Probably the only thing I think missing from the equations here is the different style blocks. Some are more restrictive than others and I would imagine they would affect the overall rating. My case: CPU: AquaXtreme MP-05 SP LE - high restriction impingement block, and GPU: AquaXtreme MP-1 - high restriction block also. As opposed to a Maze 4 or non-impingement style blocks. Cathar, if you are still reading this thread now and then, what's your take?
Wow! Bet you didn't expect me to come answer your question one year on!
The actual restriction of the blocks is somewhat independent. Why?
The reason is that the poll is there to determine what rest of the components are doing in terms of offering a waterblock flow. If we've got a weak pump, small tubing, restrictive barbs, and so on, then both the high-restriction and low-restriction blocks will be operating at the lower end of their flow-performance curve. Vice-versa applies. Got a strong pump, low restriction fittings and larger bore tubing, then both the water-blocks will be operating towards the upper-end of their flow-performance curve. Independent of the block, the rest of the system is designed to deliver a high level of flow to the block.
I do accept your point to a degree though. If we have a high-flow system and stick in a super-restrictive waterblock and flow gets choked from 10LPM without the block, to 1LPM, then it's no longer a high-flow system. The problem with attempting to put that as a question is that the level of restriction of most water-blocks are not published, nor even known.
I also saw that most were arguing over pumps, radiators, tubing, and so on. People in general weren't arguing so much about what blocks are used as most people already understand that it's not so much the absolute flow-rate you deliver that determines performance, but rather what you do with the flow/pressure you have, and that is a function of the waterblock's design. The poll is therefore more focused around how much flow/pressure our system is setup to deliver to some waterblock that gets introduced. We can give a low-restriction block pathetic flow, or we can really try to ram flow through a high-restriction block, and that's independent of the block itself.
It all gets a whole lot more gnarly once we start mixing high/low restriction blocks, and the impact that a high-restriction block has on overall system flow-rates and therefore the performance of a low-restriction block in the same system. I was trying to keep the poll simple enough so people could easily find common ground, rather than nit-picking and fighting with each other.
Sadly, looking at these forums 2 years on, I see that little has changed.