Performance
Cooling
performance
As usual, we would like to test each cooler
through its entire fan-speed range with a step of 200 RPM but not all of them
can face the low-speed load (800, 1,000 or even 1,200 RPM). Thus, if you can’t
see the result with the specific cooler, it means that this part can’t pass the
test at that speed. You can see the result on the following table as well as
the following chart:
Cooling
performance
Temperature
chart
Let’s discuss about the performance of the
cooler in in its default configuration first. It’s no surprise that the air
cooler is better than they are. The reasonable-pricing liquid cooling system
can’t compete with it, even are comparable in terms of price. Despite with the
silent mode (at 800 RPM), Phanteks PH-TC is 1°C worse when loading at maximum
level if compared to 2 best liquid cooling system at max fan speed.
The mentioned systems are Thermaltake Water
2.0 Performer and Zalman LQ315. The former leads the game thanks to 2 120-mm
fans, while the latter has a thicker and larger radiator than the others. We
also have to notice that Zalman LQ310 is only 1°C worse at max speed and 2°C
worse at 1,600 RPM. When the speed of the fan is even slower, the junior LQ310
is 4°C worse than LQ315. It can’t deal with our CPU that was overclocked at
1000 RPM. Thermaltake Water 2.0 Performer is on top at lower speed of the 2
fans.
The 2 product from Corsair has big
difference in performance. Hydro H60 High Performance is 2°C better than the
leader at max fan speed while Hydro H55 Quiet is 8 to 9°C worse and can’t be
cable to keep the CPU work stably at lower-than-1,400 RPM speed. Alternatively,
Corsair Hydro H60 High Performance seems to be worse than the product form
Zalman and Thermaltake at 1,600 and 1,200 RPM. So, the different pump and the
water-block design don’t help Corsair in the competition of this test.
The picture changes when we install the 2
Corsair AF120 Performance Edition 120 mm fan on the liquid cooling system.
Though 4 out of 5 radiators are the same, like the pumps and the ware blocks,
the system perform differently. Zalman LQ315 with thicker radiator seems to be
the best at any fan speed. It’s the only cooler that keep the CPU stable at ở
800 RPM. Zalman LQ310 is worse at 1,600 and 1,200 RPM, but falls behind by 4°C
at 1,000 RPM.
The 2 Corsair products have improved their
position. The fan makes them much more efficient. Hydro H60 High Performance
is only 1 or 2°C worse than the leader at maximum 1,600 RPM as well as lower
speed. Hydro H55 Quiet seems even better with 2 fans.
Thermaltake Water 2.0 Performer, the leader
in this default configuration, has lost its place. With 2 Corsair AF120
Performance fans, its result is 3°C worse at 1600 RPM and 4°C worse at 1,200
RPM. The original fan from Thermaltake is more optimized for this cooler than
of Corsair.
We also try overclocking our CPU more than
with the most efficient liquid cooling system in our default configuration, but
even Thermaltake Water 2.0 Performer with 2 fans working at max speed can deal
with the 4.5GHz CPU at 1.43-1.44 V, aborting the test with 1 error:
Testing
error
Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ had no problem with
overclocking, even at higher voltage. It keeps the CPU stable, doesn’t make it
77°C hotter.
Stable
CPU
Now let’s see which cooler is the quietest
one.
Noise level
It’s the fan that’s the noisiest maker in
each liquid cooling system in this review. Anyhow, we have already checked the
pump. We see similarities according to our personal idea, but the noise depends
on the orientation of the pump and it activity. Right after you start it up,
the pump has air bubbles inside and creates signature noise bit it will be
quiet within 1 to 2 minutes.
The products from Zalman and Thermaltake
and the junior Corsair are equipped with the identical pump but the best (in
terms of noise) is in Corsair H55 – 33.4 dBA. Next is Thermaltake with 34.2
dBA. The pump of the Zalman system is noisier: 36.2 dBA with LQ315 and 39.8 dBA
with LQ310. Corsair H60 has quiet pump, its noise is only 32.8 dBA according to
our measurement.
We measure the noise level of each cooler’s
fan through the entire speed range. The results are performed below:
Noise
level of each fan
Similar
in term of noise
As you can see, 5 liquid cooling systems
are similar in term of noise. It’s good for all of them to be flavored more
than Phanteks PH-TC14PE in this reading, though the latter is not a quiet air
cooler. Corsair Hydro H60 High Performance is the quietest, high-quality
Corsair SP120 fan proves that it’s worth one more time. It’s comfortable at the
speed of up to 1,200 RPM. Corsair Hydro H55 Quiet is similar in this respect. 2
fans of the Zalman system are also the same in noise level. It must be noted
that, even though LQ310 and LQ315 has the same system, their noise level is
different due to the fluctuation between the different models of the same fan.
Thermaltake Water 2.0 Performer with 120-mm fan is the loudest noise-maker,
still staying comfortable at the speed of up to 1,000 RPM.
Conclusion
Based on the same platform, the compact
liquid cooling system discussed in this review has many similarities. As we
have found out, they are mainly different in terms of packing, fan and price
(though the latter parameters doesn’t vary much). Even their accessories differ
in user instruction guides. Is there any chance that we can expect them to be
much different in performance? Of course, not. And that’s what we obtain in our
tests.
Thermaltake Water 2.0 Performer with 2
120-mm fan is the most efficient cooler we’ve ever checked. However, it’s also
the noisiest one. This can only be cleared by its low price. Zalman LQ315
ranks 2nd about performance. It will certainly be the winner if it
has a second fan. Zalman LQ310 and Corsair Hydro H60 High Performance share
this position but Hydro H60 has a remarkably silent pump, so it’s more flavored
than the Zalman system. And finally, Corsair Hydro H55 Quiet is the least
efficient system of all, maybe the most excessively simple design among these
systems.
In brief, we have to notice you one more
time that none of the compact liquid cooling systems can pass the best air
cooler. That’s the reason why we can encourage you buying, installing and using
any of these systems instead of an efficient air cooler. Maybe the more
advanced solution will change our mind. We will see it in the next summary.
