Conclusion
We’ve come to the end of this test of Corsair’s iCUE Link H170i RGB. Are we dealing with a successful product? Let’s take a closer look!
At last, a kit with few cables!
The big news with this AIO is the way in which each component is connected. Indeed, with the new iCUE Link system, you’ll only need a few cables to manage the assembly of your kit, plus a hub that won’t take up much space. Compared to the brand’s old AIOs, we’ve gone from a dozen cables to just a few here. In a PC case, assembly will clearly be simpler. An ideal kit for neophytes? Perhaps.
Otherwise, as far as the pump is concerned, there’s no major change to the way it’s mounted on the processor. The components supplied remain large enough to be handled without tools, although the use of a screwdriver to apply pressure to the CPU cannot be ruled out. As for the fans, Corsair makes like Arctic by offering a kit with the fan already assembled!
Otherwise, you’ll appreciate the new design of the brand’s pump, especially as the logo can be rotated in 90° increments. Finally, everything can be managed via the brand’s iCUE software suite. You’ll be able to control lighting, pump and fan speeds, all with just a few cables. And it works like a charm!
What about performance?
As far as performance is concerned, this is another high-performance AIO, especially at full throttle, where it stands out from the competition at high speeds. However, it has a tendency to run out of steam at low revs, the fault of a ventilation system that is either too slow, or not sufficiently efficient in these conditions. In this case, don’t hesitate to turn up the revs a little to regain some color!
Unfortunately, this is a very noisy piece of kit, so only run it in these conditions for a few moments, such as a bench. On a day-to-day basis, this kind of nuisance is hard to bear, and we nearly threw it out of the window during our test sessions 🙃.
Fortunately, it remains sufficiently powerful at full speed to offer an interesting temperature-to-noise ratio, especially when compared with competitors. On the other hand, at low revs, it’s clearly helped by its very low noise levels!
An affordable bill:
Unfortunately, this new iCUE Link system comes with a hefty price tag, with the kit costing over €300. And that’s a pity, since you’ll need a well-stocked wallet to take advantage of it. Unfortunately, while performance is good, the price/performance ratio takes a hit with such a high price tag. Once again, the prize goes to the very interesting Arctic kits!
Corsair iCUE Link H170i RGB:
We like:
- The radiator finish, as meticulous as ever!
- Attractive pump design.
- The new iCUE Link system, very easy to connect..
- … and requires very few cables.
- Ventilation already fitted as standard.
- Complete management via Corsair’s iCUE suite(RGB, speeds, etc.)
- Temperatures at full speed!
- Controlled noise at low speeds.
- Its temperature/noise ratio on high consumption!
We liked it less:
- Sluggish temperatures at low speeds.
- Noise levels still too high at full throttle!
- The bill, which is still very high.
In the end, we choose to award silver to Corsair’s iCUE Link H170i RGB watercooling kit. While the new connection system offers a number of advantages, you’ll have to contend with a very, very high bill… Especially as at full speed, it promises to be very noisy. Fortunately, temperatures follow suit, offering a temperature-to-noise ratio that’s not bad compared with the competition, but we’ll be keeping an eye on temperatures at low speed!
Many thanks to Corsair!
