The Alphacool Eisbaer 240 CPU AIO Liquid Cooler Review
by E. Fylladitakis on August 1, 2016 9:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- AIO
- Water Cooling
- Cooler
- Alphacool
Testing Results, Low Fan Speed (7 Volts)
The quiet fans of the Eisbaer 240 have their speed greatly reduced with an input voltage of 7 Volts, down to just 810 RPM. These fans can hardly generate any pressure at such a low speed so, naturally, the thermal performance of the Eisbaer 240 is now reduced significantly. With the average thermal performance reduced down to 0.106 °C/W, the Eisbaer 240 is now outperformed by every dual 120 mm AIO cooler that we have tested to this date.
Core Temperature, Constant Thermal Load (Low Fan Speed) |
Nevertheless, the average thermal resistance of 0.106 °C/W is not actually bad considering that the Eisbaer 240 is virtually noiseless under these operating conditions. Our instruments recorded just 32.6 dB(A) from a distance of one meter, only 2.2 dB(A) higher than our floor noise level and a figure that it is not easily discernible by human ears inside a normal room. It is possible to discern low humming noises only from a distance of a few centimeters away from the fans and/or the pump.
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b4bblefish - Monday, August 1, 2016 - link
No compact ITX case can support a full cooler so the performance of having the closed loop coolers is amazing compared to low profile air.retrospooty - Monday, August 1, 2016 - link
Agreed, but I guess my point is any compact Mini ITX case can fit an air cooler that is very capable. There are also plenty of good Mini ITX cases that fit full size coolers. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...Stuka87 - Monday, August 1, 2016 - link
They may run cool at stock speeds, but water cooling is very nice for over clocking. My 4.5GHz 4690K very rarely goes over 55C.retrospooty - Monday, August 1, 2016 - link
Yes, but most of todays high end air coolers are just as capable and they do it without adding the need for water, the placement of a radiator or the additional potential fail-point (and noise point) of a water pump.retrospooty - Monday, August 1, 2016 - link
/edit - just as capable even when overclocking.ikjadoon - Tuesday, August 2, 2016 - link
Noise is no longer a concern with Gen5 Asetek.Here's a 120mm rad with 2 fans....5C cooler than the Noctua NH-U14S and STILL 0.1dB quieter than Noctua.
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2016/02/11/arctic_c...
Asetek Gen5 is what AIO CLCs were meant to be...
r3loaded - Monday, August 1, 2016 - link
Yeah, the Noctua NH-U14S cools just as well as the best AIO water coolers, but beats them by being much quieter on top of that since there's no pump noise. Zero risk of leaks is a bonus too!retrospooty - Monday, August 1, 2016 - link
Exactly... Not just the Noctua, pretty much any high end air cooler equals, if not outperforms water on todays CPU's, even when overclocking.ikjadoon - Tuesday, August 2, 2016 - link
You are far behind the times. :(http://www.hardocp.com/article/2016/02/11/arctic_c...
That was in February, dude.
AnnonymousCoward - Monday, August 1, 2016 - link
I use a NH-U14S with an OC'd 6700K that runs all 4 cores at 4GHz. The highest temp I can hit with any stress test is about 30C over ambient (~55C).This AT review had a noise floor of 30 dBA, while the Noctua with its adapter maxes out at 19 dBA according to their spec (and is far lower using PWM). I have to doubt a water cooler can get anywhere near this low, which is critical for my silent box.