EKWB EK-Kit RGB 240 Cooler Review: Top-Shelf Looks and Performance

[rubix_1011]

High performance luxury watercooling, now available in your favorite choice of 16.7+ million colors.

EKWB EK-Kit RGB 240 Cooler Review: Top-Shelf Looks and Performance : Read more

 

[jimmysmitty]

That price kills the value. The Cooler Master performs better and is quieter for 1/3rd the price. However it is of course a triple rad so wont fit in as many as the EXWB but still that price is harsh.

 

[rubix_1011]

[quotemsg=21395957,0,149725]That price kills the value. The Cooler Master performs better and is quieter for 1/3rd the price. However it is of course a triple rad so wont fit in as many as the EXWB but still that price is harsh.[/quotemsg]

Price is pretty steep for most people, but those who are in the market for a kit like this aren't likely wanting an AIO anyway. I think there is definitely a line in the sand when it comes to liquid cooling - AIO and watercooling loops draw either one specific crowd or the other.

Plus side is, you can easily expand to add another radiator and a graphics card at a 'moderate' additional investment.

And yes, anything that is a 360 radiator is difficult to fit in most cases. Wait until you see an upcoming review on another cooling kit...radiator won't even fit in the Corsair Graphite 760T...it gets a roof mount.

 

[jimmysmitty]

The 760T is not a tiny case so that's pretty crazy but more modern cases that remove the 5.25" basy are more for that. I have been considering putting a triple rad in my 570X using the front RGB fans for push and the others as a pull setup but am waiting to see what that new Corsair kit is going to be.

There will be people who want this but for me its hard to justify spending 3x the cost for less performance. I guess if you want a more custom lopp, say you have a motherboard with built in cooling channels and GPU sure its probably better to go with this especially for asthetics and space.

 

[rubix_1011]

The 5.25 bay *could* be removed on the Corsair 760T, but since I use it for all cooling tests, modding it to suit just one review and then having to re-rivet the drive cage back together wasn't in the cards. But yes, it could have been made to fit and if it were my personal case and kit, I would have done so.

I think the thing to look at when it comes to AIO cooling is that for so long, they really struggled to cool well at all. Better pumps have come along which are making a difference in how well they work, but you're still paying lesser quality components - plastic and aluminum vs. brass, copper and high-grade acrylics and plexi's.

I guess I just see it is a different step - sure, performance is similar on some AIOs vs. custom watercooling, but the AIOs just don't carry the 'oomph' factor when it comes to visual appeal (in my mind, personally).

 

[AnimeMania]

So is that price considered expensive compared to buying all the parts separately or just compared to buying an AIO unit.

 

[jimmysmitty]

[quotemsg=21396075,0,1839266]So is that price considered expensive compared to buying all the parts separately or just compared to buying an AIO unit.[/quotemsg]

Just to AiO. Buying individual parts that are similar would be similar or close in price.

Custom loops are better though. I see why people would want this over an AiO. I guess I just have not kept up on performance of AiOs. I was used to AiOs being close to top end air with custom loops blowing them away.

 

[jpe1701]

So I went back to the evga clc 280 review to make a comparison because that's what I use. Why are the temps so different? All of the 280mm rads in that review had lower temps than these, and the clc280 was significantly lower(37 over ambient at 100% fan).

 

[mac_angel]

I've always been curious about what the actual volume of coolant is used in these kits and how that may make a difference. This used a 240mm RAD, but also has a reservoir. More coolant does also mean more cooling capabilities.

 

[BulkZerker]

@mac_angel

More cooling fluid does not mean better cooling performance. Surface area on the cooler block and radiator is what matters. Having a huge reservoir just means you have more fluid to "heat soak" before you can get a honest idle / load temperature. That's why early on a lot of less reputable sites were getting absolutely bonkers temp readings for AIO kits. They booted into windows, grabbed an idle temp after 30 second day of being fully logged in, the ran a single benchmark loop that lasts all of 5 minutes at most. Even the most anemic AIO coolers available didn't have time to fully heat up the entire cooler.

 

[mac_angel]

[quotemsg=21396234,0,367869]@mac_angel

More cooling fluid does not mean better cooling performance. Surface area on the cooler block and radiator is what matters. Having a huge reservoir just means you have more fluid to "heat soak" before you can get a honest idle / load temperature. That's why early on a lot of less reputable sites were getting absolutely bonkers temp readings for AIO kits. They booted into windows, grabbed an idle temp after 30 second day of being fully logged in, the ran a single benchmark loop that lasts all of 5 minutes at most. Even the most anemic AIO coolers available didn't have time to fully heat up the entire cooler.[/quotemsg]

I get that it would take more to heat up, and surface area of the CPU block to tranfer heat, as well as a well deigned radiator can dissipate the heat better, but i was curious if a reservoir and/or extra volume would make much of a difference as well. The coolant temperature coming off of the CPU block would be higher than ambient, even in the case (assuming you have adequate air flow). All that tubing, larger tubing, metal fitings, and reservoir all add up to more surface area. I was just curious as to how much.

More day dreaming since I don't have the money, but I thought of a build using longer than average tubing. Other exotic cooling ideas, too. But wondered if more volume and tubing makes any difference.

 

[cryoburner]

$460 for a CPU cooler that only manages comparable performance to coolers costing a fraction of the price? How about throw a tower cooler or two into the mix and see how close you can get with those? Performance might not be quite as good, but something tells me the tower cooler might at least be quieter due to the lack of a pump, and would require next to zero maintenance, unlike this open loop that will require regular coolant changes and have a potential for leaks. It seems like the only thing this unit really has to offer over the competition is its "Top-Shelf Looks". And if it has such "Professional Build Quality", then why do they only entrust it with a 2-year warranty? Do they not expect their $460 cooler to reliably operate for much more than two years?

 

[AnimeMania]

I don't know anything about watercooling but I would imagine the longer or wider the tubing, the harder your pump will have to work. The larger the reservoir, the less the pump has to work, due to the weight of the water. The cooling rate is probably totally dependent on the radiator and fans.

 

[BulkZerker]

@mac_angel
(Seriously, where's the quote someone option for mobile? )
You are also running into the fact the tubes arent made of any sort of metal. Most tubing is silicone base or PETG (hard line) and are thermally insulative. Which is a good thing in a way. It keeps the case temps down as you want, really, all the heat to be dumped through the radiator and out of the case. Not passing through the radiator twice and or heating up other components of your PC.

Of course you could have a resuivor big enough to do what your thinking but that's a case for multiple GALLONS of coolant / water.

I read something ages ago about a water cooling setup that dumped out into a pool, it was a joke I think but that kind of massive resuivor and the fact it is open air means it would have the surface area to dissipate the heat easily.

 

[Lucky_SLS]

I expected the quick disconnect to be featured here, welp....

 

[rskdev]

I just run a flexible duct to from my AC in my office to the intake fans on my case. Easy.

 

[rskdev]

EDIT>

I just run a flexible duct from my AC in my office to the intake fans on my case. Easy.

 

[phobicsq]

These reviews are nice and I'm sure well done however after moving to WC on a custom hardline system I won't go back to air or even try these pkg systems. Look on newegg, amazon, or other places with the issues from them. Sure, they take some guess work out of setting up a custom loop but honestly, for just a gpu loop you could do a little cheaper depending on the sales and what one orders. The most expensive thing is the block and rads. That being said this looks like it performs well but I think if you're going to WC go all the way.

 

[phobicsq]

@ MAC_ANGEL,

I'm no expert and did my first first WC petg hardline set up a year ago. I can say that the res really has no effect on cooling better. It's just a reservoir and in many ways aesthetic. While over time heat will dissipate the water, due to bonds breaking, the res acts like a continuous source of cooler water. If you make sure to remove most of the air in the loop and top the res off then its going to run smooth. I had like an 1/8 inch decrease of water in my res over a year before I drained, flushed, and refilled. Rads and fans which dissipate heat are the primary reason WC is so great. Well that and how your loops are made, meaning how much unrestricted flow can be obtained.

 

[tacgnol06]

I've always been curious about building my own cooling system. It's just too bad I could rebuild the cooling system in my CAR for less. Truly a seller's market.

 

[rubix_1011]

There are many other options that cost less, but yes, this is one of those top of the line premium kits. There are some entry and mid-level kits out there as well, and by other vendors, each with lower costs, some with even higher costs.

You can also build a bespoke cooling loop at lower cost if you choose to do so.