KitGuru KitGuru.net – Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards
We are very pleased to see that Cooler Master has changed its backplate installation method to make it far simpler for users. Positioning the backplate was as easy as selecting the relevant socket holes and pushing the screws through.
Let's hope that this quick and easy backplate installation method is used for Cooler Master's future tower-style heatsinks.
Thanks to the tweaked installation method, in comparison to previous Cooler Master models, connecting the stand-offs is an easy task; everything is tightened on the motherboard's front side, not the rear.
Simply place the motherboard on a flat surface so that the backplate's screws protrude, before attaching the stand-offs. Cooler Master even supplies a piece of equipment that allows users to tighten the stand-offs with a screwdriver.
Users are required to screw the specific AMD or Intel brackets onto the waterblock and pump unit. Once this has been completed, the unit can be attached to the motherboard.
After testing two different installation methods, we would recommend first installing the Seidon 120M and the motherboard in the case, before attaching the waterblock and pump unit.
We opted for the fan-behind-the-radiator orientation so that the 120mm Blade Master could push cool air through the fin array. This method requires more installation time as aligning the fan and radiator can be difficult. In comparison to the exhaust fan orientation which relies upon hotter system air, the cooling benefits should be worthy of the added effort.
Once installed, the Seidon 120M was mounted very securely to our NZXT Phantom case. The waterblock and pump unit was also securely attached to the motherboard, making this configuration shipping-proof.
In a single fan configuration, the radiator barely passes the summit of our motherboard's IO shield, thanks to the recessed rear panel design which our NZXT Phantom uses, as do many other good cases.
Dual fan users could run into problems if their motherboard features tall VRM heatsinks or, in the case of X79 configurations, if they utilise memory modules with large heatspreaders. Connecting the 8-pin CPU power cord is also made more difficult in a dual fan configuration.
With the reservoir areas extending beyond the fin array by 14mm, or 20mm for the hose-entry compartment, the Seidon 120M can interfere with roof-mounted case fans. Luckily, we had just enough room for major headaches to be avoided, but users with a smaller case may not be so fortunate.
Super review Luke. I have to order one of these, what a great deal IMO
This is an excellent cooler, the all in ones are hard to beat now. I had a D14 for a while and loved it, but it was so hard to get at anything inside the case it blocked half the motherboard !
I recentl got a Seidon 120M and it seems to work very nicely. I did add a C/M Turbo Master Mach 1.8 fan on the case side, which didn’t seem to add any perceptible noise. The one change that I would really like would be the ability to raise the water pump speed. With the two fans it seems that increasing the WP volume would be an excellent option. I’ve got a mildly overclocked i7 – 930 and when running a WSE scan, for instance, hte core temp can still rise to as high as 175 F, so a bit more water flow would be nice. I ahve it in a HAF 922 case and there is plenty of room. I’m about to add a 200mm side fan as well as the original rear case fan at the bottom of the case, and things still won’t be crowded
Did you happen to try installing the fan with an exhaust setup? How much difference would you think the performance/results change?
I am thinking of buying a Seidon 240, which you can front mount in a N200 case (both products by Cooler Master). If I do front mount is the air being drawn into the case to cool radiator or am I venting air outwards through the front?
It seems to me air in through the front would mean the heat from the radiator being directed into the case. But i have never thought of front fans becoming exhausts, so perhaps this is correct.
Hi, I have got this cooling system, but it is incomplete. I would like to but an AMD socket. Has anyone got to sell?