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Home » Corsair H100 CPU Cooler Review

Corsair H100 CPU Cooler Review

[nextpage title=”Introduction”]

The H100 is a top-notch sealed liquid cooling system from Corsair. Let’s test it and see if its performance matches its size.

Along with its “little brother,” the H80 (which we already tested), this product is manufactured in partnership with CoolIT Systems.

You can see the H100’s huge box in Figure 1.

Corsair H100Figure 1: Package

Figure 2 displays what comes in the box: the preassembled radiator-hoses-block-pump system, fans, manual, and installation hardware.

Corsair H100Figure 2: Accessories

This watercooler is discussed in detail in the following pages.

[nextpage title=”The Corsair H100″]

As with any sealed liquid cooling system, the block, radiator, hoses, and pump come preassembled, with the coolant liquid already inside. This means the system doesn’t need (or accept) any maintenance.

Figures 3 and 4 reveal the radiator, which is responsible for dissipating the heat from the liquid to the air passing through it. This 240 mm radiator supports two 120 mm fans and is intended to be installed at the top panel of the computer case. This means it will only fit cases with room for a 240 mm radiator on the top panel.

Corsair H100Figure 3: Radiator

Corsair H100Figure 4: Radiator

Figure 5 presents the 120 mm fans. They are simple and black, and they don’t support PWM control. Actually, the system is designed for you to connect the fans to the block, which has the circuitry to control them.

Corsair H100Figure 5: Fans

[nextpage title=”The Corsair H100 (Cont´d)”]

Figure 6 shows the CPU block, which transfers the heat from the processor to the liquid. As in other sealed systems, the pump that makes the liquid flow is integrated in the block.

The connector you see in the side of the block allows you to connect the H100 to the Corsair Link, a modular system that controls case cooling and lighting and can be controlled via a USB port. This system must be purchased separately.

There is a button on the top of the block, used to switch between three operation modes, where the fans are set at minimum, medium or high speed. The lights on the block indicate which speed it is by displaying one (minimum), two (medium), or three (high) lights.

Corsair H100Figure 6: Block

In Figure 7, you see the connectors for the fans. Although the system comes with only two fans, the fan controller embedded into the block can control up to four fans. You can also see the cables of the block: one four-pin standard peripheral power connector (“Molex”) that powers up the H100, and a single wire that must be connected to the motherboard, allowing it to sense the pump speed.

Corsair H100Figure 7: Block

The copper base of the block is shown in Figure 8. It comes with pre-applied thermal compound.

Corsair H100Figure 8: Base

[nextpage title=”Installation”]

Figure 9 shows the backplate to be used with Intel CPUs at the left. In AMD systems, the block is installed using the existing motherboard frame and the clips shown at the right.

Corsair H100Figure 9: Intel backplate and AMD clips

To install the H100 on our CPU, first we installed the backplate on the solder side of the motherboard, holding it in place with the thumbscrews shown in Figure 10.

Corsair H100Figure 10: Holders installed

As we mentioned before, the radiator of the H100 is intended to be installed at the top panel of the case. But the top panel of the case that we use to test coolers is solid, not supporting the installation of this product. There is no point in testing this cooler in another case, which could void any comparisons between the performance of the H100 and our previous results. So, we simply hold the radiator in the recommended (horizontal) position, at the side of the case during the tests, as seen in Figure 11.

Corsair H100Figure 11: CPU cooler installed

[nextpage title=”How We Tested”]

We tested the cooler with a Core i7-860 CPU (quad-core, 2.8 GHz), which is a socket LGA1156 processor with a 95 W TDP (Thermal Design Power). In order to get higher thermal dissipation, we overclocked it to 3.3 GHz (150 MHz base clock and 22x multiplier), keeping the standard core voltage (Vcore), which was the maximum stable overclock we could make with the stock cooler. Keep in mind that we could have raised the CPU clock more, but to include the stock cooler in our comparison, we needed to use this moderate overclock.

We measured noise and temperature with the CPU idle and under full load. In order to get 100% CPU usage in all threads, we ran Prime 95 25.11 with the "In-place Large FFTs" option. (In this version, the software uses all available threads.)

We compared the tested cooler to the Intel stock cooler with a copper base (included with the CPU), as well as with other coolers. Note that in the past, we tested coolers with a socket LGA775 CPU, and we retested some "old" coolers with this new methodology. This means you can find different
values in older reviews than the values you will read in the next page. Every cooler was tested with the thermal compound that accompanies it.

Room temperature measurements were taken with a digital thermometer. The core temperature was read with the SpeedFan program (available from the CPU thermal sensors), using an arithmetic average of the core temperature readings. During the tests, the left panel of the case was open.

The sound pressure level (SPL) was measured with a digital noise meter, with its sensor placed 4" (10 cm) from the fan. We turned off the case and video board cooler fans so they wouldn’t interfere with the results. This measurement is only for comparison purposes, because a precise SPL measurement needs to be made inside an acoustically insulated room with no other noise sources, which isn’t the case here.

Hardware Configuration

  • Processor: Core i7-860
  • Motherboard: Gigabyte P55A-UD6
  • Memory: 2 GB Markvision (DDR3-1333/PC3-10700 with 9-9-9-22 timings), configured at 1,200 MHz
  • Hard disk: Seagate Barracuda XT 2 TB
  • Video card: Zotac GeForce GTS 250
  • Video resolution: 1680×1050
  • Video monitor: Samsung Syncmaster 2232BW Plus
  • Power supply: Seventeam ST-550P-AM
  • Case: 3RSystem L-1100 T.REX Cool

Operating System Configuration

  • Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit SP1

Software Used

  • Prime95
  • SpeedFan

Error Margin

We adopted a 2 °C error margin, meaning temperature differences below 2 °C are considered irrelevant.

[nextpage title=”Our Tests”]

The table below presents the results of our measurements. We repeated the same test on all coolers listed below. Each measurement was taken with the CPU at idle and at full load. In the models with a fan supporting PWM, the motherboard controlled the fan speed according to core load and temperature. On coolers with an integrated fan controller, the fan was set at the minimum speed on the idle test and at full speed on the full load test.

 

Idle Processor

Processor at Full Load

Cooler Room Temp. Noise Speed Core Temp. Noise Speed Core Temp.
Intel stock (socket LGA1156) 14 °C 44 dBA 1700 rpm 46 °C 54 dBA 2500 rpm 90 °C
Cooler Master Hyper TX3 G1 14 °C 47 dBA 2050 rpm 33 °C 56 dBA 2900 rpm 62 °C
Zalman CNPS10X Extreme 14 °C 45 dBA 1400 rpm 27 °C 53 dBA 1950 rpm 51 °C
Thermaltake Silent 1156 14 °C 44 dBA 1200 rpm 38 °C 49 dBA 1750 rpm 69 °C
Noctua NH-D14 14 °C 49 dBA 1250 rpm 27 °C 49 dBA 1250 rpm 53 °C
Zalman CNPS10X Performa 14 °C 46 dBA 1500 rpm 28 °C 52 dBA 1950 rpm 54 °C
Prolimatech Megahalems 14 °C 40 dBA 750 rpm 27 °C 60 dBA 2550 rpm 50 °C
Thermaltake Frio 14 °C 46 dBA 1450 rpm 27 °C 60 dBA 2500 rpm 50 °C
Prolimatech Samuel 17 14 °C 40 dBA 750 rpm 40 °C 60 dBA 2550 rpm 63 °C
Zalman CNPS8000A 18 °C 43 dBA 1400 rpm 39 °C 54 dBA 2500 rpm 70 °C
Spire TherMax Eclipse II 14 °C 55 dBA 2200 rpm 28 °C 55 dBA 2200 rpm 53 °C
Scythe Ninja3 17 °C 39 dBA 700 rpm 32 °C 55 dBA 1800 rpm 57 °C
Corsair A50 18 °C 52 dBA 1900 rpm 33 °C 52 dBA 1900 rpm 60 °C
Thermaltake Jing 18 °C 44 dBA 850 rpm 34 °C 49 dBA 1300 rpm 60 °C
GlacialTech Alaska 18 °C 43 dBA 1150 rpm 36 °C 51 dBA 1600 rpm 60 °C
Deepcool Gamer Storm 18 °C 43 dBA 1100 rpm 35 °C 48 dBA 1600 rpm 62 °C
Corsair A70 26 °C 56 dBA 1900 rpm 40 °C 56 dBA 1900 rpm 65 °C
Deepcool Ice Blade Pro 23 °C 45 dBA 1200 rpm 38 °C 52 dBA 1500 rpm 64 °C
AC Freezer 7 Pro Rev. 2 23 °C 47 dBA 1750 rpm 44 °C 51 dBA 2100 rpm 77 °C
Corsair H70 27 °C 60 dBA 1900 rpm 37 °C 60 dBA 1900 rpm 61 °C
Zalman CNPS9900 Max 27 °C 55 dBA 1600 rpm 38 °C 58 dBA 1750 rpm 63 °C
Arctic Cooling Freezer 11 LP 25 °C 45 dBA 1700 rpm 51 °C 49 dBA 1950 rpm 91 °C
CoolIT Vantage 26 °C 60 dBA 2500 rpm 37 °C 60 dBA 2500 rpm 62 °C
Deepcool Ice Matrix 600 25 °C 46 dBA 1100 rpm 41 °C 53 dBA 1300 rpm 69 °C
Titan Hati 26 °C 46 dBA 1500 rpm 40 °C 57 dBA 2450 rpm 68 °C
Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 27 °C 49 dBA 1950 rpm 41 °C 53 dBA 2300 rpm 70 °C
Noctua NH-C14 26 °C 52 dBA 1300 rpm 37 °C 52 dBA 1300 rpm 61 °C
Intel XTS100H 26 °C 49 dBA 1200 rpm 42 °C 64 dBA 2600 rpm 68 °C
Zalman CNPS5X SZ 23 °C 52 dBA 2250 rpm 38 °C 57 dBA 2950 rpm 69 °C
Thermaltake SlimX3 21 °C 50 dBA 2700 rpm 46 °C 50 dBA 2750 rpm 99 °C
Cooler Master Hyper 101 21 °C 50 dBA 2600 rpm 38 °C 57 dBA 3300 rpm 71 °C
Antec Kühler H2O 620 19 °C 52 dBA 1400 rpm 34 °C 55 dBA 1400 rpm 58 °C
Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 Pro 20 °C 46 dBA 1100 rpm 36 °C 49 dBA 1300 rpm 62 °C
GlacialTech Siberia 22 °C 49 dBA 1400 rpm 34 °C 49 dBA 1400 rpm 61 °C
Evercool Transformer 3 18 °C 46 dBA 1800 rpm 33 °C 51 dBA 2250 rpm 65 °C
Zalman CNPS11X Extreme 20 °C 51 dBA 1850 rpm 34 °C 56 dBA 2050 rpm 61 °C
Thermaltake Frio OCK 15 °C 44 dBA 1000 rpm 27 °C 64 dBA 2200 rpm 51 °C
Prolimatech Genesis 18 °C 49 dBA 1050 rpm 30 °C 49 dBA 1050 rpm 54 °C
Arctic Cooling Freezer XTREME Rev. 2 15 °C 41 dBA 1050 rpm 32 °C 44 dBA 1400 rpm 60 °C
NZXT HAVIK 140 16 °C 48 dBA 1250 rpm 29 °C 49 dBA 1250 rpm 55 °C
Antec Kühler H2O 920 18 °C 41 dBA 650 rpm 29 °C 64 dBA 2500 rpm 49 °C
Zalman CNP7X LED 18 °C 45 dBA 1950 rpm 33 °C 48 dBA 2150 rpm 58 °C
EVGA Superclock 14 °C 43 dBA 1300 rpm 27 °C 58 dBA 2350 rpm 47 °C
Evercool Transformer 4 15 °C 46 dBA 1500 rpm 26 °C 53 dBA 1950 rpm 52 °C
Xigmatek Dark Knight 18 °C 47 dBA 1700 rpm 30 °C 53 dBA 2150 rpm 57 °C
Xigmatek Aegir 15 °C 44 dBA 1500 rpm 27 °C 50 dBA 1950 rpm 52 °C
Cooler Master GeminII S524 16 °C 45 dBA 1300 rpm 29 °C 53 dBA 1800 rpm 58 °C
Enermax ETS-T40-TA 16 °C 40 dBA 1050 rpm 28 °C 48 dBA 1800 rpm 55 °C
Corsair H80 14 °C 42 dBA 2150 rpm 25 °C 52 dBA 2150 rpm 47 °C
Akasa Venom Voodoo 13 °C 40 dBA 1000 rpm 26 °C 48 dBA 1500 rpm 51 °C
Xigmatek Thor’s Hammer 15 °C 44 dBA 1500 rpm 30 °C 50 dBA 2000 rpm 55 °C
Cooler Master Hyper 612 PWM 19 °C 45 dBA 1400 rpm 30 °C 52 dBA 1900 rpm 54 °C
Xigmatek Loki 17 °C 44 dBA 1850 rpm 34 °C 55 dBA 2750 rpm 60 °C
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 14
°C
44 dBA 1250 rpm 26 °C 50 dBA 1750 rpm 50 °C
Xigmatek Gaia 17 °C 44 dBA 1250 rpm 32 °C 46 dBA 1500 rpm 61 °C
Rosewill RCX-ZAIO-92 21 °C 48 dBA 2050 rpm 37 °C 54 dBA 2600 rpm 68 °C
Thermalright True Spirit 120 16 °C 41 dBA 1000 rpm 30 °C 46 dBA 1400 rpm 55 °C
Corsair H100 20 °C 55 dBA 2000 rpm 29 °C 59 dBA 2000 rpm 50 °C

In the graph below, at full load you can see how many degrees Celsius hotter the CPU core is than the air outside the case. The lower this difference, the better is the performance of the cooler.

Corsair H100

[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]

The main specifications for the Corsair H100 liquid cooling solution include:

  • Application: Sockets 775, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, and FM1 processors
  • Radiator dimensions: 4.8 x 10.8 x 1.1 inches (122 x 275 x 27 mm) (W x L x H)
  • Block height: 1.6 inches (40 mm)
  • Fins: Aluminum
  • Base: Copper
  • Heat-pipes: None
  • Fan: Two, 120 mm
  • Nominal fan speed: 2,500 rpm
  • Fan air flow: 92 cfm
  • Maximum power consumption: 2 x 4.2 W
  • Nominal noise level: 39 dBA
  • Extra features: Corsair Link connector
  • More information: https://www.corsair.com
  • Average price in the US*: USD 120.00

* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]

The Corsair H100 was the best CPU cooler we’ve seen to date. With its 240 mm radiator, which is twice the size of the radiator seen in most sealed liquid cooling systems, it outperformed all the air coolers and liquid cooling solutions we tested so far.

However, it is not perfect. Its main drawback is that it will fit only mid-tower cases that support a 240 mm radiator on the top panel. However, the H100 may not fit full-tower cases, because the hoses are relatively short and the radiator must be near the CPU block. Another problem is that it is not quiet at all. Even in the silent mode, the fans were louder than they should be.

Nonetheless, we are talking about a CPU liquid cooling solution with the highest cooling performance we have seen so far, which means it is designed for power users who want to keep their CPUs as cold as possible with a single, easy-to-install, cooling solution.

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