System Noise
Cooling performance is excellent, but what about noise? Well, high-end liquid coolers typically struggle in this regard due to their multiple components; two fans and a fast-running pump will create obvious noise.
For the purpose of this test the H100i was set to the 'quiet' profile when idle, and the 'performance' profile under load. The important piece of info to take away is that the H100i is configurable depending on your needs. Using the Corsair Link software, it's just as easy to setup a profile tailored toward quiet operation as it is to create one designed for maximum performance. Enthusiast users will accept the noise during extreme overclocks, while everyday users will have the cooler running nice and quiet at all times.
Though, there is one bugbear worth making note of. Both of the H100i's fans are polled at system boot to accurately determine maximum fan speed and subsequently calculate speed ramps/curves. The reasoning is sound, and many graphics cards do the same, but Corsair's fans are capable of speeds of up to 2,700RPM, and when they burst into life they're insanely loud for a few seconds before settling down to normal levels.
