Test Methodology
To put CPU cooler performance into perspective we're benchmarking using a high-end Intel Haswell test platform. A detailed description of the CPU cooler being reviewed, our test platform and all comparison coolers can be found in the tables below.
Corsair Hydro Series H110i GT Specification |
|
|---|---|
| Socket compatibility | Intel: 1150, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2011-3 |
| AMD: AM2, AM3, FM1, FM2 | |
| Package contents | Hydro Series H110i GT Liquid CPU Cooler |
| Mounting kit for all modern CPU sockets | |
| Two SP140L High Torque 140mm Fans | |
| USB cable for Corsair Link Integration | |
| Fan and radiator mounting screws | |
| Thermal compound (pre-applied) | |
| Quick Start Guide | |
| Technical specifications | Radiator dimensions: 140mm x 322mm x 27mm |
| Fan dimensions: 140mm x 25mm | |
| Fan speed: 2100 +/- 10% RPM | |
| Fan airflow: 113 CFM | |
| Fan static pressure: 3.99mm-H2O | |
| Noise level: 43dB(A) | |
| Warranty | Five years |
HEXUS CPU Cooler Test Bench |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware Components | HEXUS Review | Product Page | |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-4770K (overclocked up to 4.40GHz) | June 2013 | Intel.com |
| Motherboard | Asus Z97-A | May 2014 | Asus.com |
| Memory | 16GB (2x8GB) Corsair Vengeance Pro 1866 DDR3 | - | Corsair.com |
| Graphics Card | Palit GeForce GTX 980 Super JetStream | November 2014 | Palit.biz |
| Power Supply | Corsair AX760i | - | Corsair.com |
| Storage Device | Crucial M500 240GB SSD | July 2013 | Crucial.com |
| Chassis | Fractal Design Core 2500 | - | Fractal-Design.com |
| Monitor | Philips Brilliance 4K Ultra HD LED (288P6LJEB/00) | - | Philips.co.uk |
| Operating system | Windows 8.1 (64-bit) | October 2012 | Microsoft.com |
Comparison Coolers |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fan(s) | Fan speed | Radiator dimensions | Heatsink dimensions (inc. fans) | Warranty | UK Price | |
| Corsair Hydro Series H110i GT | 2x Corsair SP140L | 2100 +/- 10% RPM | Height: 140mm Width: 322mm Depth: 27mm |
- | 5 Years | £100 |
| Noctua NH-D15 | 2x Noctua NF/-A15 140mm | 300 RPM - 1,500 RPM | - | Height: 165mm Width: 150mm Depth: 161mm |
6 Years | £77 |
Benchmark Process
To get a feel for how the above coolers compare, we run our Core i7-4770K processor overclocked to 4.4GHz. In order to push the coolers, voltage is upped to an above-average 1.2V and memory operates at 1,866MHz using the built-in XMP profile.
Temperature is logged while a large 4K video clip is encoded using the freeware HandBrake utility. The workload tasks all four cores/eight threads, and in order to provide a stabilised reading, we then calculate the average temperature across all four cores from the last five minutes of encoding.
Actual CPU temperature is recorded, but to take into account any fluctuations in our lab, we also graph the delta temperature - that's CPU temperature minus ambient temperature. And, last but not least, to give you an idea of cooler acoustics, we use a PCE-318 noise meter to measure overall system noise in both idle and load states.
Notes
The Hydro Series H110i GT is too large to feature in our regular Graphite Series 600T test bed. Instead, we've made this a direct head-to-head between two quality coolers, one air, one liquid. The question we're asking is: when building a high-end and overclocked Z97 rig using a Core i7-4770K processor, GeForce GTX 980 graphics and a Fractal Design Core 2500 chassis, which is the better bet: Noctua's NH-D15 or Corsair's Hydro Series H110i GT?
For full disclosure, the Fractal Design Core 2500 is configured to run with both pre-installed case fans set to 'low' speed using the build-in fan controller. Default intake and exhaust positions were used when testing the Noctua NH-D15. For the Corsair Hydro Series H110i GT, the front 120mm intake was repositioned as a top exhaust to make way for the radiator.
Per Corsair's recommendation, both 140mm radiator fans were configured as intakes to ensure that the delta between the air temperature and the temperature of the radiator is maximised.
Both coolers are tested in default and quiet states. The first represents an out-of-the-box state, while the latter highlights performance when fan speed has been reduced to around 500RPM to minimise noise.
