Corsair iCUE H150i RGB PRO XT CPU Cooler Review
Corsair iCUE H150i RGB PRO XT CPU Cooler Review
As the second 360mm All-in-One liquid CPU cooler from Corsair, the iCUE H150i RGB Pro XT is built towards low noise operation and performance. It comes with three ML120 Pro 120mm PWM Premium Magnetic Levitation fans. The older Corsair Hydro Series H150i Pro RGB also came with three of these fans. One of the main differences is the H150i Pro RGB limited the ML120 fans to a maximum speed of 1600 RPM. On the H150i RGB Pro XT, the fans are able to spin up to their full 2400 RPM. This allows for more airflow for cooler CPU temperatures.
Using the iCUE software, it can allow the fans and water pump to run at different speeds depending on the selected mode. There are four modes: Quiet, Balanced, Extreme, and Zero RPM mode. Each mode has their own fan profiles optimized for silence or performance. Zero RPM mode will always keep the water pump running to prevent the CPU from overheating. At the same time, the fans remain off until the coolant temperature reaches 45C.
The Corsair H150i RGB Pro XT has a street price of $159.99 shipped and is backed by a five-year warranty. Let’s take a look at the specifications below and dive into the review.
| Corsair iCUE H150i RGB PRO XT Specifications | |
| Cooling Warranty | Five years |
| Cold Plate Material | Copper |
| Radiator Material | Aluminum |
| PWM | Yes |
| CORSAIR iCUE Compatibility | Yes |
| Tubing Length | 380mm |
| Coldplate Dimensions | 56 x 56mm |
| Tubing Material | Black Sleeved Low-Permeation Rubber |
| Radiator Dimensions | 397mm x 120mm x 27mm |
| Fan Dimensions | 120mm x 25mm |
| Fan Speed | 2400 RPM |
| Number of Fans | 3 |
| Cooling Socket Support | Intel 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2066 AMD AM4, AM3, AM2, sTRX4, sTR4 |
| Lighting | RGB |
| Radiator Size | 360mm |
| Fan Model | ML Series |
| Fan Control Method | PWM |
| AMD Processors Supports | Ryzen Threadripper Ryzen Phenom II Athlon II FX, A-Series Opteron Sempron Athlon 64 |
| Intel Processors Supported | Core i9, i7, i5, i3 Pentium Celeron |
| Fan Airflow | 75 CFM |
| Fan Static Pressure | 4.2 mm-H2O |
| Noise Level | 10 – 37 dBA |
Opening up the box, we are presented with the quick start and a warranty guide booklet. These two booklets sit on top of a white foam cover that protects the other accessories inside the box.
Removing the booklets and the white foam cover, we can see the water-cooling unit and its accessories nicely wrapped inside of a clear plastic bag. Everything is packed in a cardboard cutout, which will protect the components from minor damage during shipping.
With everything out of the box, we can see the different accessories that come with the H150i RGB Pro XT. Included in the box are the mounting hardware for various AMD and Intel sockets. There is also a USB cable for Corsair iCUE integration, which allows the iCUE software to control lighting and performance-based features within the cooler. Three ML Series PWM 120mm fans are also included with the cooling unit itself.
These ML Series PWM 120mm fans are the same fans from the previous H150i Pro RGB liquid CPU cooler. On the H150i RGB Pro XT, the unit allows the fans to spin up to their full 2400 RPM. On the H150i Pro RGB, they were limited to a maximum of 1600 RPM since it was built towards silence. Even at 2400 RPM, the fans still produce a respectable maximum airflow of 75 CFM at a 37 dBA.
The radiator measures in at 397mm x 120mm x 27mm. The thickness is pretty standard, which should not cause any interference with memory modules in most computer cases. It does have 12 rows of fins, which is more than adequate to allow the airflow to pass through the radiator without restriction.
To power the water pump and fans, there is a SATA cable that connects to any available SATA power port from the power supply unit. There is also a sensor cable that connects to the motherboard to monitor the speed of the water pump. Three labeled four-pin fan connectors are available to power the three provided fans. These plugs come directly from the pump to allow the Corsair iCUE software to control the fan speeds.
Taking a closer look at the water pump, the surface is mainly glossy with the Corsair logo placed in the center. The logo and the white LED ring around the logo do illuminate when the pump is powered on. Both the logo and LED ring are RGB capable.
The power and fan cables come out from the top side of the water pump. This is not the cleanest approach when it comes to cable management. It would be nice to have a detachable fan cable if the user decides not to plug the fans directly into the water pump.
Underneath the water block is a pre-applied layer of thermal compound over the copper base. The mounting mechanism is also different from the previous H150i Pro RGB as the copper base is no longer circular. This should allow more coverage for larger CPUs. On the side of the water block are some guide rails for installing the mounting hardware.
Here we can see the micro-USB port used to allow the H150i RGB Pro XT to communicate to the computer. One end of the included USB cable plugs into the pump and the other into an available USB 2.0 header on the motherboard.
