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NZXT Technologies KRAKEN X60 Premium 280MM Ultra Performance Liquid CPU Cooler RL-KRX60-01 Black

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#1 ·
NZXT Technologies KRAKEN X60 Premium 280MM Ultra Performance Liquid CPU Cooler RL-KRX60-01 Black

Description:
NZXT introduces the Kraken series, the first premium all-in-one water coolers for PC enthusiasts. The Kraken X60 is a high-end 280mm water cooling solution where ease of use meets functionality. Included are two NZXT FX-140 PWM fans, with capacity to install an additional 2 more fans in a push-pull configuration for unrivaled cooling performance. At the core of the cooler is a state-of-the-art pump attached to an all copper base. Bridging the radiator and pump is an extra-long 16" tubing and premium sleeved cables, easily installed into even in the largest chassis. We developed the Kraken series to be the best closed loop water coolers on the market, our customers should not settle for anything less.

Details:
DetailValue
BindingPersonal Computers
BrandNZXT Technologies
EAN0815671011091
FeatureWorld's first all-in-one 280mm cooler with capacity to mount up to four 140mm fans/Completed sealed system backed by a 2 year warranty
High performance pump and copper block with interactive digital fan control/SATA power connector for easy installation and effortless cable management
Large tower support with extended 16" tubing and premium black sleeved cables for a clean look and improved airflow/Integrated HUE controlled LED pump cap
Compatible List: Intel Socket 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011 Core i7, Core i5, Core i3/AMD Socket AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, FM1
Water Block: Material Copper/Motor Speed 2900 + 150 RPM/Voltage 12V
Fan: Dimension 140 x 140 x 25 mm/Bearing Liquid State Bearing/Speed 800 - 2000 RPM + 10%/Noise 21 - 37dBA/Air Flow 54 - 98.3 CFM/Connector 4 Pin PWM
Pump: Current 175 mA/n Control Interactive Digital Fan Control/LED Color Hue Controlled Color Changing Lights
Radiator: Demension 138.4 x 27.0 x 312.5mm/Material Aluminum/Tube Length 400 mm/Tube Material Rubber
LabelNZXT Technologies
ManufacturerNZXT Technologies
ModelRL-KRX60-01
MPNRL-KRX60-01
PublisherNZXT Technologies
StudioNZXT Technologies
TitleNZXT Technologies KRAKEN X60 Premium 280MM Ultra Performance Liquid CPU Cooler RL-KRX60-01 Black
UPC815671011091
Warranty2 year
ColorBlack
CatalogNumberList - CatalogNumberListElementCLR-NT-KRA-X60
Item Height1.07 inches
Item Length5.52 inches
Item Width12.31 inches
Package Height7.5 inches
Package Length13.7 inches
Package Weight4.4 pounds
Package Width7.7 inches
PackageQuantity1
PartNumberRL-KRX60-01
ProductGroupPersonal Computer
ProductTypeNameCOMPUTER_COOLING_DEVICE
UPCList - UPCListElement815671011091
Item Weight2.8 pounds
 

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#2 ·
Works, But Doesn't Live Up To Expectations

review by myfacehole

I ordered the X60 to replace my Zalman blue LED heatsink. I expected to see an improvement in temperature, but I actually saw worse temperatures.
With my air cooler I my system ran at: 34C idle, 62C load
With the X60 my system ran at: 42C idle, 63C load
For these tests I ran the X60 so it had similar loudness as my air cooler, for load I ran prime95 for 3 minutes (no long I know). For the temperature readings I used CPUID Hardware Monitor CPUTIN temperature.
I really expected more out of this cooler, perhaps it is just faulty or I did something wrong. When I first put it on with the stock TIM the temperatures were terrible (50C-ish idle), so I got arctic silver 5 and now it runs at 42C idle as stated above. I don't really know what to say about weather or not I'd recommend the X60 to anyone. My bad experience has somewhat clouded my judgment. I'll still use the cooler because I have hope that it will someday work properly.

ProsCons
Quiet pump, many LED color options, simple software, looks great.Fans rattle and are generally loud when above 50%, sometimes I hear air bubble noises, lower performance than expected.

Ratings
Overall4
 
#11 ·
Impressive raw performance but could use improvement

review by tyguy

The NZXT Kraken x60 has been out for quite a while now, and based on its scarce availability and generally positive reviews, it seems to be quite popular with enthusiasts. I am here to share my experience with you, to better guide you towards your choice of cooling. Note I cannot fully review the packaging as I bought it as an open box product.

Installation was easy once I actually received mounting hardware. I had bought it open box from amazon, like I had said, and they did not include any of the accessories. On top of that, the plastic protection that would normally cover the waterblock was gone, which meant that the included thermal paste had smeared all over the inside of the box, leaving a giant mess which took me, no joke, 35 minutes to clean off. Awesome. On top of that after I ordered mounting hardware, I realized that the screws to mount fans weren't included either. Enter Velcro, and an amazing revelation for quiet fan mounting. You aren't reading this for a personal story though, so I digress.

Right off the bat I can tell you that this thing straight performs. I had upgraded from an air cooler nonetheless (EVGA Superclock) but the numbers are still impressive. I've run all of my load tests using intel burn test v2 on maximum, with my fan profile in quiet mode. My i5 760 is at 4.0ghz with a voltage of 1.3v. Running at a 22c (roughly) ambient it has knocked idle temps from 36c to 29c/30c (it hovers back and forth) and load temps from 68c to 62c (on the hottest core). I expect it to perform even better in a more aggressive fan profile but these things sound like an alien spaceship doing battle with a jumbo jet. They have a strange pitch and can be heard distinctly even at 25%. The fact that you would need to spend another 20-40$ to replace the fans means the Kraken x60 takes a huge hit on value.

The software does nothing to better the score here. Something that I also ran into with the TT Water 2 Extreme also is that the usb connection is not recognized easily. I had to reconnect it to where my front panel headers were connected to get it to work. It is not my motherboard, since my headers work in all of the available usb connectors. If anyone else has issues, as I know it is quite common, try all of your available usb ports.

Once running it showed that it may or may not be worth the effort. It is quite slow to respond and can be a bit strange with fan curves, but it functions well enough. The lighting affects are very limited, which I did not expect, having owned a NZXT Hue. The fading effect is anything but subtle as it abruptly changes color until it fades into the secondary color. The Hue does this seamlessly. The coolest effect is that it can change color when it gets to a certain temperature but since realtemp has an alarm feature, I do not see myself using it. A really nice touch, though it shows that there was much more potential here than NZXT capitalized on. Fan curves can be manually set, though they can not be lowered any further than 25%. This would be fine if they were actually quiet. I will also add that there is a bit of noticeable pump noise, but only with the side panel off can I hear it over the fans.

Overall, if NZXT were to include some better optimized fans and really innovate with the cut and paste software choice, they would have a very great product on their hands. At a price of nearly 150$ after fan replacement, I cannot fully recommend the Kraken x60 unless noise does not bother you. It performs well, no doubt, but it still needs some tlc from NZXT to make it the king of all in one liquid coolers.

Thanks for reading!

ProsCons
Great performance, Great looks, Long tubes, RGB lit waterblockNoisy stock fans, Somewhat noisy pump, Buggy and unimpressive software.

Ratings
Overall4
 
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