Antec Kuhler H2O 620 Water Cooler Review

[siopao1984]

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Antec Kuhler H2O 620 Water Cooler Review by VR-Zone.com

In the world of home computing, using water cooling started off when a couple of enthusiasts tried to achieve high overclocking performance on their (at the time) top of the line 486DX processors. Within a few months the trend took off and many enthusiasts and overclockers were designing and building their own parts, when companies offering ready parts and even ready to assemble kits began to emerge. It was not until years later that companies released closed, ready to run water cooling solutions and still only a few are available in the market today. Antec has just released such a water cooler, the very compact Kühler H2O 620, which also comes with a very interesting retail price tag. Will it manage to outperform the humongous air coolers available today? We will find out in this review.

Manufacturer features and specifications

• CPU Socket Compatibility:
• Intel LGA 775, 1155 / 1156, 1366, AMD AM2, AM3, AM2+, AM3+
• Low profile pump ensures exceptional liquid circulation while preserving internal airflow
• Non-corrugated easy-bend tubes for maximum flexibility in radiator positioning
• Intelligent noise / speed-control fan for quiet, efficient cooling
• Latest generation copper cold plate for optimal conduction
• Cooling Liquid - Safe, environmentally-friendly, anti-corrosive
• Fan Speed: 1450 - 2000 RPM
• Tubing Length: 13.0" / 330 mm
• Radiator Dimensions:
• 5.6" (H) x 4.7" (W) x 1.1" (D) /
• 151 mm (H) x 120 mm (W) x 27 mm (D)
• Fan Dimensions:
• 4.7" x 1.0" / 120 mm x 25 mm
• Air Flow:
• 81.3 CFM
• Cold Plate + Pump Height:
• 1.1" / 27 mm
• Net weight: 1.5 lbs / 0.7 kg
• AQ3 - Antec Quality 3 year limited warranty on parts and labor

[siopao1984]

Antec supplies the Kühler H2O 620 water cooler inside a fairly large, sturdy cardboard box with a black/blue theme combined with a striking yellow stripe. An image of the cooler covers the front side of the box while information on its performance and features is printed at the sides and rear of the box.



Inside the box the cooler and the bundled items are very well secured and carefully separated using environmentally friendly cardboard packaging material. Antec is a company whose corporate ethics towards the environment are well known.



The 120mm fan supplied with the cooler has been rebranded and the OEM manufacturer’s logo has been removed, therefore we cannot find out more information about it than what Antec already supplies.



Inside the box you will also find the necessary plastic and metallic retention brackets needed for the installation of the cooler, a black and white manual and all the essential plastic hardware and black screws required to install the cooler inside the case and on your CPU.

[siopao1984]

The Antec Kühler H2O 620 looks similar to the rest of the closed “ready to run” water cooling kits currently available but there are a few distinct differences. The most important difference probably is the use of flexible rubber tubing rather than corrugated pipes which are tough to bend. Despite the short length of less than 33cm, the tubing does turn easily and without kinking. The outer diameter of the tubing is considerable compared to that of other kits, measuring 11mm in diameter; however we are unsure if the inner diameter is larger as well or if the rubber tubing simply has thick walls.



Antec went with a classic single fan radiator design, which despite its thin size and lightweight construction has been proven to perform well over the years. The quality of the radiator is very good but, like all similar designs, the very thin and flimsy aluminum fins are extremely easy to bend.



The OEM behind Antec’s Kühler H2O 620 water cooler is Asetek and Antec makes no effort to hide this; Asetek’s logo is printed onto the sticker found at the bottom side of the radiator, right next to the product’s bar code and the RoHS and CE certifications.



The small circular base of the product houses the low profile liquid pump and the copper thermal absorption plate. Around the edge of the base there is a series of notched sockets, which are used to lock the base on the mounting bracket during installation. The liquid tubes are attached onto the base by using metallic 90° fittings. There are two wires leaving the base of the cooler, one for powering the cooling fan and one to connect onto the motherboard’s CPU fan header which powers and controls both the pump and the radiator’s fan altogether.



It appears that the base assembly is being held together by a plethora of screws. Ten screws are holding the copper plate secured onto the bottom part of the assembly and fourteen screws hold the bottom and top parts of the base together. At the middle of the copper plate we found thermal compound pre-applied. The copper plate could have been a little better polished but it would not made a difference with the thick factory applied thermal compound.

[siopao1984]

The installation of the Kühler H2O 620 is not difficult but it is a little overcomplicated and takes time. To begin with, the user has to prepare the backplate and the retaining ring for installation onto the motherboard by installing the threaded metallic inserts and the adhesive tapes on the backplate and insert the plastic offset clips onto the metallic retaining ring.



After the backplate and the retaining ring are ready, they have to be installed on the motherboard by using the provided screws. The user must not tighten the screws at this point; they are to be left loose until the cooler is inserted and then tightened onto the CPU core.



The final step is to place the base of the cooler onto the CPU core and lock it onto the retaining ring by slightly rotating it clockwise. Finally, the retaining ring needs to be tightened up so that the base of the cooler is firmly secured on the CPU core. Do not use excessive force; the plastic offset clips are not designed to handle too high a pressure.



The Kühler H2O 620 water cooler barely takes any space on the motherboard at all; however the radiator needs to be placed close to the CPU area, which means that this product requires a case with a 120mm exhaust fan slot at the rear or top of the chassis.

[siopao1984]

In order to provide you with the most professional and accurate reviews, we are using the following equipment to test the performance of coolers. The system automatically calculates the Delta T temperature, which is the difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature at the top of the thermal core.

Custom copper thermal core with automatic power controls
Watlow heat generation rods
PT100 temperature sensors
Lutron DW-6091 Power Analyzer
SL-5868P digital sound level meter
CompuLAB interface
MyPClab thermal interface
Custom calibration box
Custom software

More information about our testing equipment and methodology can be found in this article.



Much as we expected, the single core Antec Kühler H2O 620 water cooler offers thermal performance comparable to that of the top class air coolers. It easily outperforms very large air coolers and delivers performance on par with the Frio, yet at much lower noise levels. Unfortunately the cooler is not very quiet; the fan of the Kühler H2O 620 is clearly audible when running at maximum speed, ending up being louder than most air coolers. The true problem is that the small radiator core needs the airflow in order to maintain decent thermal performance levels and thus the fan will not spin much slower while the system is idling; the result is great thermal performance but the Kühler H2O 620 never really gets absolutely quiet.

[siopao1984]

Quality (30% of the total score)

Unquestionably the Antec Kühler H2O 620 is a very well designed and manufactured product without any notable flaws. We liked Antec’s use of flexible rubber hoses and the all black cables, as well as the complex but very secure mounting system. Many people might be concerned over the use of dissimilar metals, with the radiator made out of aluminum and the cooling plate made out of copper, and rightfully so as this would cause corrosion within hours if common water was being used; however Antec is not using common water but a mix of de-mineralized water and glycol, which will last for many years before failing.

Quality Score 9.0/10


Performance (40% of the total score)

The overall performance of the Antec Kühler H2O 620 water cooler has left us with mixed feelings. Without a doubt the Kühler H2O 620 offers excellent thermal performance, taking on the best air coolers with ease. However it neither outperforms air coolers by a significant margin nor it does so while running any more silent. The overall performance of the Kühler H2O 620 is essentially similar to that of most high-end air coolers in every aspect, which would probably drive most potential buyers away if not for the very low retail price.

Performance Score 8.0/10


Aesthetics (20% of the total score)

Aesthetics are a very subjective matter and the Antec Kühler H2O 620 greatly differs from air coolers, therefore a direct comparison against them would be unfair. We believe that most enthusiasts would love the all-black theme of the Kühler H2O 620, as well as the rubber tubing. It certainly gives an exotic appearance to any system since water cooling may be more common nowadays but it can hardly be considered mainstream

Aesthetics Score 9.0/10


Value (10% of the total score)

The best weapon of the Antec Kühler H2O 620 water cooler is the very low retail price of the product; the Kühler H2O 620 can be found selling for less than 60$ USD/78$ SGD at the time of this review, a price lower than that of most premium air coolers currently available. Paired with a 3 year long warranty on parts and labor, the Antec Kühler H2O 620 offers great value to users who want to slowly venture into the world of liquid cooling.

Value Score 9.5/10

[deejayy_214]

a christmas gift for myself.... puhon2x... =)

[dhekoy33]

tigum mode ko ani puhon.

[nirdle_phogi]

nindota ani oie. pilaon kaha pud ni?

[siopao1984]

nindota ani oie. pilaon kaha pud ni?

kaw na lang bahala convert into peso brad

Value (10% of the total score)

The best weapon of the Antec Kühler H2O 620 water cooler is the very low retail price of the product; the Kühler H2O 620 can be found selling for less than 60$ USD/78$ SGD at the time of this review, a price lower than that of most premium air coolers currently available. Paired with a 3 year long warranty on parts and labor, the Antec Kühler H2O 620 offers great value to users who want to slowly venture into the world of liquid cooling.

Value Score 9.5/10