Corsair icue h115i rgb pro xt review in Spanish (full review)

Corsair has unveiled new updates to its excellent cooling systems and the one we reviewed today is the Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT. A system that now includes one more element of decoration such as its RGB LED system in a slightly updated pump head and two excellent Corsair ML140 PWM fans.

Both lights and fan and pump operating profile are manageable from iCUE software. Available in 240, 280 and 360mm sizes, it is one of the best and best selling cooling systems. Without further ado, let's begin!

But before we thank Corsair for their trust in us for one more year by giving us this cooling system to be able to analyze it in depth.

Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT technical characteristics

Unboxing

We start as usual by unboxing this new Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT. A cooling system that should reach us in the box you saw above, quite narrow and high, with a good quality rigid cardboard construction. All exterior faces are finished vinyl style in corporate colors and with team photos and some features on the back.

In this case we will open it by one of its narrow faces using a system similar to a case. Inside, we see the system perfectly arranged on a cardboard mold and completely wrapped in plastic bags.

The bundle in this case brings the following accessories:

• Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT RL System 2x Corsair ML140 PWM Fans Mini USB cable for internal on-board connection Backplate for Intel sockets Adapters for Intel, AMD and Threadripper mounts Screw bag Installation manual and warranty guide

The positive aspect in this case is that we have few cables in the system, since the fans do not have lighting, so in total they will be the three that come out of the pumping head and another two of the fans.

In this case, no thermal paste syringe is included as we recently saw in the A500 heatsink, we only have the pre-applied one in the pumping head.

Exterior design and features

Not really a new model, the Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT is clearly based on previous H115i Pro models, only now we have a head with more lighting, a slight redesign and fans with white blades. Also included is a fundamental element such as software management of its performance and lighting.

In this case the liquid cooling system is available in the three sizes that the manufacturer works: 240 mm as H100i, 280 mm that we analyzed, and 360 mm as H150i, so it has only omitted the 120 mm version. All these products have a 5 year guarantee.

280mm radiator

The radiator of the Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT is the element that is responsible for cooling the liquid that circulates throughout the closed circuit of the system. This version with a 280 mm mounting format has measurements of 322 mm long, 137 mm wide and 27 mm thick. That is, we could say that it is about 3 mm narrower than the fans themselves, which are obviously 140 mm nailed. If we add the fans, the total thickness will be 52 mm, a measure suitable for almost all chassis.

It is a block completely built in aluminum and painted in black both on its surface and in the system of aluminum sheets that dissipate heat. The radiator consists of flat ducts installed longitudinally in the block's aluminum frame, which are in turn joined by thin sheets in a wave-like design to capture heat and expand the exchange surface. At both ends we have the corresponding chambers where the liquid changes direction to enter or exit the block.

The manufacturer never specifies the maximum TDP that the heatsinks support, but being a 280 mm system and compatible with Threadripper, the 280W are assured, and it surely rises to around 300W or more as is logical. Therefore, it is a quite versatile system in the sense of variety of sockets, since it offers a performance similar to a 360 mm system, being more compact and also more economical. We must take into account the measurements of our chassis to see if it supports 140 mm fans.

As usual, the system for installing the fans and the heatsink to the chassis is exactly the same, so we could put fans on both sides. This Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT, like the rest, has the tube connections in one of the side areas, with metal nozzles and perfectly sealed so that the liquid is not leaking. We miss a plug for a possible purge of the system or to change the liquid after a few years of use, it is something useful that very few manufacturers include.

Finally, the radiator has a thick aluminum frame throughout the exterior area to prevent the assembly from bending or the fins from being struck. Its weight will be approximately 650 g without counting the rest of the elements.

Pump block with 16 LEDs and rubber tubes

We now continue with the Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT pumping block , which has a cold plate of a more or less standard size that will be able to cover without problems a Ryzen or an Intel CPU from the LGA 2066 socket, but not a Threadripper to its full extent. This plate is made of copper and fixed to the rest of the block by means of a series of star head screws. As we can see, the thermal paste has already been applied to the entire surface, so we can save that step. Although it wouldn't have hurt to have a syringe of at least 1g for maintenance.

The external structure of the block we see that it is made of black acrylic plastic to save weight and eliminate elements that conduct electricity and heat. On these sides we find the Micro USB connector to connect the management cable through the software and an output of the two cables that will be responsible for supplying fans and the block. Specifically, we have a double 4-pin connector for the fans, a header with a single cable for the PWM control of the pump, and a general power SATA connector for the system.

Likewise, the sides of the Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT block have an adapter exchange system for the different sockets. Basically it is about exchanging and pressing these adapters without using any screw. We must act with care since they are hard enough to remove and insert.

The upper head is also made of plastic, but with a polished finish to let out the RGB lighting that it has integrated. The design has been slightly modified compared to previous versions, and now the upper part is somewhat wider. It consists of 12 LEDs on the outer ring and another 4 LEDs for the central logo. Thanks to iCUE we can independently manage each light and apply as many effects as we deem appropriate.

Regarding the pump, we have a DDC type with a double chamber system to separate cold from hot liquid, something almost generic in all current systems. It is capable of turning at around 3000 RPM maximum, and best of all, the engine is extremely quiet to the point of not even noticing its presence.

It only remains to see that the tubes will come out of the pump with a 90 ° elbow ^or made of hard plastic that allows rotation. This system is the same that all versions use and has never given us problems. Regarding the tubes, they are made of fairly thick rubber and allow some flexibility. Its length is approximately 40 cm and on the outside they are reinforced with a mesh of shiny black nylon thread.

Corsair ML140 PWM fans

We now continue with the Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT system fans, which are the Corsair ML140 PWM in the 280mm version and the ML120 PWM in the other two. Fans well known for their magnetic levitation spinning system that lengthens their life and reduces the noise of the whole. For this system they are obviously in their 140 x 25 mm version, while in the other cases we will have the 120 x 25 mm version.

In this case, versions with RGB lighting and manageability from iCUE have not been used. In fact, the PWM control is carried out by the RL pumping head, thanks to it we can control its speed without major problems.

They are fans that have control by pulse width modulation or PWM capable of rotating in a range between 400 and 2000 RPM. At maximum speed they generate a noise of 37 dBA. These fans are optimized for mounting on heatsinks, since they have a fairly high static pressure of 3 mmH2O, which in turn generates a maximum air flow of 97 CFM.

In this specific case, a specific version with white blades and black body is included to improve the aesthetics of the set. And just like the pump they are extremely quiet at a medium rotational speed. Like the RL, they have a 5-year guarantee, although their useful life is not specified.

Mounting details

The mounting system of the Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT is not different from the rest of the brand's cooling products, either.

One positive aspect is that the AMD Ryzen Threadripper socket adapters are included. It is compatible with both sTR4 and TRX40, since in essence its design is exactly the same. Also included is the corresponding bracket for the Intel platform and adapters for LGA 115x and LGA 20xx. In case of the AM4 platform we will have to use the bracket itself that is included in the motherboards.

As we have mentioned, the adapter exchange system is carried out simply by pulling the ones that are in place and pressing the ones that we need. They are not bolted together and only rely on a slot system made directly into the pump block chassis. Finally, the fastening to the plate is carried out in a simple way with manual thread screws (or star) in we will have to tighten to its maximum capacity without fear, since the measures are adjusted so that nothing happens to the IHS of the processor.

The compatibility we have with this block will be:

• For Intel we have compatibility with the following sockets: LGA 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 2011 and 2066 And in the case of AMD, the following: AM2, AM2 +, AM3, AM3 +, AM4, TR4 and TRX40

We only lose the compatibility with the previous Intel sockets such as the 775 the 1366, and the AMD FM1 and FM2 sockets, so it is not drama.

ICUE Lighting and Software

Before proceeding to the performance tests, it is convenient to give a brief review of the management possibilities that we have in this Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT thanks to Corsair iCUE, a program that we can download from the official website of the manufacturer.

For the program to detect this system, we need to connect the Micro USB cable to the pump head and the corresponding head to the internal USB 2.0 type, normally located in the lower area of ​​the motherboard.

The software has 4 sections, although the last one is only dedicated to notifications in case of system alerts. The first allows you to customize the lighting of the set, giving us a real-time view of those 16 RGB LEDs that we can address together or one by one.

The second and third sections include everything that has to do with the performance, temperature and graphics of the RL system. From the performance section we can assign an operating profile for fans and pump, as well as view the RPM and temperature records of the set in real time. Keep in mind that the temperature recorded is that of the cold plate, not the Tjunction of the processor. The third section provides us with more extensive information than the previous one.

Performance testing with the Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT

After assembly, it is time to show the temperature results with this Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT in our test bench that consists of the following hardware:

TESTING BENCH
Processor:	Intel Core i9-7900X
Base plate:	Asus X299 Prime Deluxe
Memory:	16 GB @ 3600 MHz
Heatsink	Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT
Graphic card	AMD Radeon Vega 56
Power supply	Corsair AX860i

To test the performance of this heatsink with its two fans installed, we have subjected our Intel Core i9-7900X to a stress process with Prime95 Small for a total of 48 uninterrupted hours and at its stock speed. The entire process has been monitored by the HWiNFO x64 software to show the minimum, maximum and average temperature at all times.

We must also take into account the ambient temperature, which we have constantly maintained at around 24 ° C.

We know this 10C / 20T CPU well and an average stress temperature of 69 ^o C is not bad, although it is true that other cooling systems from the manufacturer have given a better result. This is also because we have somewhat tightened the stress process of the test group, with a more demanding test. In addition, we have maintained the “balanced” performance profile of the system in iCUE.

The temperatures at rest we see that they are not too different from those of the environment with only 30 ^o C on average and peaks that have not exceeded 80 ^o C at any time during these two days. This indicates a great responsiveness of the cooling system and a cold plate with high thermal conductivity.

Final words and conclusion about Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT

At this point we know that Corsair is one of the best manufacturers of liquid cooling systems that we find, since we have been with them for a few years and have analyzed almost all their configurations. This Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT does not bring great technical novelties, since it uses the same pumping system and a circuit with identical materials and length.

Where we see news is in the update in the RGB lighting of the pumping block, now with more LEDs, addressing capacity and complete management in the operation of the pump and fans. iCUE is one of the best and most complete programs we currently have and for those fans of lighting and Corsair products it comes out great.

But what matters most about an RL is its performance, and in this case it does not disappoint with very good temperatures in high-power processors like this 7900X in which we have hardened the stress test. Less than 70 ^o C in a CPU capable of holding more than 100 ^o C is phenomenal, with sensational peak and idle temperatures. Furthermore, the pump is very quiet.

We recommend our guide to the best heatsinks on the market

The build quality is once again impeccable, with high quality meshed rubber tubing, aluminum radiator and well built pump block with metal chassis and plastic shell. The ML140 fans are up to the pack, quiet, and with great performance and aesthetics.

Compatibility is also almost complete with the exception of older sockets. We even have adapters for Threadrippers, something not so common in other manufacturers, greatly expanding the possibilities in the face of platform changes by the user.

This update is available in both 280 mm and 240 and 360 mm, specifically the Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT we find it for an official price of 154.90 euros, although we can see somewhat more adjusted offers in other computer stores. If the H115i Pro seemed basic to you in design and the H115i Platinum seems very scandalous, here is a version that combines the best of both.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ VERY SILENT PUMP	- NO PLUG TO CHANGE FLUID
+ SUITABLE FOR UNLOCKED AND HIGH PERFORMANCE CPUs
+ ML140 FANS
+ ICUE MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVED LIGHTING
+ CONSTRUCTION QUALITY

The Professional Review team awarded him the gold medal:

Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT

DESIGN - 90%

COMPONENTS - 88%

REFRIGERATION - 85%

COMPATIBILITY - 90%

PRICE - 83%

87%