So in this clash of the titans, what is the verdict? Well, we undoubtedly have two rather impressive cooling solutions in both the Corsair Hydro H110i GT and NZXT Kraken X61 and the winner will very much depend on the user’s requirements.
Both products are presented in a very professional manner and support a wide spectrum of socket types. The installation process for both is easy thanks to the supplied guides and few steps needed to get up and running. We encountered no problems at all throughout the set up stages for each solution.
From both a visual appearance and styling point of view the Corsair Hydro H110i GT has somewhat of an advantage due to the attention to detail which Corsair has employed. Styling may not be a decision breaker for some but both coolers appear to be the type of product you’d clearly want to show off because they both have a customisable RGB LED. So from an aesthetics stand-point we feel that Corsair has done a better job with the external décor with an aggressive looking radiator and pump configuration. This particular aspect filters through into the build quality also, the H110i GT appears to have a slight edge over the Kraken X61 with more robust radiator and pump configuration and the undeniably intricately woven tubing.
The performance arena is where most enthusiasts and system builders will be interested and at first it would appear the NZXT Kraken X61 was the clear winner but having found Corsair's original sample to be faulty we have since retested with a new unit and there is little to separate the two coolers. Both in the stock and overclocked performance tests the Kraken X61 appears to have a slight advantage but this is nothing to 'write home about'.
Both coolers come with software to fully customise the lighting and monitor/tweak the operational characteristics of the cooler. Corsair’s Link and NZXT’s CAM software both offer a fulfilling experience but we feel that NZXT’s offering is more intuitive and adopts a much more attractive GUI. Both software suites work well, but NZXT appear to have raised the bar somewhat.
Using both coolers under PWM (auto) modes and having your CPU at stock settings will result in audible but not disruptive noise levels but increasing the RPM on the fans or applying an overclock while using PWM mode will understandably increase the noise and we found NZXT’s fans to be more disruptive when directly comparing to Corsair’s under the same circumstances.
The cost is a factor which sways many people. At the time of writing this article NZXT offered better value, pricing the Kraken X61 at £115 GBP / $129.99 USD while the H110i GT was £117 GBP / $139.99 USD. After publishing this article Corsair were keen to highlight that they had applied a price-drop to H110i GT after this head-to-head; placing it at £101 (inc. VAT).
The winner in this closed loop showdown will depend on the outlook and needs of the user. For better build quality, stunning aesthetics and low-noise, Corsair’s Hydro H110i GT is a great choice but if you favour uncompromising performance, a better software interface and a more affordable cooling solution then NZXT’s Kraken X61 takes the win.
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
