Corsair Hydro H80i GT Liquid CPU Cooler Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging & Bundle3. The Corsair Hydro H80i GT4. Installing the Corsair Hydro H80i GT5. Testing Methodology and Overclocking6. Thermal Performance7. Acoustic Performance8. Closing Thoughts9. View All Pages

Today we are going to take a look at another of the latest all-in-one water cooling units from Corsair, the Hydro H80i GT. This model has been designed to improve on the existing H80i which has found favour amongst a number of enthusiasts.

Corsair are very highly regarded in the all-in-one liquid cooling market, and offer a comprehensive range of products which encompass the needs of a wide spectrum of users. The Hydro H80i GT fits in the middle of their range, and is designed for those users looking for decent performance, and are restricted to a single 120mm radiator for cooling purposes.

We are very excited to see what the Hydro H80i GT has to offer in our tests, and how it compares to existing models in terms of raw performance.

Specification

• Radiator dimensions: 154mm x 123mm x 49mm
• Fan dimensions: 120mm x 120mm x 25mm
• Fan speed: 2435 +/- 10% RPM
• Fan airflow: 70.69 CFM
• Fan static pressure: 4.65 mmH2O
• Fan noise level: 37.7 dB(A)
• Compatibility (Intel): LGA 1150, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2011-3
• Compatibility (AMD): Sockets FM1, FM2, AM2, AM3

The Corsair Hydro H80i GT is supplied in similar looking packaging to existing Corsair products that we have tested and boasts a distinctive black and blue livery. On the front of the box, we can see a large image of the cooler within.

Flipping the box around reveals a series of further images of the cooler alongside details of the features and specification of the unit.  As usual, the box itself feels good quality and should do a good job of protecting the cooler inside.

Inside the box, the bundle simply includes the required accessories for the installation of the cooler.

While the basic design of the Corsair Hydro H80i GT is not far detached from the original H80i, one of the key differences is that it boasts a significantly thicker radiator measuring 49mm, rather than 38mm. As we saw with the H100i GTX, it appears as if the H80i GT uses a completely different OEM design to the original H80i, with design clues hinting that it is based on an Asetek design rather than the original’s CoolIT Systems design.

The Hydro H80i GT features the same mounting mechanism as the H100i GTX, which includes the pre-installation of the Intel mounting plate. This is likely to make the installation process a little more complicated for those users who are looking to build an AMD based system, but should simplify the process significantly for the majority of users who are building an Intel based system.

We can see that the CPU block is made from copper, and has a brushed finish to facilitate heat transfer. As usual, Corsair have chosen to pre-apply the thermal interface material to the CPU block to facilitate the installation process.

Like the H100i GTX, the H80i GT features braided tubes to connect the CPU block and radiator which seem to be a step up in terms of quality when compared to previous rubber tubes.  They are less flexible, though, and are therefore more difficult to route into position.

We find a mini-USB jack in the side of the CPU block and pump unit which enables the Corsair Link functionality.  Corsair Link can be downloaded from the Corsair website and takes the form of a software utility which lets us configure various aspects of the performance of the cooler.

We are able to choose between quiet, balanced and performance modes for the fan, in addition to a fixed % or a custom curve, as well as quiet and performance modes for the pump.

The 120mm radiator is slightly thicker than we have seen with previous models, with the only other difference being the addition of a piece of grey trim which boasts the Corsair logo. This improves the radiator from an aesthetic point of view, and we understand that these are interchangeable and can be customised with different colours. Unfortunately Corsair do not include any other coloured trim with the unit.

Corsair include two SP120L fans with the cooler which are very good quality. They are very similar to the SP120 fans which Corsair sell separately, albeit slightly cheaper versions with added PWM functionality. These are 120mm models which spin up to 2,435 RPM.

Corsair have been producing all-in-one CPU coolers for a number of years now and their experience in design clearly manifests itself in the simplicity of the installation process. There is a detailed installation guide included which guides us through the process, although it is so simple that most enthusiasts will not even need to glance at it.

Firstly, we must secure the stand-off screws into the CPU socket. Please bear in mind that those now using the Socket 2011 platform will need to attach a backplate in the process.

Then, we can secure the CPU block into place using the four thumbscrews provided.

Finally, we can install the radiator and fans into the case using the provided screws. We chose to install the fans in a pull configuration, sucking air through the radiator and expelling it through the roof of the case.
Corsair Link Software

To test the performance of the Corsair Hydro H80i GT, we built a powerful X79 based system on an open test bench to push the cooler to the limits.  As we were testing on an open test bench, we directed a Be Quiet! Shadow Wings 120 mm fan at the VRM circuitry to better simulate the airflow generated in a case.

For our extreme tests, we manually overclocked the i7-3930K to 4.7 GHz by increasing the multiplier to 47x, leaving the baseclock set at 100 MHz.

We set Load Line Calibration to ‘High', and increased the CPU Current Capability to 120% with a minor voltage increase.  Speed stepping was disabled for both stock and overclocked tests.

We tested the Corsair Hydro H100i GTX with the fans in performance mode and in quiet mode.  The pump speed was set to performance for both tests.

Coolers Tested

• Corsair Hydro H80i GT
• Corsair Hydro H100i GTX
• Cooler Master Nepton 240M (fans at 12V)
• Corsair H105
• Corsair H110 (fans at 12V)
• Corsair H90 (fan at 12V)
• Phanteks PH-TC14PE (fans at 12V)
• Noctua NH-D14 (fans at 12V)

For temperature tests we loaded the system for 10 minutes using Prime 95 and recorded the CPU temperature using CPUID HWMonitor.  We then restarted the system and left it idling at the desktop for 10 minutes before recording temperatures. The temperatures recorded are based on an ambient temperature of 20 degrees C.

We can see that the thermal performance of the H80i GT is fairy good, although it lags behind the H100i GTX by a fair margin.  The configuration options available in the Corsair Link software will allow you to set up the cooler to achieve the ideal balance between cooling performance and acoustics.

In our noise level tests we switched off all the case fans and replaced the AMD Radeon HD 7950 graphics card with a HD 5550 passive model so were  just taking into account the noise generated by the cooler fans themselves.

We measured the noise level with a Digital Noise Level meter at a distance of 1 m from the front of the system.

The H80i GT is very quiet in operation when set up correctly.  With the unit running in performance mode, the unit gets significantly louder, though.

The Hydro H80i GT is set to strengthen Corsair's lineup of liquid coolers available for the enthusiast audience.  While we are happy to see Corsair expanding their range, we wonder how many enthusiasts will opt for a a 120mm radiator cooler when the vast majority of cases support 240mm models. As we know these offer considerably better cooling performance.

The build quality of the H80i GT is stellar and is one of the best built coolers we have ever analysed.  Corsair have further refined the mounting mechanism of the cooler which is extremely easy to install. In fact, even the least experienced users should have no trouble whatsoever.

Corsair include two of their quality SP120L fans with the unit, which are PWM models.  These are speed controlled, allowing for an excellent balance between cooling performance and acoustics.  The addition of Corsair Link to speed control the fans and pump is great for those looking to build a high-performance, or very quiet system.

The Corsair Hydro H80i GT is available from Overclockers UK for £79.99 inc VAT.  At this price, we feel that it offers reasonable value for money, however we would recommend upgrading to the H100i GTX if you are willing to spend an extra £20 and have the space available in your chassis.

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Pros:

• Reasonable cooling performance.
• Excellent build quality.
• Simple installation process.
• Corsair Link software.

Cons:

• 240mm coolers offer better performance.

KitGuru says: Another decent cooler from Corsair which offers solid performance for a 120mm unit.

 

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