Corsair H115i test: convincing all-in-one water cooling

It does not have to be an extended water cooling for several hundred euros if the CPU of the high-performance computer (after overclocking) comes to a sweat and gets hot. This is proved by the all-in-one water cooling Corsair H115i, which in the practice test allows only a few weak points. We look at how the installation works and what the cooler does and how loud it is.


All-in-One water cooling?


The Corsair H115i consists of a small pump with illuminated Corsair lettering, which replaces the classic CPU heat sink on the mainboard. The pump is connected to two hoses with a 280 radiator. The trailer forms a closed circuit, which does not need any maintenance in long-term operation. The heat is transferred from the pump to the radiator via the coolant, which is supplied with two 140-liter fans (140 mm diagonal) for cooling purposes. The cooled water flows back across the other hose back to the CPU to pick up heat again and away from the processor. The advantage is that the radiator can be installed more easily in its flat shape than a classic, clunky CPU cooler. Just think of the corresponding holes for the 280 radiator on the Corsair H115i. The Fractal Design Define R5, which we previously tested, provides adequate drilling on the ceiling, in the front and even in the ground.


When installing, you can either blow cold air from the outside through the radiator into the housing, or let the heated air flow through the radiator to the outside. Both situations are not ideal, but they can not be realized otherwise. In our practice test, it did not make much difference in the CPU temperatures in which direction the air moves. On the other hand, other components in the system could become much hotter when the radiator cools cold air, which can quickly heat up. We therefore recommend to blow the already warmed air through the radiator. The cooling performance of the all-in-one water cooling system did little harm. It is more important, then, to provide an ideal air circulation in the housing so that the warm air is not "in the housing" and thus generally provides more heat.


The installation of an all-in-one water cooling system provides for more space in the housing where the harshest sources of heat are usually buzzing. In addition to the CPU, the graphics card and, depending on the chassis configuration, the power supply. The additional room for fresh air is a little bit like the aforementioned deficiency, which almost all all-in-one water cooling systems have.