Tom's Hardware Verdict
Competitive pricing and excellent performance means the Galahad AIO 240 makes an impressive first splash. Add in premium aesthetics for a tasteful bit of pizzazz rarely seen in the 240 mm liquid cooler market and this cooler is easy to recommend.
Reasons to buy
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Great 240mm thermal performance
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Aluminum trim provides premium appeal
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aRGB lighting compatible with 3-pin (5v) motherboards
Reasons to avoid
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Elevated fan noise at 100% RPM
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Lack of software management UI
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Lian Li, the oft-revered premier PC chassis brand, has introduced a new line of AIO Galahad liquid coolers in 240mm and 360mm radiator flavors. The Galahad AIO 240 ($120) and Galahad AIO 360 ($150) each feature bubbly aRGB lighting, a handsome aluminum pump bezel and a sleek aluminum radiator trim panel featuring the Lian Li logo.
Lian Li Galahad AIO 240 Specifications
| Thickness | 1.125" / 28.6mm (2.25" / 57.15mm w/fans) |
| Width | 4.8" / 123mm |
| Depth | 10.75" / 273mm |
| Pump Height | 2.5" / 63.5mm |
| Speed Controller | BIOS |
| Cooling Fans | (2) 120 x 25mm |
| Connectors | (2) 4-Pin PWM, (2) 3-Pin aRGB (w/splitters) |
| Weight | 51.3 oz / 1455g |
| Intel Sockets | 775,115X, 1200, 1366, 2011x, 2066 |
| AMD Sockets | AM2, AM3, AM4, FM1, FM2 |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Web Price | $120 |
Lian Li Galahad AIO 240 Features
The Lian Li Galahad AIO 240 arrives ready to support the majority of current CPU sockets, from both AMD and Intel, making use of universal mounting brackets and backplates, as well as plated fastening hardware. An aRGB controller is provided for basic lighting controls. Otherwise, an included cable adapter can make use of 3-pin, 5v aRGB motherboard lighting options. A syringe of thermal compound and a magnetic, center face cover accompany PWM and aRGB cabling to round out the Galahad accessory package.
The face of the Lian Li Galahad AIO 240 features an aluminum bezel with a mirrored logo, which allows it to rotate 360° to align with the chosen mounting orientation. The Galahad pump makes use of a 4-pin PWM header, which can be managed with a pump curve from your motherboard or operate full-time at 100% via the included SATA power cable.
The large, square copper base is polished to a satin finish and ships without any pre-applied thermal compound. Nylon sleeved rubber tubing enters and exits the pump through a pair of 90-degree swivel fittings adjacent to the aRGB and PWM cabling. This allows for tidy presentation, as only a single ‘side’ of the Galahad pump unit is cluttered with tubing or wiring. The cooler’s 400 mm of tubing provides enough length for most radiator mounting and fitting orientation options.
The base of the Galahad AIO 240 is close to being milled perfectly flat, with the slightest hint of being convex at each edge of the copper cooling block. Both Intel and AMD mounting brackets snap snugly around the base of the Galahad pump, making for fast, simple changes of cooler compatibility between the two CPU brands.
The slight convexity of the copper base plate appears to spread the majority of the thermal compound away from the center of the CPU HIS and towards the edges. This helps create an ideal coverage patch, provided the tension screws are properly seated by torquing down in an alternating X-pattern, although too much excess paste can be ejected around the edge of the CPU. So apply sparingly.
The Galahad AIO 240 makes use of a 240mm aluminum radiator, adorned by a pair of 3-pin, 5v aRGB Lian Li fans rated up to 1900 RPM. Each of the 120mm fans features an opaque 9-blade hub, which is backlit by aRGB modules. Fans are managed via 4-pin PWM headers and can be simultaneously controlled from the included 2-way splitter.
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The Lian Li Galahad AIO 240 easily adapts to most Intel and AMD desktop CPU models and occupies a standard 240mm radiator mounting location. The 400mm length of tubing is a welcome feature, giving more mounting options over AIOs with shorter lengths, limiting them to top or rear mounts only. Not every AIO has the ability to swivel its face or hide behind a magnetic cover to suit the system builder like the Galahad, but each of these are options provided in a single package on the Lian Li AIO 240. This is thoughtful design, particularly from a company not (yet) well known for its cooling products.
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Garrett Carver is a contributor for Tom’s Hardware, primarily covering thermal compound comparisons and CPU cooling reviews; both air and liquid, including multiple variations of each.
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cma6 Excellent review from Garrett Carver. However, he needs to address this question: Does this cooler support AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3 3970X?Reply
"The Lian Li Galahad AIO 240 arrives ready to support the majority of current CPU sockets." While HSF coolers all come with extended base plates to ensure maximum contact with the CPU's IHS, most AIO coolers haven’t made that step yet, and still use circular cold plates that leave the edges of the IHS exposed. AIO coolers available for Threadripper CPUs therefore aren’t cooling as efficiently as they could, allowing the HSF coolers to match (and even exceed) their performance. -
g-unit1111 Looks like a decent cooler. But for a 280mm cooler there's no way I would choose that over a Corsair or NZXT.Reply -
Makaveli Replycma6 said:Excellent review from Garrett Carver. However, he needs to address this question: Does this cooler support AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3 3970X?
"The Lian Li Galahad AIO 240 arrives ready to support the majority of current CPU sockets." While HSF coolers all come with extended base plates to ensure maximum contact with the CPU's IHS, most AIO coolers haven’t made that step yet, and still use circular cold plates that leave the edges of the IHS exposed. AIO coolers available for Threadripper CPUs therefore aren’t cooling as efficiently as they could, allowing the HSF coolers to match (and even exceed) their performance.
I would expect one would go 280 or 360 on a Threadripper build over a 240 for less noise and better performance. -
nofanneeded Replyg-unit1111 said:Looks like a decent cooler. But for a 280mm cooler there's no way I would choose that over a Corsair or NZXT.
All are Asetek made , IMO all are the same ... the only difference is the quality of the FANS thats all. -
rubix_1011 Replycma6 said:Excellent review from Garrett Carver. However, he needs to address this question: Does this cooler support AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3 3970X?
"The Lian Li Galahad AIO 240 arrives ready to support the majority of current CPU sockets." While HSF coolers all come with extended base plates to ensure maximum contact with the CPU's IHS, most AIO coolers haven’t made that step yet, and still use circular cold plates that leave the edges of the IHS exposed. AIO coolers available for Threadripper CPUs therefore aren’t cooling as efficiently as they could, allowing the HSF coolers to match (and even exceed) their performance.
It's covered in the details of the cooler:
Intel Sockets775,115X, 1200, 1366, 2011x, 2066AMD SocketsAM2, AM3, AM4, FM1, FM2
The answer is that no, it does not support TR4 or TRX4 (which are identical in mounting size, but not electrical/socket support), which is why it isn't explicitly discussed as part of the narrative. -
hotaru251 i'd prolly still go for the evga one.Reply
i prefer darker themed insides that arent "blingy" -
david germain Does anyone know what the lowest temp that is possible with water cooling? it would seem with the closeness of the numbers, that they are close to the maximum that is possible.Reply
At what point is comparing cooling irrelevant?
pre-chilling the water would be better, but if the cooling block is at it max then even cooling the water would make little difference. -
half_empty that fans noice is a jokeReply
if i want to listen to jet i can power on hoover
sorry lian li but this is not a good product -
Netherspark "The Galahad pump makes use of a 4-pin PWM header, which can be managed with a pump curve from your motherboard or operate full-time at 100% via the included SATA power cable. "Reply
This is not true... the Galahad visibly has a 3-pin DC power connector for its pump.