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DeepCool’s AK400 aims to be a simple, low-cost, 120mm-class CPU cooler that offers value-orientated performance instead of flashy lights. And it does that well.
The cooling performance is strong, at least in isolation; we saw thermal results that were very comparable to the Arctic Freezer A35 A-RGB competitor. And the AK400 often outperformed the SilentiumPC challengers.
With that said, DeepCool’s 1850 RPM FDB fan was louder than its competitors at full speed, so there was a small performance drop-off when locking the cooler to 40dBA noise output. That performance drop-off was minimal, but it does highlight some weaknesses of the included fan – particularly when the Arctic and SilentiumPC competitors have zero-RPM capable PWM fans whereas DeepCool’s is only rated down to 500 RPM.
I would say that styling of the AK400 is a positive. The visual appearance is simple and clean. The lack of LEDs will certainly appeal to some budget buyers. And the promise of a white version releasing in June is potentially exciting if you want something to fit in with a particular colour theme.
One area where DeepCool needs to improve, though, is in terms of warranty coverage. Three years on a cooler of this ilk is fine, but with many competitors offering 5-years or even longer, DeepCool needs to keep pace.
To summarise, we would say that DeepCool’s build quality and ease of installation for the AK400 are positives. The top-end cooling performance is strong, even if the fan is louder than its competitors. But the slightly more limited fan speed curve, higher full-speed noise output, and poorer warranty versus the likes of SilentiumPC and Arctic competitors dampen our feelings towards the AK400.
At 34.90 Euros – which should be around £30-33 in the UK – we do not have any major complaints with DeepCool’s AK400. It is simply the fact that Arctic’s similarly-priced and absolutely superb Freezer A35 and the SilentiumPC Fera 5 coolers steal much of the limelight at this price point. And that’s particularly true when factoring in the Arctic cooler's warranty which is vastly superior to the coverage offered by DeepCool.
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Pros:
- Strong full-speed cooling performance.
- Simple, interference-free installation.
- Unoffending appearance.
- Affordable price point.
Cons:
- 3-year warranty is well below its competitors.
- Full fan speed noise output is higher than competitors.
- Higher minimum fan speed than competitors.
KitGuru says: The DeepCool AK400 offers good cooling performance in a well-built package. It is simply the competitiveness of its often quieter and better warrantied direct contenders that prevents us from giving a stronger recommendation.
