Review: Antec KÜHLER H2O 620 CPU Cooler

Posted by Winston

Sunday, 15 May 2011 23:03

Article Index
Review: Antec KÜHLER H2O 620 CPU Cooler
Specifications and Features
Photo Gallery and Closer Look
Installation and Test Procedure
BIOS and Windows Temps
Idle Temps
Load Temps
Overclocked Temps
Verdict and Conclusion

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Introduction

Watercooling is something that's used to be reserved for the extreme enthusiasts. I remember the good old days (more than 10 years ago) when there wasn't any real watercooling kits available on the market. So the only way to go about it, was to try and source all the watercooling components separately, and then mix-n-match them together. The end result, if done properly was breath-taking. A watercooled PC not only not only looks a million times better than your standard air-cooled PC, but it also provides better cooling especially during overclocking.

Today, watercooling kits are widely avaialble. Some kits are complete with separate waterblock, tubing, pumps and radiators, while others come in the form of an all-in-one unit. Personally, I prefer to choose my own watercooling components separately, as this makes the system unique and original. However, having said that, it does involve a lot of planning, time and extra costs. For those who don't want all the hassle ... then this is where these all-in-one watercooling units come in. They are cheaper, easier to install, low maintenance and there's no headache over which watercooling components to buy.

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Antec have been producing computer chassis and power supplies for many years. Their products are extremely popular among gamers and enthusiasts alike. It now seems you're producing CPU coolers ... of the watercooling kind! For those who are not familiar with Antec or its products ... here's a little blurb taken from their website.

"Antec, Inc. is the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets. Founded in 1986, Antec is recognized as a pioneer in the industry and has maintained its position as a worldwide market leader and international provider of quiet, efficient and innovative products. Antec has also achieved great success in the distribution channel, meeting the demands of quality-conscious system builders, VARs and integrators.

Antec is headquartered in Fremont, California, with additional offices in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, as well as in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, China and Taiwan. The company’s products are sold in more than 40 countries throughout the world. Please visit www.antec.com for more information. "

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One of the first all-in-one watercooling unit we've tested was the CoolIT ECO and Vantage, which we reviewed last year. Both units are extremely affordable, easy to install but most importantly ... they offered excellent cooling performance. I believe over the next few months, we'll be seeing a lot of other manufacturers producing these "all-in-one" watercooling units ... it's a growing niche market. Coolermaster have tried and failed, Corsair has done it, Thermaltake are thinking about it, and Antec have finally done it ... they've recently released their all-in-one watercooling unit called the Kuhler H2O 620.

In this review, we'll be taking a look at the Antec KÜHLER H₂O 620 all-in-one watercooling unit - the next generation in high performance CPU cooling. The Kuhler H2O 620 is compatible for all Intel processors including LGA 775, 1156, 1366 and the latest 1155 sockets. There are also fittings for AMD AM2 and AM3 processors. The unit comes complete with a large waterblock with a built-in pump and a solid copper coldplate. It features a non-corrugated, easy to bend tubes for maximum flexibility and a 120mm radiator. The whole unit is cooled by a silent, speed-controlled 120mm fan spinning between 1450-2000 rpm.

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The unit is made from good quality components and looks and feels pretty solid. However, there was one little issue which I thought was a bit annoying, and that's the fittings and backplates for the processor sockets. After correctly aligining the fittings and the backplate for my motherboard, I found it a little arkward trying to mount waterblock over the processor. You definitely need some balancing skills ;)

I'm expecting the Antec Kuhler H2O 620 to produce some good temperature readings. It should compete very well against the CoolIT units. What I'm really interested in ... is what type of temperatures I'll be able to get with our overclocked Core i5-2500K running at 4.5Ghz. We'll be comparing the Antec Kuhler H2O 620 against the CoolIT ECO and Vantage ALC, which were both used to cool an overclocked Core i5 - 650 @ 4.0Ghz .

OK ... let's get busy and take a closer look at the specifications and features of the Antec Kuhler H2O 620 watercooling system.