Corsair Hydro H55 CPU Cooler Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The Corsair H554. Installing the Corsair H555. Testing Methodology and Results6. Acoustic Performance7. Closing Thoughts8. View All Pages

Today we are going to look at one of Corsair's latest liquid CPU coolers, the H55.  This is an improved version of the existing H50 cooler which is popular with those looking for a high performance cooler at a very reasonable price point.  We look forward to seeing how it fares in our tests.

We have recently looked at a number of coolers from Corsair's Hydro series and have been very impressed with what they have to offer.  The H55, is based on an Asetek design which is shared by the Antec Kuhler models. The H60, H80i and H100i all share a different basic design as they are made by CoolIT Systems.

Specifications

The H55 is supplied in a medium sized box which is decorated with a green and white colour scheme.  This differentiates it from the higher-end coolers in the Hydro series which are supplied in black and red packaging.  The top of the box features a large image of the cooler itself alongside some details of the key features.

Turning the box around reveals some more details about the features and specifications of the H55.  These include some temperature comparison graphs which give us an insight into the performance improvements we can expect to achieve with the cooler.

The box feels fairly durable and should protect the cooler well in transit.

Inside the box we find a plethora of accessories for mounting the cooler.  There are mounting brackets supplied for all recent Intel and AMD platforms which should ensure good compatibility.  Corsair also supply a fan for the cooler as well as a guide to facilitate installation.

The basic design of the H55 is quite similar to the H60 which we looked at recently.  It comprises of a 120 mm radiator and a CPU block with a pump integrated into it.  These two sections are connected together via flexible rubber tubes.

Like the H60, the H55 features a 27mm thick radiator.  This thickness increases to 52mm when the fans are installed.  This part of the unit is designed to be installed in the case exhaust vent so there shouldn't be many compatibility issues.

The H55 features a completely different CPU block design to the H60, H80i and H100i.  The block itself is round and very low profile indeed.

The mounting mechanism is also totally different, using a similar system to the previous generation H70 cooler. Turning the block over reveals a round copper contact plate with thermal paste pre-applied.  There are a series of screws encircling the contact plate which hold all the components in the block together.

The pump is supplied power via  a 3-pin fan header which must be connected to the motherboard, or directly to the power supply.

Corsair supply a 120 mm PWM controlled fan with the cooler which spins up to a maximum of 1,700 RPM.  At this speed, Corsair claim that it can shift 57 CFM of air while generating a static pressure of 1.9 mm/H20.  The claimed maximum noise level is 30.32 dBA.

Corsair supply a detailed installation guide with the cooler which illustrates the installation process.  Unfortunately, the mechanism is a little more complicated that the one that Corsair use for their higher-end coolers.

First of all, the backplate must be configured to the type of socket on the motherboard.  This involves pushing four small screw thread modules into the  plastic backplate.

It can then be fixed to the back of the motherboard using the provided foam pads.

Then, the retention ring also needs to be attached  This involves attaching two plastic pieces together in the correct position in each of the four corners of the ring.

This is a little fiddly and is much less simple than the magnetic bracket system used on the higher end coolers.

Once these have been fixed in place, the retention ring can be attached to the backplate using the four screws provided.  These should only be loosely fastened so the CPU block can be maneuvered into place underneath later on.

Next, the radiator and fan must be attached to the case. Corsair recommend that it is mounted as an intake for the best performance, sucking air in from the outside of the case and pushing it through the radiator.

The radiator unit fits to a standard 120 mm fan vent using the provided screws, sandwiching the fan in between.  You can install it as an exhaust (as pictured above) if you prefer.

The CPU block can then be secured down to the motherboard.  Once it has been slid into place under the retention ring, it must be rotated slightly so that the teeth on the retention ring match up with the slots on the cooler.  Then, the retention ring can be screwed down into place.

Finally, the fan must be attached to the CPU fan header on the motherboard and the pump must be attached either to an auxiliary fan header on the motherboard or attached directly to the power supply.

To test the performance of the Corsair H55, 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.

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

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.

The temperatures recorded are about what we expected from this cooler.  The performance falls slightly behind the more expensive H60 but not by a significant margin.  The overclocked temperatures are a little on the high side and we would recommend using slightly lower voltage for 24/7 usage if you pair a high performance processor with this cooler.

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.

We were quite pleased with the noise level performance of the H55 in this test.  The noise emissions were lower than the H60.  We expect that this is because the fan can't spin so fast.

Overall we are quite impressed with what the Corsair H55 has to offer.  It fits into the Hydro Series range of coolers below the H60 so is targeted at those users looking for a mid-range water cooler to pair with a moderately overclocked processor.

In our tests, the thermal performance of the H55 was impressive.  It cooled our overclocked i7-3770K based system effectively. That said, you may need to limit the core voltage a little more restrictively, depending on the processor you are using.  Acoustic performance of the H55 is also a plus point as the H55 emits less noise than the H60 under load, thanks to the slower spinning fan.

The main drawback of the H55 is the mounting mechanism which seems unnecessarily complicated when compared with the version on the H60.  The main issue is the sheer number of little parts that you have to fit to the backplate and retention plate to set the cooler up for a specific socket.  These little parts could easily be lost and are quite fiddly to install.

The H55 can be yours for a price of £50 from Dabs. We think this offers very good value for money, especially considering it comes in around £10 cheaper than the H60.

We would certainly opt for the H55 over the H60 if you want to build a quiet system, as noise emissions are lower. That said, those who want to push their system to the limits should consider opting for the H60 or H80i as they should enable you to achieve a higher overclock with reduced temperatures under load.

Pros

• Good performance.
• Compatible with all major sockets.
• Inexpensive.
• Fairly Quiet.

Cons

• Fiddly mounting mechanism.

KitGuru says: A quality addition to Corsair's line up but it is a little fiddly to install.

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