Enermax Liqtech 120X & 240HP Coolers Review

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All in one coolers are all the rage these days and there’s no better evidence of that than the countless number of examples on today’s market. We’ve seen both the good and bad here at Hardware Canucks so when Enermax approached us to review their latest offerings, there wasn’t exactly much excitement. With that being said, one look at the Liqtech 240HP and 120X had us looking at Enermax’s AIOs in a whole new light.

For some it may be surprising to learn that these are not Enermax's first try at AIO designs. The 240HP and 120X can loosely be considered the successors to the Liqmax lineup which helped put Enermax on the radar for cooling enthusiasts. The largest and most obvious differences between the older generation and this one is the fact that unlike Asetek or CoolIT based units, the Liqtech line does not use plastic clad waterblocks. Instead of cheap plastic they feature a custom waterblock and pump that may be larger than the competition but are an all-metal affair. In many ways these pumps will hearken PC enthusiasts back to the days before mass production made AIOs popular, when style and performance were more important that lightweight, cheap, fast production.

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One benefit of using a metal waterblock is that it allows for a more classical installation process which can be more precise in its mounting pressure than most of today’s designs allow for. In addition, Enermax has designed a custom micro-channel copper waterblock which should provide this new Liqtech series with a much needed boost in performance. This is especially true when the custom high performance, twister bearing-based 120mm Enermax fans are taken into account.

The Liqtech 120X is a single bay 120mm cooler which has some unique looks due to its massive double-thickness radiator. Despite its advanced set of features, Enermax has kept their entry-level AIO at a relatively reasonable $85 which puts it at a significant advantage against the likes of Corsair’s H80i and even Silverstone’s extremely good yet expensive Tundra series.

On the other end of the spectrum is Enermax's flagship model, the dual bay $105 Liqtech 240HP. This model represents the pinnacle of Enermax’s technology in a form-factor that has the cooling potential to keep even the hottest running of CPU's well below their thermal limits. To create it, Enermax has taken that selfsame water block and pump that makes the 120X so interesting and have paired it with a 240x120x27mm radiator as well as two of those high performance 120mm fans. This combination should allow it to favorably compare against the likes of the SilverStone TD02, Corsair H100i, and Cooler Master Seidon 240M.

While price competitiveness is certainly one of Enermax’s goals here, they have been able to achieve lower costs via a slightly reduced feature set. While many of the newest coolers from the likes of Corsair, NZXT and others have integrated fan controllers and associated software for modifying fan output, the Liqtech series do without such niceties. Warranty length doesn’t compare all that favorably either, with a length of just two years. Hopefully we’ll see performance outweigh these slightly negative points.

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Closer Look at the Liqtech 240HP

Closer Look at the Liqtech 240HP

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The accessories list which accompanies the Enermax Liqtech 240HP is rather decent in both its breath and scope. You get a rather thick installation pamphlet, AMD and Intel mounting hardware (the Intel components come pre-attached), a Molex to 3 pin fan adapter, and dual fan header adapter to run two fans from one motherboard port.

Unfortunately, Enermax only includes one of those dual fan headers and does not include the necessary bolts to attach four fans. This makes quad fan configuration more problematic than it otherwise would be. Not many manufactures actually include such additional components but it would have been nice for Enermax to have been extra ordinary in their commitment to adaptability.

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The 240HP is a fairly unique looking all in one liquid cooler with a corrugated radiator and a waterblock design we haven’t seen yet. This is more than just a rebranded Asetek unit like much of the competition uses. More importantly, Enermax has taken a holistic approach to this unit’s engineering and not just focused in on the radiator or the waterblock. Instead they have upgraded nearly every aspect of their original series’ design.

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The 240HP’s radiator hints that we’re dealing with something other than an ordinary AIO. While it uses a typical 240x120x27mm form-factor, it does not rely upon a vertical folded fin design to transfer heat from the water channels to the air. Instead, much like SilverStone's Tundra series, it uses horizontal fins which are pressed down and over the channels. This approach is much more costly to manufacture, but in return provides drastically improved surface contact area between the water channels and the aluminum fins.

While certainly not unique to the Liqtech series, Enermax also makes use of an advanced tubing design. The 240HP uses a Polyamide (PA) rubber compound that offers near zero permeability while at the same time being much more flexible than FEP that older generations utilized.

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In a market caught in the midst of a 'thinner the better' craze the Liqtech 240HP is a breath of fresh air. Not because of its unique form-factor, but because the Enermax design team are obviously unafraid to go against certain trends. Take the waterblock’s design as a good example of this; instead of going down the sleek, compact route that others have taken, this one is massive, loaded with features that put cooling at the forefront and it weighs a ton.

Instead of opting for a sexy yet completely nonfunctional material like plastic, Enermax went for an aluminum clad block which has embedded machined fins. In a case with good airflow, these fins actually help with heat dissipation; it’s an old-school yet brilliant design.

On the inside, this waterblock not only uses micro-channels like other high performance AIOs, but also includes what Enermax calls Shunt-Channel-Technology. What SCT does is overcome one of the greatest problems closed loop water-based CPU coolers face: increasing the efficiency and cooling performance of the waterblock without increasing the pressure needed to effectively use the block. It does this by including a center channel which accelerates water flow and accelerates heat transfer.

Compared to the typical custom water loop, most All In One designs can be considered underpowered when it comes to their pump. No one wants to have a D5 on top of their waterblock, and off-block designs are now verboten. In order to make the most of the lower performance design, the waterblock has to be less effective than traditional designs or risk the pump being simply unable to push water through the channels fast enough. Enermax sidesteps this issue allowing the waterblock to be a higher performance design, but with a twist: by cutting the micro-channels into distinct sectors water easily flows through all the channels and does so without building up pressure like it would in a normal waterblock.

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This improved waterblock design in combination with ceramic bearings allows the pump to be just as quiet as the competition and yet also boast higher performance since it does not have to fight the waterblock’s internals as much.

Helping round out the waterblock is quality finish job on the base which allows for a fast, and even transfer of heat from the CPU’s IHS.

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Rounding out the included features of this dual bay radiator is a pair of extremely high performance, 2500RPMs 120mm fans which are rated for over 100CFM. Needless to say they are also extremely loud at full speed, but are PWM capable and also come with built-in three setting switch on the hub. This switch basically uses resistors to limit the maximum speed and noise of the fans, but they are not exactly easy to use. You have to set each fan individually before attaching them to the radiator. We also noticed that each fan ran at slightly different speed and this is something you do not want in a dual bay design. Hopefully Enermax's next generation AIO will also include fan controller abilities as there certainly is room for it inside the large block.

On the positive side, Enermax also included rubber strips that help reduce vibration noise from these fans. In testing there was a very noticeable difference when using them. When paired with more reasonable performance fans, these strips can allow consumers to create a virtually silent cooling solution that still has performance to burn.

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Taken as a whole this new model is very, very impressive and we just hope its real world performance lives up to its potential. The only issue worth pointing out is this model uses the newer 15mm spacing and if your case uses the older 20mm offsets for its dual exhaust ports you will have to modify the case before the 240HP can be installed.

 

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Closer Look at the Liqtech 120X

Closer Look at the Liqtech 120X

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The accessories list which come with this smaller Liqtech is the same as the 240HP’s. That means you get a rather thick installation pamphlet, AMD and Intel mounting hardware (the Intel comes pre-attached), a Molex to 3 pin fan adapter, and dual fan header adapter to run two fans from one motherboard port. Considering the price range this model resides at this list is very, very complete and very impressive.

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With its corrugated radiator and striking looks, the Enermax Liqtech 120X is a spitting image of its larger sibling. It even comes with all the higher end version’s advanced cooling features. These are aided by a 43mm thick radiator which, along with the two high performance fans, should move this cooler to the head of the pack.

Speaking of those fans, they include three-speed controller switches on their hubs but like with the 240HP, these are considered “set it and forget it” features which aren’t easily accessed.

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This cooler also makes use that ultra-flexible PA rubber tubing that is found on the 240HP. This in conjunction with the 90° swivel connectors should allow for a trouble free installation process.

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Just as with the 240HP the 120X's waterblock utilizes a robust construction, and features a more powerful pump than most other AIOs on the market. More importantly it contains Enermax's Shunt-Channel-Technology and should to be prove to be just as effective at whisking heat away from the IHS without increasing static pressure as the 240's.

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The base of the block is just as well finished as the top and while not the absolute best finishing job we have ever seen it is well above average.

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As mentioned previously the radiator of the 120X is a single bay, extra thick design which makes use of a much more effective fin array rather than just folded aluminum 'fins' in between each water channel. To be honest, this radiator looks very similar to that of the SilverStone Tundra series, just in black instead of silver. Because of this we do have rather high expectations for this unit and its performance levels.

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Also like the 240HP, the 120X comes with two stock fans. However, unlike the 240HP this means the 120X uses a push-pull configuration. Much like the improved radiator design this out of the box dual fan configuration is unusual and certainly well received since many other AIOs in this price range come with a single fan. Needleless to say Enermax does appear to give consumers a lot of cooling 'bang' for their money with this model.

 

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Setup and Installation

Setup and Installation

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Enermax certainly marches to the beat of their own drum and no one can ever accuse them of simply copying the competition. If anything the opposite is true. It is almost as if the Enermax engineers took a look at what passes for state of the art in installation equipment for the AIO marketplace and then did the exact opposite. Put simply, both the 120X and 240HP follow an installation procedure that is a blast from the past. Luckily for Enermax, this difference is for the betterment of consumers and does make the installation rather easy while also providing excellent mounting consistency.

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For the most part 'standard' All In One CPU cooling solution's hardware falls into one of two broad categories: those that use a separate top bracket for mounting the waterblock to the motherboard, and those that use thin removable arms or clips to hold the waterblock in place. The Enermax Liqtech series uses neither. The easiest way to describe this hardware and mounting procedure is to say that it strongly reminds us of really, really early generation AIO designs, but upgraded for modern times.

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Before the marketplace and the AIO designers became totally infatuated with 'low profile' waterblocks, their predecessors directly integrated four mounting arms. Then lower and lower profile waterblocks became all the rage and this extremely robust mounting procedure was replaced with either thin metal clips, or thin metal brackets.

Since Enermax obviously didn’t care about low profile sexiness they were able to bring back those thick metal retaining arms which are attached to two of this block’s sides. More importantly, they are a 'universal' style that will work with everything from Intel 775 all the way to socket 2011 systems.

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AMD users will need to remove the big screws holding each retaining arm in place and swap them out for the AMD specific ones. This certainly will take more time to complete than a Corsair H100i with its magnetic mounting bracket, but we feel the extra time is more than made up for by the sheer robustness of this mounting setup.

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Since the arms are capable of handling a wide variety of sockets, there is quite a bit of wiggle room during the mounting procedure which means some alignment adjustments are possible. Simply make sure each arm's open end encompasses the backplate standoff screw and you will be good to go. This wiggle room means you can easily, ensure that there are no air-bubbles in the TIM by slightly swiveling the block in place, just as you can with air based coolers.

The actual radiator installation does vary slightly between the 120X and the 240HP but for the most part both are classic examples of their respective classes: the 120X requires a free 120mm exhaust port, while the 240HP requires two 120mm fans top ports. With that said there are a couple of small issues that you may run into for each model.

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For the 240HP, the only major issue stems from the fact that it uses the newer 15mm offset and if your case uses the older 20mm spacing you may need an adapter bracket or rethink using this AIO.

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Since the 120X comes with two fans and each fan has an individual fan adjustment lever that needs to be set before installation we strongly recommend you decide on full (600 to 2500rpm), medium (600 to 2000rpm), or slow (600-1300rpm) settings before installing this AIO. Otherwise you will have to tear down the entire unit to get to them.

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Since the 120X uses two fans in its stock configuration, mounting the radiator to a rear exhaust port poses less issuew than single fan models. By moving the radiator out 27mm from the case, the majority of cases' PCIe slots brackets will not rub, or even touch the radiator. If your motherboard uses tall heatsinks for its VRM they may pose some difficulty due to the extra thick radiator but for most modern designs, the rear fan will simply tower over them.

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On the positive side the flexible polyamide rubber water tubes are just as easy to work with as those found on CoolIT based units and getting either the 120X or 240HP into position is a lot easier than it is with an AIO that uses the older FEP style tubing.

 

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120X - Stock Fan Performance Results

120X - Stock Fan Performance Results

You can find our 2015 CPU Cooler Testing Methodology HERE.

As you can see the 120X is a phenomenal performer for its class at every heat load. Its results are nothing short of incredible. Some of this is because the 120X comes with two fans and a beefy radiator whereas most of the 120X's competition come with one fan and a thin radiator. Even with that taken into account we believe that at its core the 120X is simply more efficient than AIOs in its class and that is why it is truly superior to most other single bay models.

 

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240HP - Stock Fan Performance Results

240HP - Stock Fan Performance Results

You can find our 2015 CPU Cooler Testing Methodology HERE.

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Unlike its smaller brother, the 240HP can’t really pull ahead of the competition in the raw performance department. There are actually multiple reasons for this. With the smaller single bay units the difference between 120 and 140mm designs is not all that great and can be mostly nullified with a thicker radiator. However, the performance differential between dual 120mm and dual 140mm radiators is rather noticeable. Thus, the 240HP may be an excellent dual bay 120mm AIO, but its performance enhancements are not enough to overcome the handicap imposed by its smaller yet more modular design. By the same token if your case can only accept thin, dual bay 120mm units then the 240HP would be an excellent choice.

 

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Dual and Quad Fan Performance Results

Dual and Quad Fan Performance Results

You can find our 2015 CPU Cooler Testing Methodology HERE.

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As you can see the 120X's numbers are still fantastic when compared in more apples to apples testing, but while the difference does narrow somewhat, the major tweaks to the waterblock and radiator still pay dividends.


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The 240HP is an excellent CPU cooling solution when in quad fan configurations but once again it is competing against much, much larger models and adding extra fans to both types does nothing to change this. This is a shame, but the very fact that you have to step up to 140mm based units to out-and-out beat this AIO is a testament to its abilities.

 

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Sound Level Testing

Sound Level Testing

<i>While everyone "hears" noise differently there is one easy way to remove all subjectivness and easily compare different fans: use a sound level meter. This way you can easily compare the various fans noise envelopes without us coloring the results and see what fans fit within your personal comfort level. Of course, we will endeavor to try and explain the various results (which are taken at a 30 inch distance) to help you our readers get an even better understanding of how loud a cooler's stock fan is, but even if you discount our personal opinions, the fact remains numbers don't lie. All fans are tested with both voltage regulation / PWM turned off.</i>

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If there is one true weakness of these impressive AIO's it has to be their stock fans. There is simply no way to sugar coat it: they are loud. This by itself would be more than acceptable if Enermax had included some semblance of fan speed control. Sadly they did not, and the end-user will suffer because of it.

Motherboards can take care of this shortcoming but even at their lowest RPM levels the fans are some of the loudest we have encountered thus far. If noise is important to you, then you will want to invest in quality after-market fans. Doing so may impact performance to some extent, but that really is the only way to make Enermax's units 'quiet'.

 

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Conclusions

Liqtech 240HP Conclusion

Enermax is by no means a newcomer to the all in one liquid cooling market and the Liqtech 240HP reflects their experience in a number of unique ways. Not only is this AIO able to boast extremely high performance metrics for its size but it looks great and has a straightforward mounting process.

While the 240HP’s aesthetics may not be as futuristic as some of its competition, there’s a solid amount of reasoning behind Enermax’s choice to go with an exterior design that dates back half a decade. The water block’s relatively large size grants it more cooling mass and the antiquated yet thoroughly updated mounting system is one of the most secure around while maintaining ease of installation. All of this was accomplished without running afoul of Asetek’s prized patents.

In terms of raw performance the 240HP easily matches or surpasses the dual bay 120mm competition and can even match strides with some 480mm units but its low temperatures come at a cost. Enermax has equipped it with a pair of high performance 120mm fans which push a ton of air but cause a ton of noise getting the job done. This results in the 240HP being one of the loudest closed loop water coolers around.

Fans’ rotational speeds and acoustical profiles are easily modified via the software solutions many of Enermax’s similarly-priced competitors offer. Unfortunately, other than some horribly placed switches on the fans themselves, Enermax expects any control to come from the motherboard itself. In a crowded market and an even more cluttered price point, the 240HP needs all the help it can get in order to stand out and the lack of properly thought-out controls is a major oversight.

With all that being said, if you can look past these shortcomings the Enermax Liqtech 240HP does have a lot to offer. It offers high performance in a convenient form factor, an excellent installation process and great looks. If you are someone who doesn’t mind delving into sometimes-buggy motherboard fan profiles then it may be a perfect fit.

Liqtech 120X Conclusion

The Liqtech 120X is an extremely impressive cooler since it offers all of its larger sibling’s strengths in a compact format that’s infinitely more adaptable. Granted, it also from some of the 240HP’s issues (namely loud fans and poor fan speed control abilities) these issues are more than made up for in other ways.

While the 240HP competes well with its competitors, the 120X simply blows the competition out of the water and has the ability to even out-perform several 140mm units by a significant margin. It does so while still costing a good amount less than anything else in its performance range. To us, that’s a recipe for success even though Enermax’s warranty is notably shorter than the ones attached to other companies’ alternatives.

With its dual fans and stunning looks, we can forgive Enermax for running up the decibel levels with this product for a number of reasons. It offers an immense amount of cooling capacity in an easy-to-install, well engineered, value-first format that bucks the recent trend of endless Asetek clones. With that in mind, the Enermax 120X truly is a winner in our eyes.

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