For those in the loop (pun intended), the H220X has been highly anticipated and with good reason. Many looking to delve into the world of liquid cooling start out with a unit that is ready-to-go right out of the box, simply because the idea of setting up a loop can be a little daunting. However, with a CLC you are limited to only what it is, and only the performance it can deliver as assembled. With that in mind, the H220X makes infinitely more sense as a starting point into liquid cooling. It is ready to go out of the box and requires no maintenance, but it is also fully expandable when you are ready to take the next step. Even if you aren’t looking to take the next step, the H220X outperforms every CLC on the market, and does it at more than 20 dB quieter. Plus, it actually looks like an open loop cooler, simply because it is one.
While the H220X is an obvious choice for the novice, it also has some incredible benefits for the enthusiast looking to do a smaller loop. When you break it down, the H220X is a collection of excellent components that simply happen to come in one box. The included Apogee XL is top notch, and recently took home a Hi Tech Legion Gold Award. The MCP30 pump has a head pressure of over 2 meters, with over 1GPM flow and PWM control, making it a perfect choice for a 3-4 component loop. The radiator is an excellent quality copper/brass piece that delivers excellent low rpm performance, and the attached reservoir is easily accessible. 3/8” ID tubing is used throughout, and there is plenty of length to simply make one cut to add a GPU in most builds. In other words, you have a small loop in a box with every component being top quality, and may be the same components you would have been looking at in the first place.
Installation of the H220X was very easy, probably the easiest liquid cooler I have ever done. A huge part of this is thanks to the use of the Apogee XL block, which is a flagship top tier block and has a mounting system fitting of that stature. I had noted just how easy the install was when I reviewed the block alone, and comparing it to the Asetek/CoolIt/etc. kits, it is absolutely a world better. The radiator/pump/reservoir assembly go in simply with fan screws to your desired location in the case. The PWM splitter is as easy as it gets, and takes absolutely all of the guesswork out of the wiring setup.
In terms of performance, well….we could simply leave it at the fact that the H220X is simply the best performing out-of-the-box cooler you can buy today. Period. It slightly betters its predecessor, the H220, as well as the Glacer 240L that is equipped with far more powerful and louder fans. The NZXT X60/61 comes close in terms of performance, but at the expense of far more noise and far less compatibility. 240mm CLCs can’t touch the H220X in all out performance, and at tolerable noise levels the H220X flat out embarrasses them. The Cryorig R1 and Noctua NH-D15 come closest in matching the H220X in terms of performance and noise, but fall short. What more can you say? We put the best out of the box solutions up against the H220X, and the H220X walked away a clear winner and did so with absolutely astonishing performance to noise. With all of this performance the H220X never topped 40 dB at full speed.
While the wait for the H220X after the tease at CES seemed like a lifetime, there is no doubt it was worth the wait. Frankly, given the quality and performance here, there is no doubt that forcing this redesign by pulling the H220 off the shelves was a blessing to consumers. Even if it only meant getting the Apogee XL included, the performance and aesthetic benefits of that alone are huge. The result of this redesign makes the H220X the best performing cooler that is install ready right out of the box. There is not a 240mm CLC or air cooler that can beat it, and it does it at 20+ dB quieter than the competing CLCs. To sum it up; the H220X offers better performance, lower noise, better aesthetics, flawless design and build, better components and the option of expandability when compared to a CLC. Putting it gently, choosing any CLC over the H220X would be doing yourself a huge disservice. If you are looking to step into liquid cooling, or looking to start a small loop, the H220X is the obvious choice and comes with our highest recommendation and Hi Tech Legion Editor’s Choice Award.
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