Liquid Cooling Final Thoughts

With the addition of the Corsair Link capability, the new H100i GTX cooler is an excellent choice for an all in one cooling system that provides easy access to cooling performance options. In addition to the functional update, the radiator styling has been upgraded as well and sports a new silver strip with the Corsair brand name.
This would be an excellent choice for a small system with a limited number of fan connectors. By using the Corsair link system, only one fan header is needed to connect the pump and two fans.
In Balanced mode, the H100i GTX outperforms the H80iGT and Nepton 240M. Although the noise level is noticeably higher that the Nepton 240M in Balanced mode, it can be easily switched to Quiet mode and still deliver very good cooling performance with near silent operation.

Corsair Hydro H100i GTX Conclusion

The H100i GTX is an easy to install cooling system that delivers on its promise of improved cooling performance and silent operation.

At full speed operation in Performance mode, the H100i GTX is capable of cooling a 4.2GHz overclocked six core processor to less than 25C over ambient. The fan noise at this high setting is noticeable, however the Corsair Link utility gives the ability to trade off fan noise for cooling performance

The H100i GTX has excellent construction features, with very solid mounting bolts and an easy attachment procedure to the CPU. The addition of Corsair Link functionality has the added benefit of reducing the number of required fan headers for a full installation.

As of April (2015), the Corsair Hydro H100i GTX was available online for $119.99 (Amazon | B&H | Newegg).

The Corsair Hydro H100i GTX installation was very straightforward, and it’s ability to balance cooling performance and silent operation make it a very good choice for any new liquid cooling installation.

Pros:

+ Corsair Link provides selection of cooling performance and fan noise
+ Excellent cooling performance
+ Easy assembly and mounting
+ Pre-applied thermal paste
+ Only one fan header needed for full system

Cons:

– CPU block attachment requires attaching standoffs to motherboard
– A bit loud in Performance mode

Ratings:

• Performance: 9.00
• Appearance: 9.50
• Construction: 9.00
• Functionality: 9.00
• Value: 8.50

Final Score: 9.0 out of 10.