Face-Off: The Kraken X61, Reserator 3 Max Dual, And NH-D15
NZXT Kraken X61
Dual-fan radiators are typically visually obscured by either the top or front of a case’s frame, and most of those enclosures are now painted flat black on the inside. NZXT designs the radiator of its 2 x 140mm Kraken X61 to blend in, rather than stand out.
You’ll still need a chassis that accepts two 140mm fans side-by-side, with a little room to spare for the radiator’s tanks. We chose Corsair’s Graphite 760T.
Finding a compatible motherboard is even easier, since NZXT’s installation kit supports the entire LGA 115x series, LGA 2011 and 1366, and the four holes of AMD retention mechanisms.
The Kraken X61’s cooling head comes with factory-applied thermal compound and a factory-installed LGA 2011/1366/115x installation bracket. A variation of the familiar Asetek design, a plastic lock ring can be removed to install the AMD mounting bracket.
Using a single motherboard fan header for RPM feedback, the Kraken X61 gets its power from what looks like a SATA connector, which feeds the pump and four 4-pin fan headers. Meanwhile, a USB 2.0 connector allows software to control fan and pump speed.
Included standoffs take advantage of LGA 2011’s integrated support bracket. LGA 115x requires that you install a support bracket first, while AMD users get to replace the screws that hold the motherboard’s top bracket in place with those supplied by NZXT. Regardless of the hardware you use, protruding threads are the result.
The factory-attached Intel bracket fits over those protruding threads, and is secured using knurled nuts. AMD users must replace the bracket with a different, bundled part before accomplishing this.
The “Kraken” menu within NZXT’s CAM software allows users to pick between various cooling modes. Manual selection lets you set 100% fan speed, though our processor ran hot enough to get there using the “Performance” setting. We also used “Silent” mode to gauge minimum-noise performance.
Take 4 reference coolers and you can stick 2 of them to the NH-D15 to keep the noise measurements fair ... .
1 kg of cooler for 12kg of corsair monster.
It weighs less than the Aluminium case to which is was compared:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/atx-pc-cases-caselabs-merlin-sm8-corsair-graphite-760t-thermaltake-urban-t81,3865.html
I mean Corsair's top coolers, H100i or H105, are getting fans replaced which adds $$$. I'd rather put more money into the mobo or consider a custom loop at that point. Really wish the H100i was included in trial. None the less, keep up the great articles.
Plus the cost difference isn't that bad. You'll be buying two less case fans anyway as the radiator fan combo will replace two case fans you'd have to buy in an air setup anyway. Additionally, your air cooler case fans have to be top notch because your air cooler is dumping all that heat directly into the case and board chipset overheating is also a real thing.
If you are building for longevity Small Air (for non-over clockers) and CLCs are worthy trade offs for the difference in cooling. But if you truly want to OC then get liquid nitrogen and spend $10 K + on cooling alone.
This is a good review. I'm going to try an X61 as my next cooler on my gaming PC. I do agree with another poster here though as I'd like to see this compared with a Corsair H110 (also 140mm fans).
I am far more comfortable with retention bars that go across the top of the base block like the 212s' do. With the screws at the ends of the bars, the screws have a 1.5:1 mechanical advantage instead of a 20:1 disadvantage, making them far less susceptible to bumps even before accounting for the extra flex in the bar itself which would absorb some of the shock as well, reducing stress on the screws that much further.
I'm not sure those numbers on the pump are doubled up. When that puppy cranks up to full blast it makes a hell of a rattle. I have a 5960x cranked up to 4.4ghz. With a full prime95 load running at just over 70C that thing start screaming. I have mine sitting on my desk and I can feel the vibrations throughout. The cam software is complete junk, even though they've come a long way since I got it. I've had it report temps below freezing on my proc... The weird thing is the liquid temperature is consistently higher than the temperature on the proc.
What builder having spent their coin on a performance system would not take the time to do the same? Closed loop looks kul as they improve the noise/cooling/price ratios I will surely be an adopter. Until then I remain an Air Head.
I like the idea of water so I can stick the radiator on the exhaust on my case and be done. No weird hot air streams going weird places. In my case It was air or AIO. Midtower with dual water cooling? Good luck doing custom in there. I also prefer the look, although my old coolermaster V8 is still the best looker out there. Nothing beats the "Thats your f'ing CPU cooler?" from everyone that ever looked in my case.
I think its worth it over the D14 considering it has the newer fans. It wont beat the D14 by any large margin but thats fine by me. The cooler is very quiet, as shown in the test results. It was a bit hotter but not by any crazy amount, plus the better coolers were more expensive and louder.
If I had to buy one of the AIOs, it would be the NZXT simply because of the 6 year backing. The Zalman comes with a lame 1 year warranty. The 6 year on the noctua and nzxt is what really matters to me.
If by "premium" you mean oversized and ugly, then sure. Personally i would not have an oversized ugly cooler hanging off my motherboard, nor would it fit in my case.
Dang I sound like an elitist :T
Same here. Liquid's usually not worth it to me either, but products like the Kraken are definitely changing my mind.