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Swiftech H240-X CPU Liquid Cooling Kit

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#1 ·
Swiftech H240-X CPU Liquid Cooling Kit

Description:
he patent pending H240-X CPU liquid cooling system takes the award winning H220-X extreme thermal performance and low noise characteristics one step further thanks to a larger dual 140mm copper radiator and 140mm fans. It includes the same enthusiast grade components as the H220-X, such as the built-in MCP30 pump, and the Apogee XL waterblock. This product remains entirely focused on low to inaudible operating noise with extreme thermal performance, and it is engineered to appeal to the broadest possible spectrum of performance oriented users:

CASUAL USERS ENTHUSIAST USERS
The kit is shipped factory pre-filled, ready for plug-and-play installation, and it is maintenance free during its warranty period.
Both Swiftech's powerful MCP30 pump and high-pressure Helix fans are PWM compliant devices, allowing the H240-X to be recognized and speed-controlled by the motherboard depending on CPU temperature, just like a regular cooling fan.
As a bonus, the system also includes our PWM splitter allowing connection of up to 8 PWM devices which can then be controlled as one by the motherboard.
Finally, thanks to a clear and user-friendly pictorial installation guide, it could not be easier to install and setup!
The system can be entirely customized thanks to easily replaceable tubing and fittings.
Thanks to its powerful pump it can support additional liquid cooled components such as graphics cards and/or additional radiator(s).
The factory fittings can now be upgraded to any G1/4 compatible after-market fittings (an optional adapter is needed for the pump outlet and is available here, which allows enthusiast users to upgrade their system to 1/2" ID tubing if they wish to.
The H240-X leverages Swiftech's patent pending technology initially developed with the MCR-X20 Drive series of radiators; in this technology, the pump is fully integrated into the radiator instead of being built into the waterblock. Two major improvements were implemented compared to the original MCR-X20 series of radiators:

thanks to a revised placement of the pump and reservoir, the H240-X radiator is now the most compact dual 140mm heat exchanger on the market, thus facilitating installation of the unit with any dual radiator compatible case.

the reservoir is now transparent and LED backlit, allowing users to inspect the coolant level while enjoying the inner workings of the pump as can be seen below in a customized system featuring the smaller H220-X that we presented for CES 2014.

From virtually silent to comfortable audible noise levels
Our design objective for all Swiftech products is always to minimize the operating noise while preserving high thermal performance characteristics. At its lowest speed settings, the H240-X system is virtually inaudible. At its maximum speed, it remains within comfortable audible noise levels.

Plug-and-Play
The H240-X is probably the easiest AIO liquid cooling kit to install bar none, and is even easier to setup than many high-end air coolers.

Superior Thermal Performance
Thanks to its copper & brass dual 140mm radiator, high static pressure Helix 140mm pwm fans, more powerful DC pump than any other AIO on the market, and because it uses the Award winning Apogee™ XL waterblock, the H240-X kit delivers superior thermal performance to any comparably sized system on the market.

Expandable/Customizable
The H240-X differentiates itself from other AIO's by its ability to be fully customized, and to support additional liquid cooled components such as graphics cards, chipset, and/or additional radiator(s).

From a practical standpoint, this is possible thanks to:
The presence of a reservoir including a fill-port built into the radiator so that the system can be easily emptied or refilled by the user at will,
Enthusiast grade 5/8" OD (3/8" ID) black PVC tubing fastened to swivel fittings with an elegant clamping system that users can easily remove and safely re-install.
The factory tubing and fittings can be replaced by aftermarket G1/4 compatible offerings of your choice (an optional G1/4 adapter is needed for the pump outlet, and is available in the accessories section).
From a thermal performance standpoint, this is made possible by:
The high thermal capacity of the dual 140mm copper and brass radiator
The powerful high-pressure pump capable of driving sufficient flow to cool multiple devices in the loop.
The award winning flagship Apogee XL waterblock

Automatic speed control or fine-tuning right out of the box
Both the pump and the fans are PWM compliant devices, allowing the H240-X to be recognized and speed-controlled by the motherboard depending on CPU temperature just like any standard CPU cooler. As a bonus, the system includes a PWM splitter allowing connection of up to 8 PWM devices which can then be controlled as one by the motherboard.

Maintenance-free
As shipped from our factory and installed as directed (*), the H240-X CPU cooler requires no maintenance during its 3 year warranty period; a system refill is recommend at the end of 3 years. Under extreme ambient conditions, the system may need more frequent refills. If upgraded by the user, the interval of time between refills will depend on how users implement their customized loop.

Reliability
Both fans and pump are rated for a 60,000 MTBF (Meantime Between Failures)
 

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#2 ·
Swiftech H240-X Liquid Cooler Review

review by williamgayde

Swiftech's H240-X is the older brother to the immensely successful H220X. This review will build off of my H220X review since the two units are virtually identical except size. What was Swiftech's purpose with the H240-X? Haven't there been enough all in one liquid coolers? What else is there to improve on? All those questions and more will be answered in this review.

The front of the box doesn't go overboard with details like some products do. It highlights the multi-color CPU block as well as the compatibility with all modern sockets.


The back lists tech specs and dimensions. This is great for modders and those wondering if the unit will fit in their case.


Also listed on the box is info on the acoustics of the unit and general info about water cooling. Swiftech's noise level claims are impressive but not farfetched. Since the unit uses 140mm fans, they can spin slower while still delivering the same amount of air. A slower fan will always be quieter.


Opening up the box we find the unit itself, three additional color plates, various mounting hardware, an 8-port PWM splitter, and an instruction manual. The unit comes pres configured for Intel hardware but can be changed to AMD in a few minutes.


Starting with the PWM splitter the quality of this kit is evident. This is not your basic splitter. Swiftech sells it individually for $10 on their website. It is an 8 way 4 pin splitter that reads RPM from the first connector. It must be placed in the CPU fan header to work properly. It will report the speed of whatever device is placed into the red header. I put the pump in that one and my fans in the others.


Next we have the 3 additional color plates. These go behind a cover on the CPU block. Replacing them takes less than 3 minutes and can greatly change the aesthetics of a build. Simply remove the 4 plastic pins and replace with the new color.


Next we have this crazy looking cable. From left to right we have a 4-pin fan cable, a SATA power cable, an LED connector, and finally a 4-pin pump connector. The fan header gives a PWM signal to the pump while the SATA cable powers it. The LED cable illuminates the reservoir, and the final 4-pin cable connects all of these to the unit.


Finally we can move on to the main event: the Apogee XL Waterblock. Contrary to most AIO coolers, there are no electrical components in the block besides a light. The pump is directly attached to the radiator. The 3-pin fan header is for the built in LED. This is a flagship class waterblock that normally sells for $65. Swiftech has not compromised on anything.


Now on to the radiator-pump assembly. It is a standard 280mm radiator with an extended corner. The radiator is attached to the reservoir which directly feeds the pump. As we have come to expect from the CPU block, the pump is way overbuilt for this unit. You can easily add more blocks and radiators. I added another dual radiator and a GPU block and haven't encountered any problems. The reservoir is smaller than custom loops but there isn't much space for it. Also directly accessible is the drain port. All the fittings use standard G1/4 threads for easy expandability. One of my few issues with the unit is on the pump. Look at that sticker! Swiftech, what were you thinking? It is visible from any angle. You could have at least hidden it in the back. The only way to solve this issue is to void your warranty...


The last thing I wanted to cover was the fans. They are Helix140 fans which retail for more than $10 each. Being 140mm fans they are very quiet but still push a lot of air.


Before moving on to the performance results I wanted to highlight why the H240X is one of a kind. If you have been keeping track of cost you would be at well over $200. For $150 you get a $65 CPU block, a $65 radiator, a $50 pump, $20 worth of fans, a $10 fan splitter, and $10 worth of tubing and fittings. That comes out to $220. What a deal. To expand the H240-X you will need a G1/4 adapter for the pump located here then simply add your own tubing, fittings, blocks, and radiators. The built in pump will have no problem with a GPU block, and another radiator or two. For under $300 you can get a full CPU and GPU loop with 2 dual radiators. That same setup would cost in the $400s by itself.

Here are the temperature results. The two units were very close and some of the results were within margin of error. At lower clocks the two are neck and neck but as the clocks got higher the H240-X starts to pull ahead. Overall the H240-X won by a few degrees. The small performance gain and the additional silence is worth the $10 premium over the H220-X.


To sum it up, the H240-X is amazing for the price. Sure there are cheaper units with better price/performance ratios, but I would still go for the H240-X. It uses flagship class components and is expandable. All other AIO coolers are sealed because the need to be. The pump is only powerful enough for a single block. The fittings are so cheap that they can't be modified. The H240-X has none of that and is fully customizable. For anyone looking to get into liquid cooling, the H240-X needs to be on the top of your list. I wouldn?t be surprised if other companies start copying this design since Swiftech clearly knows where the future is.

ProsCons
Great performance, Expandable, Low noise, High quality components, Interchangeable color plateUnsightly sticker, Price

Ratings
Overall5
 
#8 ·
Super quiet

review by nick-f

Very pleased with this cooler , a BIG step up from my previous cooler , the Corsair H110 i GT . on average 5-6 Deg C cooler , and only 20% of the noise . Some reviewers down mark it because of cost , but if you try to buy the parts separately from Swiftech , it would cost you at least another $50 . I do find the black rubber tubing a little dull and unsightly , but this is not a big issue as I intend to change these at a later date ( when I can persuade my wife that this would be a good idea
smile.gif
)
With regards to actually fitting the unit , this was quite straight forward . Only requires a couple of SATA connectors , the CPU fan header and one other . Comes with a very handy fan header block that you can attach upto 7 fans to and have the motherboard control them as one unit . Fits very nicely in the top of my Corsair Air 540 .

ProsCons
quiet , very efficient black rubber tubing

Ratings
Overall5
 
#9 ·
Super quiet

review by nick-f
Hi, could you please detail which noise you are talking about each time you do (pump or fans), could you tell us how the pump noise alone at idle compares to the one of the h110igt ?
Maybe could you post the CPU model wih the temperatures you started with ?
Finally would it be possible to know if your setup exhausts or intake from the top ?
 
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