Product on Review: Antec KÜHLER H2O 920
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Antec
MSRP: N/A
Street Price: £77.99
All-contained liquid cooling(ALC) solutions have been all the rage over the past year. Aimed at delivering the benefits of liquid cooling without the hassle of maintenance and choosing individual parts, the concept is a promising prospect. It certainly has wide appeal amongst users, whether they are enthusiasts looking for the best cooling solutions, or those interested in liquid cooling but lack the know-how, or those simply wanting an alternative to air coolers which are growing ever larger and cumbersome to use. However, when we first had a look at ALC units from CoolIT and Corsair last year, we were somewhat disappointed by the performance they delivered and the noise they generated compared to air coolers. Their main advantages included the fact that they were compact and thus perfectly suited to smaller cases, and that leaks were covered under warranty unlike DIY setups.
Since the introduction of the CoolIT Eco and Corsair H50, this market has seen much drama and the emergence of a wide new range of ALC units. CoolIT went back to being an OEM and Corsair began to source their new designs from their former competitor CoolIT over Asetek, another established ALC manufacturer. The void left by Corsair was quickly filled by Antec who saw this as a perfect opportunity to enter a new market and as such the KÜHLER H2O series was born. There are currently two units forming part of the KÜHLER H2O, the basic single radiator 620 with a single fan and a thicker variant with dual fans dubbed the 920 which we will be reviewing first today.
Those familiar with Corsair units may have noticed that Antec’s KÜHLER H2O series is very similar to Corsair’s Hydro Series, namely their single radiator H50 and the thicker dual fan variant, the H70. This isn’t surprising given that both series originate from Asetek. However, Antec have been quick to point out that their coolers use Asetek’s most up-to date and innovative designs whereas Corsair use previous iterations of the design. So we expect to see improved performance that will hopefully compete with our high end air coolers.
As mentioned above, today we will focus on the KÜHLER H2O 920, the larger variant of the series. Thomas previously reviewed the unit in his water-cooling shootout and found it to be a solid performer despite not quite matching a custom kit. In today’s review, we will compare the unit against an array of air coolers to see if the 920 has what it takes to dethrone the Thermalright Silver Arrow and Noctua NH-D14.
About Antec
Antec, Inc. is the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets. Founded in 1986, Antec is recognized as a pioneer in the industry and has maintained its position as a worldwide market leader and international provider of quiet, efficient and innovative products. Antec has also achieved great success in the distribution channel, meeting the demands of quality-conscious system builders, VARs and integrators.
Antec, Inc. is the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets. Founded in 1986, Antec is recognized as a pioneer in the industry and has maintained its position as a worldwide market leader and international provider of quiet, efficient and innovative products. Antec has also achieved great success in the distribution channel, meeting the demands of quality-conscious system builders, VARs and integrators.
About Asetek:
Founded in 2000, Asetek is a world leading thermal management solution provider of vapour phase, vapour chamber and liquid cooling solutions. These solutions are designed for OEM integration, servers/data centres, PC enthusiasts, gamers, and professionals who demands exceptional performance, maximum reliability and low noise. Asetek R&
works with state-of-the-art lab facilities and thermal simulation tools in its design process.
For a decade, Asetek has developed the very strong brand names VapoChill® and WaterChill™, to become the preferred choice of enthusiast grade cooling solutions. The VapoChill® and WaterChill™ product lines have won more than 200 international press awards.
With headquarters in Denmark, a marketing and FAE office in San José, California, a QA and sourcing office in China, and a sales office in Taiwan, Asetek works actively with world leading companies within the industry to ensure maximum reliability, cost effectiveness, and performance for its products, while providing global logistical support for its customers.
Founded in 2000, Asetek is a world leading thermal management solution provider of vapour phase, vapour chamber and liquid cooling solutions. These solutions are designed for OEM integration, servers/data centres, PC enthusiasts, gamers, and professionals who demands exceptional performance, maximum reliability and low noise. Asetek R&
works with state-of-the-art lab facilities and thermal simulation tools in its design process. For a decade, Asetek has developed the very strong brand names VapoChill® and WaterChill™, to become the preferred choice of enthusiast grade cooling solutions. The VapoChill® and WaterChill™ product lines have won more than 200 international press awards.
With headquarters in Denmark, a marketing and FAE office in San José, California, a QA and sourcing office in China, and a sales office in Taiwan, Asetek works actively with world leading companies within the industry to ensure maximum reliability, cost effectiveness, and performance for its products, while providing global logistical support for its customers.
Let’s take a closer look at the Antec KÜHLER H2O 920…
