Corsair iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT AIO CPU Cooler Review

1. Corsair iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT2. Installation Process: AM4/AM53. Test Results4. Closing Thoughts5. View All Pages

Test System:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
• Overclocked Settings: 4.45GHz all-core @ 1.30V LLC Level 5
• Motherboard: Gigabyte X570 Aorus Elite
• Memory: 32GB (4x8GB) Corsair Vengeance RGB RPO SL 3600MHz
• Graphics Card: MSI Radeon RX 6600XT Gaming X (zero dBA mode)
• Chassis: Open Test Bench
• Power Supply: Seasonic Prime TX-850
• Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

Testing Methodology:

• For testing, we use a 30-minute looped run of Cinebench R23 and record the steady-state CPU temperature at the end of the test. This ensures that the CPU has ample time to warm up and reach steady-state under all the coolers.
• The ambient is maintained at around 19-21 degrees Celsius. Where there is variation beyond this temperature range, we add extra repeated tests to ensure consistency.
• We also test each cooler with at least two fresh installs (typically three) to mitigate the likelihood of a dodgy mount spoiling results.

Test Results:

Noise Output

Let’s begin with noise output as this will give us a good indication of what to expect from thermal performance based on noise.

The H170i Elite LCD XT follows the Corsair trend of being loud with the fans at maximum RPM. But noise levels are at a similar level to other 360mm AIO coolers from the likes of Asus, MSI and Phanteks, so it's not uncommon for a triple fan cooler to be loud with the fan speed maxed out, it does seems to be an improvement compared with the smaller 280mm Elite Capellix.

Thermal Performance

With the fans at maximum RPM, the H170i records an average CPU temperature of 54C. It's up there with some of the best coolers we have tested but is beaten by some of the top performing 360mm units from EK and Asus which is a little disappointing since the H170i has a larger cooling surface area and bigger fans, but it’s still a solid result.

With noise output normalised and limited to 40dBA the H170i Elite LCD XT holds on to its cooling performance and is still up at the top of the chart, but again we see it only performing on par with some of the best 360mm coolers. This again is a good result but a little disappointing considering that this cooler has an increased cooling surface area.

With the PBO test, the most important metrics are the clock multiplier and cooling power as the temperature difference between coolers is slim. The Corsair unit is able to cool 244W of package power and holds on to a 43x average multiplier during the test which is a solid performance, but again it is beaten by other smaller coolers which is a bit disappointing as a higher clock multiplier means more CPU performance.

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