Nowadays, many water cooling products on the market are made of acrylic or POM materials, with acrylic-based products being relatively more prevalent. Below is an overview of the characteristics of these two materials in water cooling applications:

For PC water cooling products, aesthetics are a key selling point. Transparent acrylic has an inherent advantage for lighting effects, as it allows users to directly view the colored coolant and showcase dazzling RGB lighting. In contrast, POM is essentially opaque (white POM has minimal translucency at best). To incorporate RGB lighting into POM water blocks, additional techniques such as light guides or hollowed-out designs are required, which increases both technical complexity and production costs—making it less convenient than acrylic. It is safe to say that beginner users around the world share similar preferences. Data shows that the acrylic versions of water cooling products from nearly all brands are the top-sellers.

In the current domestic market environment, the manufacturing process and material purity of POM still have room for improvement. Most POM materials available commercially are recycled advertising-grade plastics. Very few manufacturers can produce POM materials that meet the density, hardness, and compatibility requirements for water cooling applications. Even when we identified a few qualified suppliers, we were turned down—they stated that our order volume was too small to justify production. To manufacture water cooling products using high-quality POM, the retail price would inevitably increase significantly.

Most POM water blocks are black. Due to color and appearance limitations, they are not as visually striking as acrylic alternatives, restricting design flexibility in terms of color matching. That being said, it is a fact that POM outperforms acrylic in almost all material properties except transparency. However, after years of design refinements, manufacturing process optimizations, and material selection improvements, acrylic water blocks can maintain reliable performance for two to three years under normal use conditions without rough handling.

Machining POM surfaces is more challenging than acrylic due to tooling and process constraints, and it is prone to burr formation. That said, many manufacturers have mastered the techniques to produce high-quality POM components—the key lies in their commitment to quality and willingness to invest in high-performance cutting tools. Ultimately, manufacturers need to stay profitable, so it is understandable that they prioritize products that align with market demand.

Based on the three factors discussed above, it is reasonable why acrylic water cooling products dominate the market over POM ones. In reality, both materials have their own strengths and weaknesses—the choice ultimately depends on your priorities!