Corsair H90 Liquid Cooler Review and Features

Summers are here and all the big gaming titles are ready like hounds of hell to unleash an usher of ecstasy over the gaming fraternity isn't that amazing! Of-course it is but wait, did someone just say my processor gets too hot and with all that load it'll turn my rig into an oven? Yes that's one issue that computers still struggle to deal with, heat, the arch nemesis of processor chips.

But hang on I'm here and today I'm here to review something promising that will keep your gaming rigs cool and quit even while running the most demanding of games or over clocking chips to new local records. The Corsair H90 Liquid Cooler is here and its what we'll review today and see what all it can do.
But first the specifications--
Technical Specifications

Radiator dimensions: 140mm x 170mm x 27mm
Fan dimensions: 140mm x 25mm
Fan speed: 1500 +/- 10% RPM
Fan airflow: 94 CFM
Fan static pressure: 1.64mm-H2O
Noise level: 35dB(A)

Compatibility

Intel LGA 1155, 1156, 1366, and 2011
AMD sockets FM1, FM2, AM2, and AM3

Package contents

Corsair Hydro Series H90 High Performance Liquid CPU
Mounting kit for all modern CPU sockets
140mm High Torque Fan
Fan and radiator mounting screws
Thermal compound (pre-applied)
Quick Start Guide

Overview

From the outside the Corsair H90 looks very sturdy and well built. The quarter inch thick extra flexible pipes are very strong and durable and can be easily twisted and turned as required. The radiator is heavy but not too heavy that you see it as a weight at the back of your rig.
The fan here I would like to mention is an odd 140mm PWM fan, means that you can control its speed via your motherboard, so no need to worry about a noisy fan anymore. This 140mm fan ensures that you will get a performance of somewhere between the 120mm and 240mm radiator category liquid coolers.

As the Corsair H90 comes with a 140mm fan you need to make sure if it will fit in your cabinet or not especially the mid-tower cabinet owners. You either need to fit it at the top or at the back with the radiator.

Summary:

Flexible and durable pipes
Clamp and install mechanism on the pump making it hassle free
Fan is thin and cools efficiently

Load test

For the test I used a AMD FX 8350 over-clocked to a whooping 5Ghz with the room temperature at 28°C. The cabinet was the Corsair Obsidian 450D and I had to mount the H90 at the top of the cabinet in a push pull configuration.
The noise level was recorded at 45dBa and 48dBa on idle and and at load respectively.
The temperature results are as follows:

This is an excellent stat comparing the heat and load the FX produces, also the room temperature was high.
Conclusion
The Corsair H90 Liquid Cooler does exactly what it is supposed to do that is cool the components producing minimum noise in the process. The pipe is durable and leak proof and coupling it with its 5 years warranty it makes it an ultra safe cooling solution to employ. The 140mm radiator sure does the trick making it second to only the bigger cousins of the H90 the Corsair H100 or the Corsair H100i, they are not only bigger but even expensive.
So if you are looking for your first liquid cooler and don't want to burn a hole while preventing your components from getting burn then the Corsair H90 should be your pick.
I give it 8/10
Update: For the video review and unboxing visit here

Sunday, 22 March 2015