Are you having a shaky budget buying a separate reservoir and pump to water-cool your gaming PC?
Then it’s better to buy a combo.
In this post, you will learn about the 4 best water-cooling reservoir pump combos. Each of them has different advantages and you can pick one which is the most suitable for your build.
If you want the best overall option, you should go for the EKWB EK-Quantum Kinetic FLT 360 D5.
Best Pump Reservoir Combo for Liquid Cooling
| Award | Model | Reservoir Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Editor's Pick | EKWB EK-Quantum Kinetic FLT 360 D5 | 435 mL |
| Runner Up | Thermaltake Pacific PR22-D5 w/ Silent Kit Combo | 300 mL |
| Best Value | EKWB EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 PWM | 205 mL |
| Best Looking | Corsair Hydro X Series XD5 | 330 mL |
Both the pump and reservoir is a must-have item in a liquid cooling system. There are a lot of factors that decide whether a pump-res combo is worth buying or not.
After going through the top products, we have finalized the best 4 options which are further categorized into different needs.
Here are the 4 best pump reservoir combos:
1. Editor’s Pick: EKWB EK-Quantum Kinetic FLT 360 D5
Key Specifications
Reservoir Capacity: 435 mL
Flow Rate: 1500 L/hr
Pressure Head: 3.9m
- »Superb performance
- »High cooling capacity
- »Great build quality
- »Silent
- »Expensive
Why We Picked It
We picked the EKWB EK-Quantum Kinetic FLT 360 as it’s the best overall pump/reservoir combo available on the market.
EKWB EK-Quantum 360 is the new kinetic combo unit with sophisticated addressable D-RGB lighting. This combo unit is equipped with D5 pumps which are capable of transferring 1500L of coolant per hour with a maximum pressure head of 3.9 meters.
It does an excellent job of circulating the coolant throughout the loop and efficiently cools the PC.
Besides the pump, the 435mL reservoir is made of a black anodized aluminum cover under which the RGB strips are equipped.
The EK Quantum is enclosed with a mounting mechanism with all necessary screws for 120mm fan mounting. You will also get a pair of EK reservoir holders along with mounting screws.
The reservoir is equipped with a total of 6 G ¼” ports. It’s quite big and requires a big enough PC casing to house it in.
Who It’s For
The EKWB EK-Quantum Kinetic FLT 360 is for those who want a premium pump reservoir combo from a reliable brand like EKWB who excel in making the best custom liquid cooling components.
Verdict
The EKWB EK-Quantum Kinetic FLT 360 D5 is a premium option as a reservoir pump combo that excels in all areas. If you have the budget and want to get the best possible option, go for it.
2. Runner Up: Thermaltake Pacific PR22-D5 w/ Silent Kit Combo
Key Specifications
Reservoir Capacity: 300mL
Flow Rate: 1135 L/hr
Pressure Head: 4.5m
- »Silent
- »High pump pressure head
- »Decent reservoir capacity
- »RGB implementation is not good
Why We Picked It
We picked the Thermaltake Pacific PR22-D5 as it passes with flying colors on all the tests that determine if a reservoir pump combo is great.
This combo unit comes with a PR series tube reservoir and a D5 pump for the ultimate PC water-cooling configurations.
With unique authenticity and exceptional performance, the PR22- D5 w/ silent kit is made with high-quality POM and PMWA material for providing a crystal clear, high operation, and firm solution.
The Thermaltake Pacific PR22-D5 w/ Silent Kit Combo is one of the best combo units for PC enthusiasts who want to showcase their cooling loop.
If you are looking for a soundproofing combo unit then, this model is a no-brainer. The default configuration without the silent mod is already quite silent, and the silent mod makes it even quieter.
The top cap supports rubber washers for a perfect seal, including 2 G ¼” ports (for fittings). As the unit is made up of Aluminum, it reduces every noise (reduced by 10% with the aluminum kit in 17 mm thickness), creating a peaceful environment.
No worries while cleaning the reservoir, because, you can easily open the top cap of the reservoir.
Not only that, the PR series tube reservoirs are made up of a high-quality acrylic tube that works as heat resistant making it easier to work at 55C temperature.
The only dropdown is that, this version of D5 pump is not PWM compatible.
However, If you are a PC enthusiast and want to build up an advanced water cooling loop with 2 GPUs, 3 radiators, or even more DIY components concurrently then, Thermaltake Pacific PR22-D5 w/ Silent Kit Combo is worth the money.
Moreover, the Pacific PR Series can be installed both horizontally and vertically, making the framework look stunning.
Who It’s For
The Thermaltake Pacific PR22-D5 is for custom liquid cooling enthusiasts who want the best pump reservoir combo without any additional flair. It’s not as premium as the EKWB product above but is on the same level in all other aspects.
Verdict
If you’re looking for a silent, high-performance pump/reservoir, the Thermaltake Pacific PR22-D5 is the top option.
3. Best Value: EKWB EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 PWM
Key Specifications
Reservoir Capacity: 205 mL
Flow Rate: 1500 L/h
Pressure Head: 3.9m
- »Great value for money
- »Low noise
- »Decent cooling performance
- »Not the most powerful pump
Why We Picked It
We picked the EKWB EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 because it offers the most value for the money. For the price, it brings surprisingly decent cooling performance on the table and doesn’t cut many corners while doing so.
It is a high-performance liquid cooling combo unit with an integrated reservoir, RGB lighting, and black-sleeved cables. This combo comes with a D5 RGB PWM series pump that features a fully rounded acrylic design offering stunning looks and greater usability.
This combo unit acts silently because of the special rubber shock absorber that separates the pump body from the mounting clips. The build quality is good enough for the price.
Additionally, with the D5 PWM pump, you will get an integrated 205mL reservoir that comes with a pre-installed anti-cyclone feature. For additional options, PU anti-vortex foam and EK-HD Tube is enclosed.
Want to know the best part?
Both the Reservoir and the D5 pump are compatible with popular RGB sync technologies from almost all motherboard manufacturers.
This water reservoir/pump combo unit can be easily mounted directly on a computer frame by using the Revo D5 Holder.
You might not find the pump powerful enough like other options on this list, but it gets the job done. Unless you have lots of high-end components to cool down, this combo will do the job perfectly.
Who It’s For
If you are considering the best-value item, EK-XRES 140 Revo stands at the top.
Verdict
The EKWB EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 is the best value pump/reservoir combo available on the market. It comes from a reputable brand and gets all the basics right. If you neither need to get the best combo nor want to spend all the money on it, go with this one.
4. Best Looking: Corsair Hydro X Series XD5
Key Specifications
Reservoir Capacity: 330 mL
Flow Rate: 800 L/h
Pressure Head: 2.1m
- »Best design and aesthetics
- »Nailed the RGB implementation and configuration
- »Excellent build quality
- »Above average performance
- »Proprietary connection
Why We Picked It
Corsair Hydro X Series XD5 is the world’s most demanding pump and reservoir combo due to its perfect balance between aesthetics and performance.
A high-performance xylem D5 PWM pump is used which can be controlled to deliver perfect flow for your multi-block cooling loop. The PWM helps to maximize cooling capacity and minimize noise.
There are 10 in-built RGB LEDs that can be controlled with Corsair Lighting Node Pro or Commander Pro and powerful Corsair iCUE software for customized lighting. There is also a temperature sensor that will give you real-time performance data from the interior system for cooling adjustments.
Compared to other options on the list, this product has the most well-thought-out and implemented RGB lighting. The build quality is also praiseworthy.
Corsair Hydro X Series is compatible with G ¼” fittings and with both 120mm and 140mm mounting brackets. There is one outlet and technically 5 inlets in this unit.
As for the Reservoir is concerned, the 330mL reservoir puts your cooling system’s water-cooling liquid front and center, with an amazing angular design. The reservoir also contains a fill port that makes filling, flushing, and topping off coolant easy.
In fact, everything from product unboxing up to installation is super user-friendly. This is a perfect pump/reservoir combo for starters.
The mounting system is also rubberized to reduce pump vibrations and noise.
The only negative is the use of a proprietary connection that reduces the flexibility of the product and hampers the usage of third-party components.
Who It’s For
The Corsair Hydro X Series XD5 is for those who want to focus on aesthetics while having custom water cooling loops on their PC.
Verdict
The Corsair Hydro X series XD5 RGB pump/reservoir is the best-looking of all the options on the list. If you want the pump to be the centerpiece of your PC, then getting the best-looking reservoir/pump is the ideal option.
How We Chose the Best Reservoir-Pump Combo
A good combo unit is needed in order to flow the liquid perfectly in the cooling loop. You need to consider certain aspects before buying a reservoir/pump combo unit.
Here are some factors we considered while choosing the reservoir-pump combo unit:
Pump Type
There are mainly two types of pump: DDC (Laing) and D5. DDC pumps are smaller and suitable for compact builds. D5 pumps are bigger with more performance under the hood and operate quietly.
We mostly chose D5 pumps as most people install custom water cooling inside a larger PC case.
Flow Rate and Head Pressure
Pump Performance plays a vital role in determining the efficiency of cooling. If the pumps aren’t powerful enough and do not push the coolant efficiently, your custom water cooling will not be enough to cool down the PC.
We consider the flow rate (measured in liters per hour), and head pressure (measured in meters) and also check the temperature of the components to decide if the pump performance is good enough.
Anticyclone Feature
Some reservoirs don’t have this feature and hence a tornado is created within the reservoir because of gravity. This coolant cyclone can damage the whole cooling system and ruin your PC within seconds.
Reservoir Capacity
Reservoir capacity is very important in the case of building a custom cooling loop.
Your amount of coolant and reservoir capacity should not mismatch. Or else, it will be difficult for the pump to transfer the coolant from the reservoir to the radiator.
Noise-Reduction Feature
PC case fans, radiators, and PSU fans already produce some noise. So you would want the pump to be as quiet as possible.
Some combos come with dampening materials or silent mods which help reduce the noise by a great margin.
Should I Buy a Standalone Unit or a Reservoir-Pump Combo?
It doesn’t matter much whether you buy a standalone or a combo. I would recommend buying a combo as it would ensure better compatibility and less tinkering.
If you want to customize your custom loop on your own then, it would be better to take separate components.
But, it’s very time-consuming to build and join everything accurately. If any misplacement occurs then, the whole build can rupture in seconds.
Whereas, the combo kits are joined and easier to connect to other components.
Unless you’re enthusiastic about custom loops and know what you’re trying to achieve, it’s better to buy a reservoir-pump combo.
FAQ
Question: Which reservoir/pump combo is the best within a low budget?
Answer: Within a low budget EKWB EK-XRES 140 Revo is the best.
Question: Is Thermaltake Pacific PR22-D5 w/ Silent Kit Reservoir Pump Combo PWM compatible?
Answer: No. Unfortunately, Thermaltake Pacific PR22-D5 w/ Silent Kit Combo Unit is not PWM compatible.
Final Thoughts
If you are a hardcore PC gamer, you might want the best water-cooling reservoir pump combo needed for keeping an optimum temperature.
Different models come with different features and thus you have to consider every little detail for buying a combo.
Hopefully, this list helps you clear the confusion and you can confidently make a purchase decision after reading the post.
