Corsair Hydro H90 and H110 (with i7-3930K) Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The Corsair H904. Installing the Corsair H905. Testing Methodology and Overclocking6. Thermal Performance7. Acoustic Performance8. Closing Thoughts9. View All Pages

Overall, we have mainly positive feelings about the Corsair Hydro H90. We are glad to see that Corsair are filling out their range with a 140 mm cooler, however you need to justify the extra cost when comparing against the Phanteks PH-TC14PE and Noctua NH D14.

Both of these traditional heatsink coolers may not offer the same level of cooling performance, but they are certainly quieter out of the box.

It's clear that Corsair are trying to hit a low price point with the H90 as the fans included really aren't particularly good.  We would certainly recommend purchasing some quality after-market fans from the likes of Noctua to improve both thermal and acoustic performance.

The same goes for the H110 which is shipped with the same fans as the H90.  Neither unit features Corsair Link, either, which is the key feature of Corsair's other high-end models. Many users really won't miss this option however, so it was clever of Corsair to offer a more competitively priced series.

Neither the H90 or H110 offer great compatibility as there are only a few cases out there which have enough room to accommodate them. The radiator on the Corsair H110 features 20 mm fan spacings which aren't compatible with a lot of cases which have dual 140 mm fan vents in the roof.  This needs to be checked before purchase.

The H90 and H110 can be yours for a price of £70 and £95 from Scan respectively.

Corsair H90

We rate the Corsair Hydro H90 very highly but we would want to swap out the fans, which will cost extra. If you factor in additional, high performance low noise fans, the price would be closer to £80. Still for performance junkies this is a great cooler.

Pros:

• Excellent cooling performance.

Cons:

• Corsair aren't supplying the greatest quality fans with the H90.

KitGuru says: The H90 is an excellent performance cooler.

Corsair H110

The H110 offers significantly better performance than the Phanteks PH-TC14PE, Noctua NH D14 and the H90, justifying the price premium.  We would still recommend upgrading the fans with aftermarket models, though, as the included models are louder than we would like.

Pros:

• Class leading performance.
• Good value.

Cons:

• Check your chassis can handle the size!
• Higher quality fans help reduce noise emissions.

KitGuru says: The H110 is a cooling tour de force!

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