Arctic Accelero Hybrid II-120 Liquid GPU Cooler Review

After experiencing the straightforward installation process of the NZXT Kraken G10, we had high hopes for the Accelero Hybrid II.   Unfortunately, the Accelero Hybrid II didn't match our expectations and is actually quite difficult to install.

First of all we are directed to remove the stock cooler from our graphics card.  We are using an AMD Radeon R9 290 for the purposes of this review.

Then, we must identify the appropriate holes in the GPU block for our graphics card, using a provided list in the installation guide.  We can then attach the appropriate bolts and washers to the CPU block, ready to mount it on the card.

Next we must identify ‘hot areas' on the front side of the card and stick the provided thermal pads on the back of the card in the corresponding areas.  This is quite ambiguous as it relies on a users ability to identify these areas – which may provide difficult to less experienced users.

Perhaps the most annoying part of the installation process is cutting holes into a plastic sheet to fit over the thermal pads you have just installed.  We did this by placing the sheet on top of the thermal pads, drawing around them and then cutting it out with a Stanley knife.

Once the protective plastic sheet is in place, we must simultaneously attach the heatsink to the back of the card while attaching the GPU block to the front of the card.  They are then secured together using four nuts.

Then, we can secure the edges of the heatsink to the card using the six provided plastic clips.  We were only able to fit five of these without risking damage to other components on the card.

Once the card is installed into your system, a GPU support bracket must be attached which spans five expansion bays.  We have photographed this outside of our test system to give you a better idea of what it looks like.

Finally, the radiator and fan can be installed into your system, using the provided screws.

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