From VapoChill to Sim Racing: 25 Years of Asetek’s Innovation

For 25 years, Asetek has been at the forefront of cooling technology, shaping the way gamers, PC enthusiasts, and professionals push the limits of performance. From its humble beginnings in a small Danish town to becoming the gold standard for liquid cooling in high-performance PCs, workstations, and data centers, Asetek has continually evolved to meet the demands of cutting-edge computing.

Today, as Asetek celebrates its 25th anniversary, we take a look at the groundbreaking innovations that have defined the company’s legacy—from pioneering vapor phase CPU cooling to revolutionizing all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooling solutions and expanding into the immersive world of SimSports.

1997-2006: Asetek – The Birth of a Cooling Revolution

It all started in 1997, when André Eriksen founded Asetek with a mission: to solve the overheating issues plaguing high-performance processors. Back then, CPUs were getting faster, but also much hotter, leading to performance limitations. Eriksen’s answer? The VapoChill—a cooling system that brought CPUs down to sub-zero temperatures, unlocking never-before-seen performance potential.

By the early 2000s, Asetek had already established itself as the global leader in vapor phase CPU cooling, introducing cutting-edge sealed-loop liquid cooling technology. This breakthrough would later lay the foundation for the AIO liquid cooling solutions that now dominate the gaming and PC enthusiast market.

Key Innovations:

VapoChill: It was one of the first commercially available phase-change cooling solutions, essentially bringing refrigeration technology to CPUs and it pushed overclocking to new heights. The VapoChill really inspired a shift toward more advanced cooling solutions, such as LN2 and TEC (Peltier). This is an impressive feat for such a niche solution. Ultimately this innovation led to increased interest in high-performance hardware. Its impact can still be seen in today’s enthusiast cooling market. The push for better thermal solutions in CPUs and GPUs can be traced back to innovations like VapoChill, and its legacy lives on in modern extreme overclocking techniques.

WaterChill: High-performance water cooling for extreme overclockers. WaterChill made advanced cooling more accessible to a broader audience. This was the first pre-assembled, easy-to-install kit, lowering the barrier for those interested in water cooling but unwilling to build a custom loop from scratch. WaterChill played a role in popularizing liquid cooling as a viable and safe alternative to high-end air coolers. It introduced many users to the benefits of lower noise levels and better heat dissipation, paving the way for more widespread adoption of water cooling in gaming and workstation PCs.

Sealed-loop AIO Cooling: Asetek invented the liquid cooling system now used in today’s best gaming PCs and workstations. Our experience with WaterChill contributed to the development of modern all-in-one (AIO) liquid coolers, which are now standard in many gaming PCs. The company’s move toward closed-loop coolers, based on our early water cooling designs, influenced the entire liquid cooling industry, leading to partnerships with major brands like Corsair, NZXT, and EVGA.

2007-2018: Bringing High-Performance Cooling to the Masses

As the gaming and PC hardware industry evolved, so did Asetek. By 2007, the company’s technology was being used in gaming powerhouses like HP’s Blackbird 002, setting a new standard for liquid cooling in pre-built systems. This success led to collaborations with industry giants like Acer, Dell-Alienware, HP, Intel, and AMD, proving that Asetek was the go-to solution for serious cooling needs.

Asetek LCLC System

In 2009, Asetek made a move that would change the enthusiast market forever—mass-producing AIO liquid coolers for DIY builders. This meant PC enthusiasts could now enjoy high-performance cooling in their own custom-built rigs, fueling the growth of the overclocking and modding communities.

Key Milestones:

AIO Liquid Cooling for DIY: Asetek’s technology became a staple in gaming and high-performance systems.
2013 IPO: Asetek went public on the Oslo Stock Exchange, solidifying its market position.
2018 Supercomputing: Direct-to-Chip (D2C) cooling technology powered 13 TOP500 supercomputers, including the fastest systems in Taiwan and Japan.

2019-2020: A Renewed Focus on Innovation & Performance

With over a decade of leadership in PC cooling, Asetek took a bold step in 2019, rebranding to reflect its expanded vision while staying true to its core values. That same year, the company launched the Esports Academy, showing its commitment to supporting competitive gaming.

At the same time, Asetek remained dedicated to its loyal fanbase, releasing the 645LT AIO cooler as part of a direct-to-consumer appreciation project, proving that enthusiasts were still at the heart of the company’s mission.

Innovation Never Stops:

Rebranding (2019): A fresh look, renewed focus and commitment to community engagement, with same commitment to high quality and high-performance.
645LT B2C Project: Built from the ground up for mini-ITX PC cases. This is a huge fan-appreciation project – showing our love for the mighty SFF community. Asetek took the time and care to create a community-focused product that addressed the concerns of thermal management in the constrained space. Engaging the SFF community and valuing their feedback helped us produce another proud product.
Sustainability & Efficiency: Continued work on data center cooling to reduce carbon footprints.

2021+: Expanding Beyond Cooling – The Rise of Asetek SimSports

In 2021, Asetek surprised the gaming community by entering the world of SimSports, bringing its expertise in precision engineering and performance to sim racing hardware. The company quickly made waves with the launch of the Invicta™ Sim Racing Pedals, a high-end solution designed to bring real-life racing immersion to gamers.

By 2022, Asetek wasn’t just an industry leader in cooling; it was revolutionizing sim racing peripherals. From the official Pagani Huayra R Sim Racing Pedals to the Forte® Sim Racing Pedals and wheelbases, the brand’s impact was undeniable.

2021-2024: SimSports Milestones

🏎️ Invicta™ Sim Racing Pedals (2021): Precision-built for the ultimate racing experience.
🏎️ Pagani Huayra R Pedals (2022): Officially licensed by one of the world’s most exclusive hypercar brands.
🏎️ 10 Million LC AIO Units Sold (2022): A massive achievement in liquid cooling dominance.
🏎️ Invicta Wheel (2024): Asetek’s crown jewel in sim racing hardware, hand-built in Denmark.

And the future? Asetek is already working on shifters, rigs, and expanding into console sim racing, ensuring its SimSports division remains a driving force in the industry.

Forging the Future: Asetek’s Latest Innovations & Strategic Partnerships

🔥 ASUS ROG RYUJIN III WB Waterblock (2023-2024):
Asetek returned to its custom cooling roots, collaborating with ASUS on the ROG RYUJIN III WB. First introduced at Computex 2023 as a concept, it officially launched in 2024, offering a high-quality waterblock solution for custom PC builders.

🔥 Lian Li & TRYX Join as OEM Partners (2023-2024):
Asetek-powered AIO coolers now feature in Lian Li’s GALAHAD II LCD AIO and newcomer TRYX’s Gen8-powered AIO, which boasts a curved AMOLED LCD panel for enhanced customization.

🔥 HP Returns as a System Integrator Partner (2024):
Asetek tech is back in HP’s OMEN 45L Gaming PC, featuring Gen7 v2 cooling and its latest Turbulence-Channel cold plate technology.

🔥 AI-Optimized Cold Plate & Fabric8Labs Partnership (2024):
Asetek combined its AI simulation tools with Fabric8Labs’ 3D metal printing to create the AI-Optimized Cold Plate, a revolutionary breakthrough in cooling efficiency and reliability.

🔥 Intel Better-Together Award (2024):
Asetek’s latest achievement—a collaboration with Intel to develop an optimized liquid cooling system for the Core Ultra 285K CPU. After 18 months of joint research, Asetek fine-tuned every detail, proving once again that innovation is at its core.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Asetek

From freezing CPUs with VapoChill to powering supercomputers and building world-class sim racing gear, Asetek has spent 25 years redefining what’s possible in performance technology.

For PC enthusiasts, gamers, and DIY builders, Asetek remains the gold standard in liquid cooling, ensuring overclockers and high-performance systems run at peak efficiency. Meanwhile, the SimSports division is pushing the limits of racing simulation, bringing real-world physics and engineering into the virtual world.

As Asetek looks toward the future, one thing is certain: Innovation never stops. Whether it’s the next generation of AIO coolers, breakthrough supercomputing solutions, or the ultimate sim racing setup, Asetek will continue to deliver the performance, precision, and passion that gamers and enthusiasts demand.

Here’s to 25 years of innovation—and many more to come. 🚀🔥