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Due to the high maximum RPM of the Corsair ML series fans, any cooler equipped with either the 120 mm or 140 mm versions of these fans naturally yield high raw thermal performance results on our test bench. Even though Corsair states that the ML140 RGB fans included with the H115i Elite Capellix should run up to 2000 RPM, no matter how we configured the fans, we could only reach around 1800 RPM which produced noticeably lower noise levels compared with previous Corsair AIOs equipped with these fans.
This slight reduction in noise is very welcomed as previous Corsair coolers such as the RGB Pro XT, RGB platinum and the A500 air cooler that I reviewed in the past became quite distracting and somewhat annoying when the fans were ramped up to their maximum RPM. There is a noticeable improvement in noise level with the Elite Capellix which makes it less annoying with the fans running at maximum RPM.
With this reduction in fan speed and noise, we would expect thermal performance to be negatively affected, it wasn’t, in fact, the H115i Elite Capellix is the best Corsair AIO when it comes to thermal performance that we have tested, even though Corsair claims that there hasn’t been any changes to the pump, CPU block or radiators since the previous generation.
Corsair has made some minor software adjustments in the Elite Capellix to improve thermal performance and noise. The iCUE profiles for the pump have been raised by approximately 200 RPM across the board, maximum pump speed remains the same as previous models at around 2700 RPM, while fan profiles have also been tuned to offer maximum performance.
The engineers behind the Elite Capellix coolers had the ambition to extract as much performance from the platform as possible, without significantly increasing noise levels, the little software tweaks the company has made to the pump and fan speeds seems to have worked as intended, in terms of thermal performance, we can't knock the iCUE H115i Elite Capellix at all. Improvement in thermal performance isn’t the only feature of the Elite Capellix series, as the name suggests, the main focus of the product is to improve the RGB illumination, specifically the RGB lighting of the CPU block. Corsair has outfitted this AIO series with its Capellix LED technology with 33 of the ultra-bright and tiny new LEDs packed into a module on top of the CPU block.
Capellix LEDs claim to offer improvements in brightness, power efficiency and, due to their tiny profile, they can be packaged into almost anything. We had no reason to measure the power efficiency as its not a deal-breaker for an AIO cooler, so we take Corsair’s words for this. During a teardown of the Capellix module, it was interesting to see how small these LEDs are compared with traditional SMD LEDs, they really could be implemented into almost anything.
In a side by side comparison against the previous RGB Pro XT cooler, the improvement in the brightness of the Elite Capellix RGB lighting is noticeable and it looks great. However, I wouldn’t call it a huge step forward or a game-changing improvement over SMD LED illumination, which is more a testament to current Corsair RGB lighting rather than being negative towards Capellix. I don’t consider myself to be an expert in RGB illumination but the power efficiency and size of Capellix LEDs are its biggest selling point rather than any aesthetic improvement over traditional SMD LEDs for me.
The only slight gripe I have with Corsair AIO coolers, not just Elite Capellix, is the complicated wiring and being forced to use a Corsair RGB/fan controller and iCUE to take advantage of all the features. I would love to see Corsair provide a solution to allow enthusiasts such as myself who are capable of setting their own fan/pump speed profiles in the motherboard bios, as well as the option to connect directly to motherboard ARGB headers.
It really is annoying that without installing the Commander Core unit, I have no control over pump speed or RGB lighting. I can see the benefit of this for those who have invested in the Corsair ecosystem, but for someone who has not, all the extra wiring and time needed to connect up the cooler seems unnecessary and makes the system look less tidy with all those cables coming from the CPU block.
So, if you are thinking of upgrading your current Corsair RGB Platinum AIO to one of these Elite Capellix units, I would suggest you don’t rush out to do this just yet. However, if you are in the market for an AIO cooler, maybe your old one died, or you are building a brand new system, then I would definitely consider the iCUE Elite Capellix series, especially if you have already invested in the Corsair RGB ecosystem. However, the premium price tag may be a stretch too far for some.
The Corsair iCUE H115i Elite Capellix all-in-one CPU cooler is available to purchase from Overclockers UK HERE, priced at £159.95.
Pros:
- Vivid RGB lighting effects.
- Solid thermal performance.
- Cooling hardware is simple to install.
Cons:
- No alternative to using the iCUE software for pump speed and RGB control.
- Lots of cables to manage.
- Price is at the high end for a cooler of this size.
KitGuru says: Corsair Capellix LEDs claim to be revolutionary with improved brightness and power efficiency benefits over traditional SMD LEDs. They certainly look very nice but, in this AIO cooler, the benefit of Capellix LEDs isn't enough to recommend ditching your old Corsair RGB cooler in favour of one of these new units just yet.
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