A water block for cooling one of a central processing unit and a graphics processing unit of a computer system, the water block comprising: a body having a thermal transfer surface configured to be placed in contact with the one of the CPU and the GPU; a fluid conduit defined in the body and configured for conveying fluid through the body, the fluid conduit being thermally coupled to the thermal transfer surface, the fluid conduit having an inlet and an outlet, characterized in that: at a first junction, the fluid conduit branches into a first channel (36 1) and a second channel (36 2) which extend adjacent and generally parallel to one another along an initial portion of the fluid conduit; the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) diverge away from one another at an end of the initial portion such that each of the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) forms a serpentine path, the serpentine path formed by the first channel (36 1) extending toward a first direction, the serpentine path formed by the second channel (36 2) extending toward a second direction generally opposite to the first direction; the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) merge at a second junction; and each of the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) defines a sinusoidal pattern along at least a majority of a span thereof. a body having a thermal transfer surface configured to be placed in contact with the one of the CPU and the GPU; a fluid conduit defined in the body and configured for conveying fluid through the body, the fluid conduit being thermally coupled to the thermal transfer surface, the fluid conduit having an inlet and an outlet, characterized in that: at a first junction, the fluid conduit branches into a first channel (36 1) and a second channel (36 2) which extend adjacent and generally parallel to one another along an initial portion of the fluid conduit; the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) diverge away from one another at an end of the initial portion such that each of the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) forms a serpentine path, the serpentine path formed by the first channel (36 1) extending toward a first direction, the serpentine path formed by the second channel (36 2) extending toward a second direction generally opposite to the first direction; the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) merge at a second junction; and each of the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) defines a sinusoidal pattern along at least a majority of a span thereof. at a first junction, the fluid conduit branches into a first channel (36 1) and a second channel (36 2) which extend adjacent and generally parallel to one another along an initial portion of the fluid conduit; the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) diverge away from one another at an end of the initial portion such that each of the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) forms a serpentine path, the serpentine path formed by the first channel (36 1) extending toward a first direction, the serpentine path formed by the second channel (36 2) extending toward a second direction generally opposite to the first direction; the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) merge at a second junction; and each of the first and second channels (36 1, 36 2) defines a sinusoidal pattern along at least a majority of a span thereof.