Corsair H100i Liquid CPU Cooler Review (Firmware V1.0.4)

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The Corsair H100i4. Installing the Corsair H100i5. Testing Methodology6. Thermal Performance7. Acoustic Performance8. Closing Thoughts9. View All Pages

Today we are going to take a look at Corsair's latest flagship CPU cooler, the H100i.  This directly replaces the coveted Corsair H100 cooler which is widely regarded as the best ‘all-in-one' liquid cooler on the market.  We tested the H100 when it was released a little over a year ago and were extremely impressed with what it had to offer.

Corsair's engineers haven't let themselves get complacent, though.  Over the past year they have designed the H100i from the ground up – although it's quite clear that it's inspired heavily by the design of the original H100.  They claim that the H100i will outperform the H100 both thermally and acoustically, while being even easier to install.

Specifications

The Corsair H100i is supplied in a sizable cardboard box which is decorated in an attractive black and red colour scheme.  This moves away from the black and blue packaging we have seen with previous products in Corsair's H-Series range.  There is a large image of the cooler on the top of the box which gives us an idea of what lies inside.

Turning the box over reveals some technical details about the cooler.  The packaging is very good quality and is substantial enough to withstand a torrent of abuse from negligent couriers.

Inside the box we find a whole host of mounting accessories for the cooler.  There are brackets included for both AMD and Intel platforms as well as all the cables you need to hook the H100i up to your system.  There are even two fan splitter cables included should you want to run a push-pull fan configuration with the cooler.

If you compared them side by side, you might not notice many differences between the H100i and the original H100.  But if you look closely, the differences become obvious.

One of the most obvious differences between the two coolers is the tubing used to connect the CPU block to the radiator.  The H100i uses wider tubing than the H100 which should help improve the flow of coolant within the loop.  The rubber tubing used for the H100i is also much more flexible than the more rigid plastic tubing used for the H100.  This facilitates installation of the cooler.

Corsair has chosen to remove the button from the pump unit, relying on the Corsair Link software exclusively to control fan speeds.  There is still a large Corsair logo on the pump, though, which now features RGB LED lighting which can be configured to any colour of your choice through the Corsair Link software.

There are a number of connections on the CPU block which include a mini-USB connector, and two fan splitter adapter.

We also find a thin cable coming straight out of the CPU block which terminates in SATA power and 3-pin fan headers.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference between the two models is the different fans included.  The H100i is supplied with a pair of Corsairs new SP120 fans which are already highly regarded by enthusiasts despite only being on the market for a month or so.

Corsair suggest that for the optimum performance, the two fans should be mounted so that they push air through the radiator and then out the case.

One aspect of the H100i that is important to consider before buying is compatibility as it simply won't fit in many cases. It requires a dual-fan vent (with standard 15 mm fan spacings), preferably in the roof of the case, with at least 50 mm of space between the vents and the top of the motherboard.  Also, if you want to run the cooler with a push-pull fan configuration you will need 75 mm of free space between the vents and the top of the motherboard.

An interesting feature that sets the H100i apart from the competition is the Corsair Link V2 software which is bundled with the cooler.  This lets us manually adjust fan speeds, set different fan profiles and even create our own fan profiles for the cooler.  This will let you configure the cooler to suit your specific needs.

The original Corsair H100 was renowned for being very easy to install.  However, Corsair have managed to simplify the installation process even more.  We will be using our ASRock Z77 Extreme6 motherboard to demonstrate the installation procedure.

Corsair recommend installing the radiator into your case before attaching the CPU block to the motherboard.  However, we wouldn't advise this if your case doesn't have a cut out section in the motherboard tray to allow CPU cooler backplates to be installed without removing the motherboard.  In this case we would attach the backplate and stand-offs to the motherboard before installing the motherboard into the case.

Before installing the radiator into the case, the fans need to be attached to the inside of the radiator.  This is a simple process, requiring us to screw the fans into place in each corner.  The cooler can then be screwed into the roof of your case.

The backplate must be placed on the back of the motherboard so the four protruding screw threads poke through the corresponding holes in the motherboard.  The position of these can be adjusted to suit both Socket 1155/1156 and Socket 1366 motherboards.

We encountered a slight issue with two of the screw threads as the hexagonal shaped section on the back weren't straight and couldn't be adjusted by hand.  We had to straighten them using a pair of pliers so they could be moved into the position for our Socket 1155 motherboard.

Once the backplate is in place, the four stand-offs can be screwed in from the top side of the motherboard.  These provide the mounting points for the CPU block.

Next, the CPU block can be secured into place using the thumbscrews provided.  We would recommend tightening them with a screwdriver to ensure the mounting pressure is sufficient.  However, care must be taken to not over-tighten the screws.

Finally, all the cables need to be connected to your system.  These include a 3-pin fan connector which needs to be plugged into your CPU fan motherboard header, a SATA power connector and an internal USB2.0 header which enables Corsair Link.  Also, the two fans can be plugged into the CPU block using the provided adapter.

To test the performance of the Corsair H80i we built a powerful Z77 based system to push the cooler to its limits.  It features an Intel Core i7-3770K which was overclocked to 4.7 GHz using a core voltage of 1.3 V.

For comparison purposes, we will be showing results from the original Corsair H100 as well as the Corsair H80 and H80i.  Both the H80i and H100i were updated to the latest V1.0.4 Firmware before testing.

We tested each unit in the three different preset modes; Performance, Balanced and Quiet.  We also set the fan speed to maximum with the H80i and H100i as this can be achieved through the Corsair Link Software.

Test System

• Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K
• Motherboard: ASRock Z77E-ITX
• Memory: 8 GB Mushkin Blackline 1333 MHz
• Thermal Paste: Arctic Cooling MX-2
• Graphics Card: AMD Radeon HD 7950
• Graphics Card (noise tests): HIS Radeon HD 5550 Silence

Software

• Prime 95 (64-bit)
• CPUID Hardware Monitor
• Corsair Link V2.2.0

For our temperature tests we loaded the system for 15 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 15 minutes before recording temperatures. Room temperature was maintained at 18 degrees Celsius for the duration of the tests.

We can see that the performance differences between the coolers become more pronounced when the system is overclocked.  The Corsair H100i has a clear lead over the original H100 by 3 degrees C in performance mode.

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 1m from the front of the case.

In quiet mode, the H100i is perfect for those looking for a quiet cooler as it is barely audible.  When you select the higher fan speeds the noise becomes slightly more intrusive but not unpleasant.  At maximum fan speed, the noise generated makes you wonder whether or not you have some kind of aircraft taking off under the desk.

There's no doubt about it, the Corsair H100i is even more impressive than the H100 it replaces.  It's also clear that Corsair are very serious about maintaining their dominant position in the factory-filled liquid cooling market.

In our tests, the H100i performed very well indeed, achieving some impressive temperatures with our overclocked test system.  It performed especially well in ‘Quiet' mode, only rising a few degrees over the ‘Maximum' mode where fans are set at 100%.  This makes the H100i perfect for users who want to build a whisper quiet, overclocked PC.

Our favourite feature of the H100i is the Corsair Link V2 software that is bundled with the cooler.  This can act as a very sophisticated fan controller, letting us configure different fan profiles or choose from a series of preset options.  This lets you set the fans up to suit your preferences.

The revised mounting mechanism makes installation a breeze and it's now easier than ever to switch between AMD and Intel retention plates should you wish.  We did encounter a slight issue with the nut on the backplate, however we have tested three other coolers today with identical backplates and none suffered the same issue, so we expect it's a one-off.

At a price of £92 from Overclockers UK, the Corsair H100i is fairly costly but it's definitely worth the money for those who want excellent cooling performance without building a custom water cooling loop.

Pros

• Excellent performance.
• Quality fans included.
• Easy installation.
• Corsair Link Software.
• Can be very quiet (in quiet mode!)

Cons

• Expensive.
• Not compatible with all cases.

KitGuru says: Another quality product from Corsair that performs very well indeed.

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