Until now, connecting Corsair watercooling kits has been a bit of a nightmare. With the Commander Core, the fans and the pump, there were a lot of wires to deal with. Not to mention the fact that each RGB fan had two cables, which quickly made a mess of the PC. Fortunately, the brand’s iCUE Link series makes things easier. For our part, we received the 420 mm model, the iCUE Link H170i RGB, and we’ll take a look at it.
Overview:
The iCUE Link series is available in several models: four in all. These come with 240 mm, 280 mm, 360 mm and 420 mm radiators! So we’ve got classic radiators, and much larger ones for large, power-hungry processors.
As you’ll have gathered, the highlight of the series is the new iCUE Link system. This will enable all the elements of the kit to be connected to each other in series. Then, via a dedicated controller, we connect the whole to the motherboard, and via Corsair’s software, we can take advantage of the lighting and speed management of each element. Of course, the main advantage is the simplicity of connection and the reduction in the number of cables in the system!
Naturally, Corsair boasts about the performance of its kit, achieved thanks to a high-performance pump. The copper base is no stranger to this phenomenon, thanks to its “split flow”. Secondly, by default, Corsair claims to use its in-house thermal paste, the XTM70, which has been heralded as a high performer.
Secondly, the iCUE Link system will greatly simplify assembly. At the same time, having to manage three cables and powering a hub is quite different from having to manage the old system. What’s more, we expect to find the brand’s usual easy-to-use mounting system.
Finally, we learn that the ventilation benefits from a 0 RPM mode for those most sensitive to noise. This means that when your machine is at rest, the ventilation can be switched off, leaving the relay to the pump. In this way, noise pollution is drastically reduced!
Of course, this is an AIO that can count on full management via the iCUE software suite. This enables complete management of pump speed, fans and lighting!
Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty: the price. Officially, Corsair is charging €322.90 for this AIO, whereas it costs around €320 online. In short, a particularly hefty bill for this kit.
