Corsair iCUE H150i RGB Elite Review

1. Corsair iCUE H150i RGB Elite2. Test Results3. Closing Thoughts4. View All Pages

The iCUE H150i RGB Elite is a positive new addition to Corsair’s vast line-up of liquid coolers. The real focus point here is clearly the inclusion of the company’s new AF Elite series fans and the sizable LED housing on the pump block cover is the other differentiating feature.

Performance from the cooler was as good as we would expect for a 360mm AIO. While the H150i RGB Elite wasn’t quite as proficient as the top-runners in our charts, that was largely due to lower RPM fans. And a good enough showing was put in against two competent triple-fan AIOs from Fractal and DeepCool.

With that said, the 100% fan speed noise output of Corsair’s unit is higher than we would expect from a set of 1850 RPM fans. The 40 dBA noise-normalised performance data – which is once again behind the leading pack – also backs up that point. I guess the key saving grace here is that Corsair’s fan speed control and customisation within iCUE is fantastic.

And speaking of iCUE, the ecosystem that Corsair has built truly is remarkable. Fan curves, pump speed, coolant temperature; all that useful info is contained within one sleek piece of software. Plus, you get a wealth of control over the LED lighting on the pump and an ability to properly match the colours with other Corsair products.

While the cooling performance is roughly what we would expect from a 360mm AIO liquid cooler – that is to say – not superb and not disastrous, it is very easy to see that a genuine price premium is justifiable for the outstanding experience offered by iCUE.

No, the £164.99 price tag for the 360mm Corsair iCUE H150i RGB Elite cooler is not what we would call competitive for the performance it offers. However, I can see why people would justifiably pay a premium for the superb iCUE software control and integration, as well as that really cool RGB pump housing design.

You can buy the H150i RGB Elite direct from Corsair for £164.99 HERE.

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Pros:

• Superb fan and pump speed control through iCUE.
• Excellent LED control through iCUE and for hardware lighting.
• Smart cable management with the single USB-C cable.
• Cool individually addressable diffused RGB pump house.
• Solid enough cooling performance for a 360mm AIO.

Cons:

• 100% fan speed is loud!
• Cooling performance doesn’t justify the maximum fan speed noise.
• Expensive at £164.99, but likely justifiable to users within the iCUE ecosystem.

KitGuru says: The cooling performance of Corsair iCUE H150i RGB Elite CPU cooler is solid enough. But it’s the quality touches of a cool RGB pump housing design, well-thought cable management run, and outstanding set of iCUE features that make this cooler appealing.

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