Re:Hardware and Software member reviews
2010/03/01 21:51:04
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Corsair H-50 Closed Loop All-In-One CPU Cooler Review
As this is my first review for these forums I'm going to experiment with formatting and data collection, please leave all feedback constructive. If you have input and you want me to include it I'll gladly edit this post providing the information is solid and not from joe bloggin's MSN conversation.
As the title says, this review is all about the Corsair H-50. Personally I picked up this unit on December 2009, retailing for about $80 CAD.
You can find one from most retailers, online or local. The unit was placed in my Sig Rig, so if you want a reference in build look at it =P.
Official Specifications & Features:
*This cooler was co-designed by Corsair and Asetek*
Specifications Model CWCH50
Cold Plate Material Copper
Fan Specs 120mm, 1700 RPM
Radiator Material Aluminum
Tubing Low-permeability for near-zero evaporation
Warranty 24 Months
Features
- Pre-filled, closed-loop system is easy to install
- Copper CPU cooling plate for maximum cooling performance
- Integrated pump and reservoir is sealed for zero maintenance and improved leakage protection
- Large 120mm radiator for fast heat dispersion
- High-efficiency, low-noise 120mm fan for drawing cool air across the radiator
- Two-year warranty
Taken directly from Corsair's website: http://www.corsair.com/products/h50/default.aspx
Onto the unit itself. I'm just going to discuss what I like and dislike about the unit, and what my personal opinion is on whether or not you should consider this for your build.
What I like
Back in late 2009 I was in the market for a new CPU cooler. I had being using a Cooler Master Hyper 212+, which in all honesty was a great little unit. Very well priced, solid performance, and not too noisy. However I wanted something that the Corsair H-50 said it would deliver:
-Small Footprint: One thing I disliked about high performing air solutions is that they were simply massive. A Prolimatech Megahalems gigantic, heavy, and (although undoubtedly sexy) made living with it a pain. Having to question orientation clearance, making sure it had good mounting hardware and making sure it didn't break my motherboards back was kind of a worry. The H-50 is fairly small, easy to mount, and goes easy on your motherboard.
-Well Priced: At around $80 CAD it's hard to go wrong when you look at other high end coolers like the Noctua's or the True's. Obviously not being a "true" water cooling setup, its not as flashy but it's certainly a lot cheaper.
-Great Aesthetic: Obviously not for everyone, but it deserves mentioning that having an H-50 mounted in your case makes it look really sharp. This is obviously a personal pro but I think it'll appeal to many individuals.
-Very Well Designed: I have to admit, this product is a very good attempt and solving the jitters some people have when they look into water-cooling a PC. Stories of tubing bursts, pump failures and coolant leaks gives everyone cold feet. The H-50 comes fully closed and sealed so the probabilty of leaks is very small. Once more, there's no maintenance with this product, just pop it in and go. It has a radiator, tubing, coolant, pump, copper block, and it even comes with a fan! The CPU block is copper, comes applied with a thermal compound, and a nice mounting system.
-Performance: Now this is where it gets tricky. After reading a bunch of reviews online, the general consensus was that the H-50 performs about on par with big names like the True 120 and the Prolimatech Megahalems. Personally, having never owned either, instead compared it to the Hyper 212+ I previously owned. You may not think this is a fair comparison but I'm just gauging the performance. I'll leave the numbers to sites like Overclock3D and Hardware Canucks.
What I can say is that the H-50 is a very good product with a slightly mixed bag. Upon installation I saw a small increase in the idle temperature of my CPU (In my Sig Rig) which was a bit surprising. It was about 3-5 degrees (Celsius) higher and while not being adversely affected I was kind of disappointed. However all of it came roaring in, and this is where the unit truly shines; under load conditions. At stock clocks I threw prime95 on and watched as the temperatures increased from about 33 degrees (idle) to about 50 (load). At 100% CPU load I was quite impressed and was eager to see the effectiveness of the H-50 under overclocking. At 3.6GHz the H-50 hardly broke a sweat, hitting a peak load temperature of about 60-65 degrees.
I would like to point out that these are my personal results, and they are to be taken with a grain of salt. You might get better or worse results depending on a variety of factors like ambient temperature, heat leak from various components, and CPU type.
Today I'm pretty happy with the H-50. I'm currently chasing a 4.115GHz overclock and have yet to ever break 75 degrees, putting it well past the capabilities of my older Hyper 212+.
Things I Dislike
As mentioned, the idle temperature was kind of disappointing. As a lot of people don't use their computers 24/7, this is a minor yet significant gripe, and to be perfectly honest it's not a massive concern. I also wish there were a larger line-up of models. I will say that this is Corsair's first dive into the CPU cooler market, and it's not really their fault, but an H-50 with a 2x 120 Radiator or with a stronger pump would be a nice optional extra, which brings me to probably my biggest flaw with the H-50, there's no flexibility in it. For now, there's only one H-50 to choose from, and that really caps it's potential. I would have liked to see a range of models with more options. It has however sparked a lot of individuals to mod the unit, which is cool, but if you're doing that you might as well go big with a dedicated loop. Corsair also recommends you install it as an intake for your case, which makes absolutely no sense at all. I currently run it in a push/pull configuration, pulling air out of my case. My last and very minor dislike is also the warranty, I personally just don't feel that 2 years is enough. It's respectable and it's Corsair, but 3 years would have been my sweet spot.
All in all though, I definitely recommend this unit as an addition to your build. Many people will tell you to go big or go home when it comes to water cooling your PC. However, you simply can't beat the price of the H-50. Water cooling is quite expensive, and comparing the H-50 to a high end air cooler, the H-50 is quieter, fits in more cases (HTPC's will love it), easier to install, looks great, and cools very well. I however will not recommend this to bleeding edge enthusiasts and hardcore overclockers. That's not what this unit is geared towards, but for gamers and intermediate overclockers the Corsair H-50 is definitely worth checking out.
Pros
-Looks sexy
-All cables are sleeved, makes it look even sexier and shows attention to detail
-Priced Well
-Comes with everything you need in the box (all the latest brackets, screws, etc)
-No fuss water cooling
-Fits in almost any case with a 120mm fan slot
-Great performance
Cons
-No options for things like larger radiators or faster pumps (Unless you mod it, voids your warranty though)
-Doesn't really perform better than a high end air cooler, definitely on par though
-Comes with a pretty lame fan (about 50CFM, keeps cost down though)
Thanks for reading this review. If you have any questions about the unit or want to flame me for my review, shoot me a PM.
LINK DUMP
Bit Tech's Review: http://www.bit-tech.net/h...50-cpu-cooler-review/1
Newegg Product Listing: http://www.newegg.com/Pro...mp;Tpk=Corsair%20Hydro
My Mod Rigs (If you want some pics): http://www.evga.com/commu...omment.asp?sysid=18348
Guru 3D's Review: http://www.guru3d.com/art...h50-cpu-cooler-review/
post edited by yellow__fever - 2010/03/01 22:53:08
"Sang Noir" -Silverstone TJ07-BW -Intel Core i7 920 @4.209GHz 1.343VCore + EK Supreme HF Rev2 Acetal Copper -OCZ XTC Platinum 6GB DDR3-1600 [7-7-7-20] -Asus Republic of Gamers Rampage III Extreme -EVGA GTX 560Ti 448 Classified [900/1800/2100] + EK-FC480 Copper Waterblock -2x Corsair Force GT 120GB SSD + 1x WD 1TB Black -Corsair AX1200 PSU + Laing D5 (EK D5 XTop Rev2) + Feser Quad XChanger -Razer Mamba + Razer Blackwidow + Sennheiser PC 320 -46" Samsung LED TV 1920x1080p Pics in Mod Rigs!
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