discussion Corsair H80i & H100i Review

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Sound Level Testing

Sound Level Testing

While everyone "hears" noise differently there is one easy way to remove all subjectivness and easily compare different fans: use a sound level meter. This way you can easily compare the various fans noise envelopes without us colouring the results and see what fans fit within your personal comfort level. Of course, we will endeavour to try and explain the various results (which are taken at a 30 inch distance) to help you our readers get an even better understanding of how loud a cooler's stock fan is, but even if you discount our personal opinions, the fact remains numbers don't lie. All fans are tested with both voltage regulation / PWM turned off.

As expected, both the H80i and H100i boast significant acoustical improvements over their predecessors. Their new SP120L fans are both efficient and effective but the H80i’s thicker radiator does make its two fans work harder than they do on the H100i. This is why the H100i’s numbers are noticeably better.

 

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Conclusion

Conclusion

Corsair’s endless quest to improve their products is continually giving enthusiasts top-shelf components and the H80i and H100i are no exception. They represent a near seamless integration of technology and design excellence into a package which can seriously improve your system’s acoustical profile and cooling potential. More importantly, unlike other attempts by competitors to one-up the previous generation, Corsair has gone ahead and improved upon the original H80 and H100 in every conceivable way.

Ease of installation is an integral part of any all-in-one water cooling solution and Corsair has made sure to offer exactly that. Be it the ingenious use of magnets to reduce contact plate slippage, pivoting tubing mounts or the incorporation of AMD’s versatile mounting system, every step has been taken to ensure a lack of frustration for first time builders. Granted, the H80i’s possible encroachment into expansion slot territory and the H100i's gargantuan size may be limiting factors but for the most part, Corsair has hit the proverbial nail on the head.

One of the primary selling points of both these AiO units is the addition of Corsair’s LINK controller directly into the water blocks. This allows for unheard-of control over fan speeds while also adding advanced monitoring capabilities for good measure. Gone are the days of fiddling around with a physical switch since all of LINK’s features can be controlled directly through a streamlined desktop application.

The H80i is a true wonder to behold since it offers great cooling performance at high processor clock speeds and brings Corsair’s the aforementioned software control along for the ride. It is meant for consumers who want to push their CPU’s overclocking envelope without losing broad spectrum compatibility with most of today’s enclosures. But that doesn’t mean Corsair has sacrificed anything. This is easily the most impressive single bay 120mm cooler we have tested to date and offers tangible benefits over its predecessors. However, while the H80i is certainly able to justify its price with a litany of features and high level performance, $110 is a lot to spend for any CPU cooler, especially with Corsair’s own H90 (without native LINK compatibility) sitting at $100.

It isn’t easy being the top dog in any lineup but Corsair’s flagship H100i truly is a beastly all in one unit. It offers superior cooling, easily beating both the H100 and the new H80i while also maintaining impressive noise levels. We also can’t forget that it rings in at a mere $10 more than a H80i before rebates, albeit with limitations upon enclosure compatibility. Swapping out the stock fans will cause headaches since the controller is only incompatible with the included SP120Ls but Corsair is currently working on a solution for that.

All in all, we couldn’t have asked for more from the H80i and H100i. They are adaptable, feature intuitive software and above all else, offer high performance cooling without a contrived installation procedure.