Corsair H100i RGB Platinum and H115i RGB Platinum Review

Introduction

I know what some of you are thinking. Isn't this just an H100i/H115i Pro with RGB fans? That's what we thought when this product came through our door. 

We expected the same coolers and fancier lights, but we were wrong, very wrong. The H1XXi RGB Platinum series is more than just a repackaging of the H1XXi Pro series; there is a lot more to it than that. Both units are fundamentally different, changing the question from "Is RGB worth the small increase in price?" to "Is the extra RGB and Corsair's performance increasing design tweaks worth the extra cost?".

The H1XXi RGB Platinum series brings the Corsair Hydro series into the era of addressable RGB illumination, adding two ML PRO RGB Magnetic Levitation (I prefer saying MagLev) fans, a thermally optimised coldplate design, a low-nose pump and a host of new options through Corsair's latest version of their iCUE software. 

Another notable change to the cooler is the addition of a tool-free mounting bracket, which can be adjusted to support every major CPU-type, even AMD's large TR4 Threadripper processors. Fans of ultra-low-noise systems will also appreciate Corsair's new "Zero Fan" profile, which will allow the AIO's fans to be turned off until the unit's coolant reaches 45-degrees. When your system is idling, the fans on an H1XXi RGB Platinum can be set to turn off, which can help lower your system's noise levels.  

  

H100i RGB Platinum 240mm CPU Cooler

The Corsair H100i has been with us for quite some time, kickstarting the AIO revolution be delivering water-cooling-grade performance with a price tag that is considerably lower than a custom CPU-only loop. 

Since the series' inception, a lot has changed on Corsair's venerable AIO liquid cooler. The pump has gotten a lot quieter, the fans have been replaced with static-pressure optimised models with LED illumination and silence-optimized bearing technology, and the unit has been backed up by a software stack that delivers users a lot of options for fine-grained control, both aesthetically and in terms of unit noise levels and cooling performance. 

In the UK, we have been told that the H100i RGB Platinum will cost £124.99, which is a mere £5 increase over the H100i PRO RGB on Corsair's website. £5 for the addition of two addressable RGB fans isn't exactly a bad deal, especially after considering Corsair's other design changes. 

    The CORSAIR Hydro Series H100i RGB PLATINUM is an all-in-one liquid CPU cooler built for extreme cooling with a 240mm radiator and vivid RGB lighting from 24 LEDs. Two CORSAIR ML PRO RGB 120mm PWM fans run up to 2,400 RPM, alongside an optimized cold plate and pump design that delivers the high performance Hydro Series cooling. Take control with CORSAIR iCUE software to customize lighting effects and enable Zero RPM mode at low temperatures. Easy to install and compatible with most major CPU sockets, the H100i RGB PLATINUM pairs killer looks with chiller performance. 

H115i RGB Platinum 280mm CPU Cooler

With the H115i RGB Platinum we will keep things simple, with its use of a larger 280mm radiator and dual 140mm fans it offers more surface area for heat dissipation and a larger coolant volume, two factors which will allow the AIO to deliver enhanced cooling performance when compared to its little brother. 

In the UK, this unit will have an MSRP of £139.99, which like the H100i RGB Platinum is £5 more than the H115i's PRO RGB counterpart, which is a shockingly low increase given the addition of two addressable RGB fans. 

    The CORSAIR Hydro Series H115i RGB PLATINUM is an all-in-one liquid CPU cooler built for extreme cooling with a 280mm radiator and vivid RGB lighting from 24 LEDs. Two CORSAIR ML PRO RGB 140mm PWM fans run up to 2,000 RPM, alongside an optimized cold plate and pump design that delivers the high performance Hydro Series cooling. Take control with CORSAIR iCUE software to customize lighting effects and enable Zero RPM mode at low temperatures. Easy to install and compatible with most modern CPU sockets, the H115i RGB PLATINUM pairs killer looks with chiller performance.