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So I got a Corsair H100I yesterday

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shadowdr

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2001
I ordered an H100I on Tuesday and got it yesterday from Tiger Direct. I normally use Newegg but I have to pay taxes there so, not this time. I had measured my case and was pretty sure that it wouldn't fit with the stock fans but you know how that goes. I have a Rosewill Blackhawk mid tower and really like it but when I got it I wasn't really considering any kind of liquid cooling. I had to cut the top out and glue strips of wood to the rad to suspend it high enough so that the fans didn't interfere with the mobo. It had just enough room for the fans to clear and the rad didn't hit the top case mesh cover, phew.
Now I had read many reviews of the unit but most were using Intel CPU's and I couldn't be sure just how well it would cool my OC'ed 975 BE. I already had a 212+ with two fans and had read the the H100I cooling was only marginally better. This was not true at all and I have been pleasantly surprised with the results. When I first started it up after the install it was dead silent and I had to wonder if it even worked at all but once Windows started I heard the fans start turning. I was surprised to see almost identical tempos on the cores as the 212+ at idle but that turned out to be the only temp that they had in common.

It didn't come with any software and it took a bit of looking to find it but once it was installed it found the unit and displayed the fans and pump with the RPM's on little gauges. I checked the firmware like many had mentioned but it was already shipped with the latest, so off to Prime I go. This is when the cooler really shines and these are the results at different speeds.

At idle with room temperature at 73f the cores were between 31-34c. With prime running and fans on quiet the cores topped out at 52c and after a little settling a little while it teetered between 20-51c. This is already better than the 58c it did with the 212. With the fans at Balanced setting, you could make out the fan noise ramping up but it was still not as loud as the two fans on the 212+ inside the case. At this setting the temps dropped quickly to 48c, so that a gain of 10c with a little less noise. After about five minutes to make sure it had bottomed out I raised it up to performance setting. Now the fan noise is audible and borders on being just louder than the air cooler but the temps dropped again to 46c. I am impressed and still have yet to try the Maximum fan setting, so off I go. At max the fans are evident even with the case under my desk and would not be a setting that I would run except perhaps when benching but with only another single degree drop is not worth the noise IMHO but considering that it is 13c lower than the 212+, I'm pretty happy with it.:clap:
If there are any shortcomings in the design it would have to be the AMD bracket. It is just a simple square with two little arms that have holes in the ends. There is no backplate so the original one had to be reinstalled along with the plastic mounting bracket. There were two little bits that threaded through the holes on the arm and had retention screws that screwed onto them. Then the had to be pushed onto the tabs on the original bracket and screwed until they stop, it seems secure enough but I would have preferred a four point mounting like they supplied for Intel setups.
All in all, I am very happy that I made the plunge into liquid cooling and am more impressed with the results than I thought I would be. With AMD lower temps mean more stability and no worries that I could overheat my CPU running at 100 percent load for extended periods of time. The 119.99 price is really worth it to me but it is a consideration to keep in mind when moving away from a loud air cooler. I have opted to run the unit on the balanced setting and am happy with the fan noise, or lack of it and the temps.
 
very nice it looks like it works a little better then the old h100 too im wondering it its any quieter
 
Many thanks for the review of the H100i sounds like a nice unit to run there. After all the comments about the pipes being a bit stiff to work with, also the Rad being bigger as well. Sounds like a good result over the 212+ well enjoy your cooling unit. And when you up grade next time maybe a bigger case. AJ.
 
With cases its not always about bigger, its about careful selection. I have a mid tower with ~ 6x120 radiator space all internal with minimal modding. Anyone considering packaged or custom liquid cooling needs to spend 2-3x as long picking a case than they normally would.
 
Correct SSJ my friend lol, dont you guy's ever sleep over there? AJ.
What's this "sleep" you speak of?

OP: thank you very much for this post. I now think I know what I'm going to buy myself for Christmas.
I've been on the fence wanting one, and this one just put me over the edge.
 
OP: thank you very much for this post. I now think I know what I'm going to buy myself for Christmas.
I've been on the fence wanting one, and this one just put me over the edge.

I think that you will be very pleased with the performance upgrade with your setup. I had read a lot of reviews before ordering but again they all were using Intel setups and i had no idea how well it would work with an AMD. I had read a lot of post that said the H100I was only marginally better than a good air cooler but I think that a 10c drop at load is way better without more noise. I could actually see it even more quiet with a couple of the Typhoon fans.
 
Many thanks for the review of the H100i sounds like a nice unit to run there. After all the comments about the pipes being a bit stiff to work with, also the Rad being bigger as well. Sounds like a good result over the 212+ well enjoy your cooling unit. And when you up grade next time maybe a bigger case. AJ.
I really love my case though. it's actually an upgrade from an Antec 300 that was just to small and not as well made. I could have noted that the mod was fairly minimal as the top was pre drilled for 2x 120 or 140 mm fans, so all I really had to cut was mostly the diamond mesh and I did it without removing the mobo or any components. With the removable wire mesh top put back on you can't tell that it had been modded at all and the clearences were perfect.
 
i would be curious if it has the same pump sound the h100 has its the only thing i dont like about the h100's and i would probably upgrade to the new one even tho i just got this one i could always stick it in the wifes rig lol.
 
jazon1 Just click on the link i posted buddy it will tell you everything. AJ.
 
i would be curious if it has the same pump sound the h100 has its the only thing i dont like about the h100's and i would probably upgrade to the new one even tho i just got this one i could always stick it in the wifes rig lol.
I had read in other reviews that with the original firmware it had made the same noise as the H100 but was fixed with an update later. Mine shipped with the updated firmware so I can't say whether it is more or less quiet. I can say that it has no discernible sound over the fans, but my unit sits on the floor under my desk so any noise inside is not audible.

Ok, I went ahead and got down in the floor and turned the fans down to quiet, With them at 1000 to 1100 RPM I can tell you that even if I put my ear up to the side fan, I hear nothing coming from the inside while the pump operated at 2150 RPM's. I will also note that this is the only time the temps are above what the 212+ would keep them at at idle by 1 to 2C. I then turned the fans up to the balanced setting, which turns the fans 1650 RPM's, the increase in fan noise is now barely audible above the other case fans but then again the case fans are very quiet. Again the pump stays at 2150 RPM's. Turning the fans up to the performance setting of 2000 RPM's, I can hear a high pitched whine introduced by the fans, however the pump still maintains the same speed as it did at the other settings so still no noise at all from the pump. This setting is about as loud as having two fans on the 212+ but the point of the fan noise has shifted to the top of the case. Turning the fans up to 2500 RPM's the fan noise is just loud but the pump maintains it same setting as before. This is not a speed that I could endure for very long.

Well to sum it up, if the H100 pump makes any noise at all it has been fixed with the H100I (with the latest firmware) as even with the 120 mm side fan unplugged the only noise inside is my GPU fan. While I cannot isolate the pump noise from the case fans I would say that it must be dead silent because even with my ear six inches away I can hear nothing at all. I can also say that the review linked above must use fixed RPM settings to compare the different designs as the H100I has four stock settings that don't at all match the three on the H100. The most useful thing that the review pointed out for me was that the H100I at quiet settings outperforms the H100 at maximum settings so overall it is much quieter than the original. I hope this helps.

Edit. I have found that opening the Corsair configuration page onscreen actually jumps CPU usage up to 15 - 20 percent, so my observation that the 212+ idle temp is lower than the Corsair idle at quiet mode in not valid.
 
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great thanks ill have to order myself one after the holidays are over, i was able to fix my h100 awhile back using a diode but i like the newer tubing and block as well so ill upgrade it anyways:)
 
so is the H100i just a quieter version of H100 ?

Yes, and also more efficient because of the larger hoses, but it also has a few more advantages. I can be controlled by software instead of having to access the pump to change speeds and has more color options. In quiet mode it actually outperforms the H100 at it's max setting.
 
I am not sure that it pertains to these systems as it outperforms the H100, could be that the H100's tubing was actually restrictive or perhaps the newer pump design is just better. Either way the H100I outperforms the H100 according the the review linked above by Ajay.
I know this thread is half a year old, but I was wondering if you used the stock fans with your H100i. I'm looking to buy the H100i for my Rosewill Blackhawk ATX mid-tower and I'm wondering if I can mod it like you and this guy:
The guy in the video was using different fans and only had a few millimeters of clearance between the Mobo and the fans. Just wanted to know if this was a doable option or not. I have this Mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293
just in case that info can help determine if I can do the H100i.
 
H100i has a high failure rate. Fans can help a bit. Buy you need MUCH better fans to make is sing, if it lasts.

You should actually read our WC forum and become informed. We have magic YELLOW stickies to learn with.

The H100i isn't bad, for a bit better than top air cooling at less noise. If it lasts and works.

Please try the WC forum instead. Resurrecting a dead thread, umm, let it die. Make your own informed, deep smart post with all your info and we can help.
 
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