Corsair Hydro Series H80 Liquid CPU Cooler Review Comment Thread

[SKYMTL]

For many, water cooling has always been reserved for enthusiasts who take the time and effort to install expensive custom loop setups but Corsair has been trying hard to bring its enhanced performance to the masses. By teaming up with the company formerly known as CoolIT, their new Hydro Series H80 is one of the first products to offer high performance liquid cooling in an easy to install, inexpensive closed loop design.


Read more here: Corsair Hydro Series H80 Liquid CPU Cooler Review

H100 review will be posted next week. ;)

[EmptyMellon]

Looking forward to the H100 review, as well.

I know the H80 was not tested using the AMD mouting system, but I would add it to one of the cons. As much as I like my H60, mouting it using the standard AMD retention bracket is absolutely stroke-inducing - why Corsair/CoolIT did not create Intel-like brakets is beyond me, it is so easely overtorqued, without any stop mechanism.

[BMAN69]

Originally Posted by EmptyMellon

I know the H80 was not tested using the AMD mouting system, but I would add it to one of the cons. As much as I like my H60, mouting it using the standard AMD retention bracket is absolutely stroke-inducing - why Corsair/CoolIT did not create Intel-like brakets is beyond me, it is so easely overtorqued, without any stop mechanism.

Sigh...

Corsair/ CoolIt are not alone when it comes to AMD mounting issues; XSPC doesn't enclose any form of AMD install instructions with their RASA waterblocks (I emailed XSPC about this issue, their response was use the install instructions of one of their early AMD waterblocks ), seems that if you're not using an Intel CPU, then you're not part of the "In" crowd.

Can only hope that this issue is resolved with XSPC's new CPU waterblock RayStorm CPU/APU WaterBlock (AMD) | XSPC

[ilya]

Originally Posted by EmptyMellon

Looking forward to the H100 review, as well.

I know the H80 was not tested using the AMD mouting system, but I would add it to one of the cons. As much as I like my H60, mouting it using the standard AMD retention bracket is absolutely stroke-inducing - why Corsair/CoolIT did not create Intel-like brakets is beyond me, it is so easely overtorqued, without any stop mechanism.

Originally Posted by BMAN69

Corsair/ CoolIt are not alone when it comes to AMD mounting issues; XSPC doesn't enclose any form of AMD install instructions with their RASA waterblocks (I emailed XSPC about this issue, their response was use the install instructions of one of their early AMD waterblocks ), seems that if you're not using an Intel CPU, then you're not part of the "In" crowd.

It's really AMD and its board partners at fault, not all the AMD stock backplates have the issue. It depends on which motherboard and the manufacturer due to the loose standards. (and you can blame AMD for that)

I have heard that CoolIt will send you an AMD backplate if you request one, otherwise they include it with all their "C" or custom units. (eco240 for example)

[EmptyMellon]

Originally Posted by ilya

It's really AMD and its board partners at fault, not all the AMD stock backplates have the issue. It depends on which motherboard and the manufacturer due to the loose standards. (and you can blame AMD for that)

I have heard that CoolIt will send you an AMD backplate if you request one, otherwise they include it with all their "C" or custom units. (eco240 for example)

That being said, then why Noctua can get the mouting system right. It was a shear pleasure to install a NH-C12 SE14 (edit: in an AMD system); heck even as much as I was not impressed with Antec's/Asetek's H2O 620's heasink retention bracket, they at lease got a proper AMD 4-point stand-off assembly.

With all that in mind, the H60/80/100 look lot nicer IMO then Antec's/Asetek's closed loop liquid units. So I guess it's either put-up or shut-up.

[Killswitch]

I just bought and installed the H80. It was kind of a pain in ass to install due to the stiff tubing. The hardest part was trying to line up the fan+rad while to starting the first screw from the rear of the case. Three or four hands would have been..... handy.

I have it set to the highest fan speed and it seems to be only 1-2 degrees cooler versus the core-contact freezer on average during idle (~29) and under load during a game (~43), and it makes too much noise. The H80 does not seem to dissipate heat as quickly and the CPU's temps rise faster then before. BUT I used the pre-applied thermal crap that was on the block from factory. I'm going to apply some MX-2 and see how much better it gets. I really do hope it gets better!

BTW, the main reason for purchasing the H80 was to make room for more RAM and still have a good CPU cooler. The core-contact freezer is simply a fricken monster and it was blocking one of the RAM slots. I wish I could still be using it actually. It's one of the best air coolers you can get.

- I'll apply the MX-2 tomorrow and chime in again. Getting too late to do it now. Gotta work in the AM.

*EDIT* - Gained another 2 - 3 degrees celcius with MX-2, so total about 4 or 5 overall compared to the core-contact freezer (which was also used with MX-2). Not too shabby. Gonna see if I can squeeze a bit more OC out of this old PII 940 BE, just for the hell of it.