Conclusion
We are now at the end of this test of the NZXT Kraken 240 RGB. So, what is this model worth? We take stock.
An AIO with a screen available from $140!
You will have understood, the main novelty brought by this generation of kits, lies in the appearance of a small screen on the most accessible series of NZXT. Which is a good thing in itself. However, don’t expect the same level of functionality or even display quality as the Elite 360. Here, you will have to deal with a small display with low resolution and low brightness. Especially since the related options are rather limited: display of .jpeg or system info.
Apart from the display, the kit does not offer anything new either, as it is limited to an old generation Asetek pump: Gen 7. The finish of the radiator is still as basic as ever, where the competition offers better.
Assembly is still as simple as ever!
Fortunately, mounting the pump is easy since in a few minutes it is screwed on the CPU, ready to work. Nevertheless, this RGB model will require a control box to manage the lighting. Therefore, you need a SATA socket at the power supply output and a free USB 2.0 socket on the motherboard… Well, two since you also need to connect the pump to enjoy the screen. On the other hand, the accessories section takes care of everything with a USB 2.0 splitter.
Not suitable for CPUs with high power consumption!
Already the Elite 360 was not very convincing, this 240mm version continues the trend initiated by the bigger model. The temperatures are therefore lower on our Ryzen 9 7900X. However, this is not a kit that we consider suitable for cooling processors that consume a lot of watts. As we have seen, it fails to properly cool our CPU set to consume 200W. Under these conditions, it is held in check.
Therefore, this is a heatsink that we will keep away from CPUs that consume too much power. On models such as non-X Ryzen, or non-K Core i, it should be able to cope, but don’t aim higher. Beyond that, you’ll have to turn to its big brother, or to other more powerful models.
For the time being, it doesn’t shine on the noise temperature ratio either, although it isn’t negatively impacted by too much noise pollution. Just avoid letting it run at low speed on a CPU consuming 150W or more, as the temperatures may quickly rise.
A bill that increases with RGB!
As for the price, NZXT announces its 240mm AIO at a price of $140 without lighting against $180 with lighting on the fans. Clearly, it is not cheap, far from it, the difference being $40 more. Sure, it’s one of those AIOs with full software control, but we’re forced to admit that the bill is very high just to add some lights. Clearly, it may suffer from the competition.
NZXT Kraken 240 RGB:
We like:
- The presence of a screen on NZXT’s “entry-level” kit
- A kit with screen available from $140 without RGB lighting
- The USB 2.0 splitter included in the bundle
- The flexibility of the pipes, they do not resist to the assembly
- Easy to assemble
- The complete management of the kit via the CAM software
- Its silence at low speed and its inaudible pump
We liked less :
- The lack of real novelty with this generation: still in Asetek Gen 7
- The finish of the radiator could be better
- The overall performance is not so good
- The fact that it is not adapted to cool large CPUs (failure in 200W)!
Once again, the NZXT kit did not really convince us as its performance is very seriously behind. This is not an AIO that we would recommend for large CPUs with high power consumption like our Ryzen 9 7900X or even the 13 generation Intel Core i. Nevertheless, on wiser models like the non-X Ryzen 7000 for example, it can do the trick.
Many thanks to NZXT!
