HARDWARE

CPU Cooler: Corsair Hydro H105

3/19/2014 12:23:49 AM

Corsair’s latest closed-loop cooler offers a thick radiator and simple installation

The H105 adds to Corsair’s expansive range of closed-loop coolers. Like the H100i, it uses a dual 120mm radiator, but it’s 11mm thicker. This gives it more surface area from which to dissipate heat, although it requires more room to install – not all tower cases will have enough room for it, even with just a single set of fans.

Corsair Hydro H105

The two supplied fans are Corsair’s SP120L models. These are PWM-compatible, and a Y-cable is provided so you can control both with one header. Also bundled is a neat set of interchangeable plastic rings for the pump unit (the default is grey, but red and blue are supplied too), so you can better match it to its surroundings. Meanwhile, the low profile pump unit requires just a 3-pin header for power.

Corsair Hydro H105

Unlike the H80i and H100i’s pumps, however, it isn’t compatible with Corsair’s Link software, so it isn’t as easy to customize fan profiles. As with the H75 (see Issue 126, p30), installation of the H105 is joyfully simple. The Intel mounting bracket is pre-attached, but AMD users can easily swap it out before screwing the cooler straight into the standard AMD backplate. The supplied backplate for non-LGA2011 Intel sockets has nuts attached to slides, making it simple to line it up with the relevant socket holes, while the LGA2011 process is, as ever, even simpler. As with the H75, our one criticism is that the backplate is plastic, meaning there’s a risk of the nuts turning in their sockets. Meanwhile, the tubing’s thick rubber material means it’s flexible, yet robust and resistant to kinks when twisted.

 

The H105 uses a dual 120mm but it's 11mm thicker

The H105 fared perfectly well on our LGA1155 rig, with its delta T of 38°C being 4°C behind the top-performing NZXT Kraken X60, although that cooler costs a whopping $19.91. Also, dampening the H105’s fan speeds via PWM saw the delta T plateau at just 40°C, and the fans spinning at ear-friendly noise levels.

Corsair Hydro H105

The H105 truly shines in LGA2011 systems though. In our LGA2011 test rig, it achieved the best result we’ve seen so far, knocking 2°C off the result from the previous best cooler, the SilverStone Tundra TD02, which has a similarly thick radiator

Conclusion

If you’re using an LGA115x chip, the H105 is overkill in most instances. However, LGA2011 users can get more cooling power from the H105 than any other cooler we’ve tested, and it only takes a few minutes to install too. Just make sure you have enough room in your case before you buy one.

Specifications

·         Compatibility: Intel:LGA115x, LGA1366, LGA2011; AMD: Socket AM3+, AM3, AM2+, AM2, FM2+, FM2, FM1

·         Radiator size (mm) 120x272.5x38 (WxDxH)

·         Fans 2x120mm          

·         Stated noise: 37.7 dB(A)

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