Corsair H100 Hydro Series Extreme Performance Liquid CPU Cooler

👤by Sahil Mannick Comments 📅22-09-11
Closer Look


The 240mm radiator

The radiator is a 240mm one with two bays at each end extending the length to 275mm. Width-ways, the radiator spans 120mm and its thickness is 27mm, the same as the H60/H50 and Antec KÜHLER H2O 620. There are 13 banks of corrugated aluminium fins soldered to 14 thin heat pipes running the length of the radiator carrying the coolant. Each fin is 8mm wide and is separated by a mere 1.5mm making the array very dense. As such, there is a vast surface area to dissipate heat with the help of the two 120mm fans to transfer the heat away. In the corners and the centre are a total of 8 mounting holes for fans and the same is present on the other side for an additional two fans.


Radiator-fan spacing

There is a small gap separating the fins to the fan mounts to reduce the risk of damage or puncturing the heat pipes. It is also to make sure that the fans don’t sit right on top of the fins which can reduce performance and generate a higher pitched noise. Our unit actually had a few bent fins which is most likely down to the packaging as the Antec units we previously reviewed had no such issues.


The radiator barb and fittings

The H100 like other ALC units doesn’t have a reservoir as such and instead the whole unit is pre-filled with its own coolant, a mixture of distilled water with Propylene Glycol added to prevent corrosion and organic build-up in this case. The tubes here are connected to a compartmentalised unit at the end of the radiator. The two compartments are each connected to one tube so the liquid flows into one and out of the other once it has cycled through the entire radiator. The tubes are connected to narrow barbs and are tightly secured so users can’t pull them off and to prevent leakages. These barbs are designed to withstand high pressures and temperatures although they are not comparable to the metallic ones used in custom water cooling loops. It is important to note that the compartments on either ends of the radiator extends the overall length to 275mm.


The tubing

The tubes are 300mm long and 8mm in diameter connecting the reservoir to the CPU block unit. They have a ribbed pattern and are quite stiff when moving around, therefore lacking the flexibility of the Antec units making installation a bit harder. They are however very robust. The length of the tubes mean that the cooler cannot be installed in place of front intake fans which typically support two 120mm fans so users are restricted to installing the radiator nearer to the pump. This is a shame because old mid tower cases can only support the H100 at the front.


The barbs

At the other end, the tubes are connected to 90 degree barbs which tend to be quite restrictive but the only viable solution for such units. These connect the tubes to the pump and CPU cold plate.


The CPU block with integrated pump and cold plate

The CPU block 68x68x40mm making it a low profile unit for aesthetics and compatibility. At the top of the unit is a plastic cover featuring an in-built push-button that can change the fan speed between 1300RPM (Quiet), 2000RPM (Balanced) and 2600RPM (High Performance). Three LEDs circling the button highlight which mode the fans are set to and above that is the Corsair logo. The glossy plastic cover makes the unit quite attractive. My main concern with the push-button is that users have to open their case to manually change the fan speed which isn’t always convenient. The integrated pump operated at 2000RPM according to software read-out but it remains quiet at all times.


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