To make things more complicated:
The performance of water cooling components cannot be described by a single point; there is no "best". There can be a top performer for a given system, but this is a different question. Haven't tested Cathar's block (others results are quite encouraging, howeve. Of the blocks I have, the Innovatek rev3 is a clearly superior block at low flow rates (0.5-1GPM). If you combine this block, a Becooling 12x5 rad, an Eheim 1048 pump, and 2 Panaflo L1As, you will have an outstanding low noise, low flow rate setup for reasonable overclocking.
From BillA's data, the Swiftech MCW462-U performs above the other blocks he has tested at over 2GPM. I would think that if you combine that block, a powerful pump (Iwaki or Little Giant), and a large low flow resistance heatercore with either 2 high CFM 120s or 1 172mm fan then you will be pushing near the limits of watercooling. It will also be much larger, expensive, and noisier. This setup would, however, provide overhead for a peltier at a later date.
You could easily fall somewhere in between. Pick up a Black Ice extreme, a Panaflo H1A, the block of your choice, and choose a pump based on recommendations of users of that block. You will get more than acceptable temps with such, and may have an easier time fitting it in a system. It will be a bit noisier, however.
In practice, all of the blocks (other than a few stinkers) perform close enough to one another that differences in mounting mechanism, finish, cost, and even looks shape the final verdict in my mind.
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