in the H20-system). While this might seem a prima facie method, something as simple as gravity tends to ellude some designers. Titan obviously intended this system to be very simple to set-up and maintain. Personally I think the fill/bleed process can be most frustrating. I found myself raising a new radiator over my head while trying to rotate it at every possible angle in an attempt to dislodge trapped air all while simultanesouly balancing a reservoir on my knee, waterblock on the foot and keep the pump on the table plugged in to its molex, without jeapordizing connections. I like Titan's approach much better, there's no balancing act.

Madshrimps (c)


Removing four screws from the side-panel releases the metal-grill exposing the aluminum finned/copper tube radiator. Exposing the fill port and water-level indicator also exposes the reservoir. The radiator is large enough to allow four 120mm fans to be mounted with room to spare. If you look closely you can make out the radiator fans which are stacked on the far left. Obviously Titan felt two fans would suffice perhaps making this the first passive/active hybrid radiator.

Madshrimps (c)


Pump specs

Madshrimps (c)


Removing the plastic enclosure reveals a plethora of electronics which is where I became concerned. Monitoring is one thing; however, automation can be both a blessing and a curse. If done properly such systems can give the end-user extensive tune-ability. If there's a failure or error then the end-user is stuck with a useless system until the entire case can be shipped back to the manufacturer. Most of the devices responsible for the Robela's H20 system are housed behind the enclosure removed in the photos below.

Madshrimps (c)


Madshrimps (c) Madshrimps (c) Madshrimps (c) Madshrimps (c)


Unfortunately some of the electronics which supply power, aid in monitoring and regulating the H20-system, are located on the PCB panel at the base of the case. As discussed earlier any malfunction of this panel, or any panel would force the end-user to RMA the entire case.

Madshrimps (c)


Madshrimps (c) Madshrimps (c)


Hopefully Titan has installed electronics meant to last, while an experienced DIY user may be able to circumvent a possible malfunction the Robela may not be the first choice for the experienced Water-cooling enthusiast.
  • prev
  • next