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EK AIO Basic 240 mm, D-RGB All-in-One CPU Water Cooler with Premium EK-Vardar High-Performance PMW Fans, Liquid Cooling, 120 mm Fan, Intel 115X/1200/2066, AMD AM4

£9.9£99Clearance
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The LEDs on the pump need 3.15W of power at 5VDC. Having said that, the base is around 53x53mm, which is sizable compared to the CPU IHS. Surprisingly, the cooler’s three-phase driving motor may reach speeds of up to 3100 RPM.

The Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix is entirely dedicated to RGB. The CORSAIR iCUE H100i ELITE CAPELLIX Liquid CPU Cooler includes a Multi-Zone CAPELLIX LED Pump Head with 33 LEDs divided into 21 zones. These AIO units will slowly become available and carry an MSRP with VAT included at 74.90€, 124.90€ and 149.90€ for the 120, 240 and 360 versions respectively. Today we'll test the 240mm model, which btw gets 5 Years Limited International Warranty. The NZXT Kraken Z53 RGB is unrivaled in terms of aesthetics, but it also adds to the expensive price tag to the point where it simply isn’t worth it. Furthermore, at higher loads, the fans spin at a somewhat louder rate, which might irritate certain users. Verdict The EK AIO 360 runs at 51.4dBA at 20” distance, led only by the EVGA CLC 360 cooler at 60.4dBA -- you can see how much the results change based on the noise level. The CLC 360 did horribly relative to its size in the 35dBA test, although it does comparatively better at 40dBA in our Intel HEDT testing, but it does maintain a lead at its deafening 60.4dBA 100% speeds. The most interesting data is the EK AIO 240, which manages to equal the Kraken X72 and outperform the Kraken X62. The Liquid Freezer II’s lower-ranking result is expected and, at its noise level of 42.5dBA, it is significantly more efficient and effective than either NZXT Kraken cooler and the EK AIO 240 at 46.6dBA. That said, the NZXT coolers and their older Asetek Gen5 design are starting to show their age. The Kraken X63 in our Intel HEDT bench testing didn’t make any thermal improvements in the pump, only in the fans, and so Asetek looks to be presently in a disadvantaged position versus newer designs. Turns out that suing all your competition out of the market only works for so long before it breeds necessity and innovation.

Rotatable Pump Top

EK-AIO Basic 240 is again on top with a difference of 1.9°C over the Antec Neptune 240. 4.7GHz All Cores [Auto PWM] During our testing, we found that the Arctic Liquid Freezer II performs really well in comparison to other 240mm AIOs. You prioritize quiet operation: While the cooler offers excellent performance, the fans at full power can be rather loud, so it may not be ideal if you’re looking for a silent solution. In all of these tests, the EK AIO 240 D-RGB outperformed its well-known competition, the Noctua NH-D15/S, although it fell short of defeating the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240.

The coolers are also tested using Auto PWM function. MSI is using Smart Fan mode in the UEFI/BIOS which is not pure Auto PWM but it is what is available to us. The above picture shows the MSI default fan curve for the Smart Fan mode. Since all the coolers will be tested using the same configuration and settings, same margin of error applies to all. Ultra-durable design with diamond-cut rotary fittings - The EK AIO Basic comes pre-installed with reinforced and sleeved rubber tubing, each fitted with an aluminum cover to ensure they’re ultra-durable. Its diamond-cut rotary fittings allow for easy installation and adjustment of the rubber tubing, featuring a full range of movement to make the EK AIO suitable for installation in even the tightest spaces. Two ML120 RGB Fans are included with the Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix. The ML120 Pro RGB Fans are PWM fans with magnetic levitation bearings that can spin at speeds ranging from 400 to 2400 RPM and noise levels ranging from 10 to 36 dB. Some users may find the Copper Cold-Plate small for some AMD processors, thus making compatibility an issue. Verdict

Additional Info

is not a tough challenge for any cooler and resultantly all coolers are in the same range. Needless to say that EK-AIO Basic 240 is on the top with only 0.1°C difference. 4.7GHz All Cores The name suggests that the 120mm radiator can only house a 120mm fan, while the 240mm radiator can house two 120mm fans. The 240mm radiator, with almost double the surface area of the 120mm radiator, can provide superior cooling, and that too with little noise. The NZXT Kraken Z53 RGB, available in two colors, is ideal for individuals who appreciate aesthetics. The NZXT Kraken Z53 RGB is our choice for the Best White 240mm AIO CPU Cooler due to its brilliance and performance. Performance: 8/10 Now coming to the ultimate challenge of handling the CPU with all cores set to run at 5.1GHz using 1.345V, the EK-AIO Basic 240 shows its true cooling potential as it is sitting on the top with a minimum of 2°C difference over the other coolers. Conclusion

The Be Quiet! Silent Loop 2 240mm is our choice for the Best Silent 240mm AIO CPU Cooler as it maintains a high performance while keeping the noise levels to the minimum at the same time. Performance: 9/10 Since we’re talking about aesthetics, and as we’ve mentioned in our past recommendations, some builders are looking to complete a certain theme and really tie the whole rig together via color matching. The most common of those themed builds is the ‘all-white’ build, and for a long time, this meant a very limited number of choices for cooling/fans that carried a heavy price premium. But recently, more and more options are appearing that are pure white (with some RGB) and promise not to put too big a hole in your wallet. Amongst those, the best value white 240mm AIO that promises great performance while fulfilling that specific color theme build is the ID-COOLING AURAFLOX x 240 SNOW. The mounting hardware is included in a transparent container which is labeled for ease of identification. I have sent the picture to their marketing for correction on the label.Install the fans on the radiator. You can do this step after installing the radiator in the chassis as well.

AIO, however, is in a league of its own. The 360mm AIO can house an additional fan compared to the 240mm and 280mm AIOs. Visually, the 360mm AIO differs the most from the rest. It includes two P12 PWM A-RGB 120mm Fans with fluid dynamic bearings that run at 200 to 1800 RPM. Each fan contains 12 A-RGB LEDs and is driven by a 3-pin connection at 0.4A/5V. What We Liked ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 ARGB (Image By Tech4Gamers) The top allows you to re-orient the EK badge no matter in which direction the cooler is installed. The orientation can be changed in 90° increments, so if the cooler is installed upside down, rotate it 180 degrees to display the logo right side up. Regardless of the angle needed to install the AIO, it will always offer clean and aligned aesthetics. The far head has a rectangular design and a neat finishing. You can also take a close up look on the fins. We have a few bend fins but the overall finishing is good enough. The length of the far head is 20.70mm. EK-Vardar High-Performance Fans - The EK-Vardar S included with the EK AIO are industrial grade high-static PWM fans, designed and built primarily for high-performance liquid cooling systems. Controlled by either your motherboard or standalone fan controller, the EK Vardar can be adjusted to run at speeds between 550 - 2200RPM for either high airflow or silent running. EK-Vardar S is our first choice for radiator cooling, providing unmatched cooling performance, with fully integrated and customizable D-RGB lighting. Specification: Technical Specifications

Universally Compatible and Easy to Install

The radiator assembly has a nice clean finish all around. There is no EKWB branding on the side of the assembly. The one significant disadvantage of Be Quiet! Silent Loop 2 only has a DC 3-pin pump connector, which limits the user’s customization options. Other AIOs, on the other hand, it does not include PWM connections. Verdict This chart removes the frequency control and makes it the variable instead, while still maintaining voltage controls and fan noise-level controls. That means we’re now looking at the maximum average all-core frequency permitted by the cooler, because Precision Boost 2 is variable contingent upon temperature. The EK AIO 360 leads the chart with a 5MHz boost over the Liquid Freezer II at the same noise level, or about 147MHz over what’s enabled by the big Deepcool cooler. Conclusion At the time of writing, the EK AIO 240 D-RGB was available for 120 dollars. This makes it a not so pricey cooler compared to other 240mm AIOs in the same size range, especially with ARGB capabilities. Compared to earlier market giants like Corsair, NZXT, and ARCTIC, EK has been very generous with the EK AIO 240 D-RGB features. So, if you’re ready to dive into liquid cooling with a 240mm AIO, these are our choices for best options for a 240mm AIO depending on which quality you value the most for your next build:

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