The ID Cooling Auraflow X 240 sits at a unique place in the market as it appeals to the system builder looking for a 240mm AIO, but might not have the cooling budget to go for a top-performing cooler with a dedicated software control suite.
Pros
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Budget pricing
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Simple installation
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RGB lighting
Cons
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Lower performance than other 240 AIOs
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RGB lighting isn’t as brilliant as other products
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Lack of desktop software
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Features and Specifications
The ID Cooling Auraflow X 240 offers AIO liquid cooling for the masses with its dual 120mm radiator, RGB lighting and a pocketbook-friendly $90 (£71) price tag. Unlike the majority of its competitors, the Auraflow X 240 offers AMD Threadripper support in addition to the usual Intel 115x/ 2066/2011 LGAs and AMD AM/FM sockets, making it a versatile 240mm liquid cooler for nearly every current CPU available today.
ID Cooling Auraflow X 240 CPU Cooler ( (Image credit: Tom's Hardware))
However, while the ID Cooling Auraflow X 240 does get you expected features like PWM control and RGB lighting for both the fans and pump, dreams of visual brilliance and fingertip hue management are dashed with muted luminosity and lack of desktop software control. The overall performance of the Auraflow X 240 also lags behind its 240mm AIO peers, making the lower unit price most attractive to those wanting to get into the liquid cooling lifestyle cheaply, where the best performance isn’t required.
Given that the ID Cooling Auraflow X 240 supports nearly all Intel and AMD processors (including Threadripper) on the market today, the bundled mounting hardware is still relatively minimal. Including with the main components are standard 4-pin RGB lighting cables and splitter, a tube of thermal compound, multiple mounting rings and a universal backplate. ID Cooling also includes a handy stand-alone RGB controller for systems that do not have integrated RGB controls built into the motherboard.
The pump and CPU block for the ID Cooling Auraflow X 240 have a rather minimalistic design with the ID Cooling logo and ring illuminated by RGB backlighting. The pump itself has a PWM-to-SATA adapter, meaning you can either allow the pump to operate at full speed using SATA power adapter, or setup a pump curve using PWM if you so choose. Tubing is nylon-sleeved and enters/exits the pump via a pair of integrated 90-degree swivel fittings.
The base of the Auraflow X 240 has a satin-finished milled copper cooling plate which is large enough to account for AMD’s Threadripper high end desktop (HEDT) CPUs. The twist-lock tabs around the circumference of the pump base are easily seen here, and builders should be certain that the locking tabs fully engage and lock into place when installing the appropriate mounting bracket for their systems. We found it was relatively easy to get the mounting bracket applied in reverse, and while it seemed to be correctly locked, we found we needed to reverse the plate and twist to lock as one orientation is far more secure than the other.
The aluminum radiator used by ID Cooling on the Auraflow X 240 has a moderate-fin density that is nearly identical to most AIOs on the market. It utilizes a dual-pass design as indicated by both fittings being located on the same end of the heat exchanger, so that coolant flows down one half of the unit, makes a turn in the end tank and returns through the other half to the outlet fitting.
ID Cooling ships a pair of 1800 RPM 4-pin RGB / 4-pin PWM fans with opaque blades rated at a maximum of 74.5 CFM. They come boxed with anti-vibration pads around each of the corners for damping reverberation.
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Installing the ID Cooling Auraflow X 240 is simple and straight-forward for any chassis that supports a 240mm liquid cooling radiator, and the 90-degree swivel tubing allows for easy alignment for the orientation that best suits your application. Like all AIOs with swivel fittings, take care to prevent lateral torque on the plastic as this can cause cracks around the pump housing where the fittings connect to rotate.
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.
