In a previous review, we talked about a large, 360mm liquid cooling system. which left a very pleasant impression. Today we will get acquainted with the model of the middle class . It differs from the older system in a smaller radiator - 240 Γ 120 mm in size - and only two 120 mm fans against three. As we said in the previous article, maintenance-free coolers with a radiator of this size, as a rule, do not outperform the best air coolers in terms of cooling efficiency - and we will definitely check this with tests.
In the case of ZoomFlow 240X ARGB, another important factor to consider when comparing with supercoolers is cost. The fact is that such a system today costs about four and a half thousand rubles, while the best air coolers cost more than six thousand. There are significant savings. In addition, the ZoomFlow 240X ARGB does not require wide chassis cases, like most tall supercoolers.
Let's find the pros and cons of the new ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 240X ARGB by comparing it to both the company's flagship cooler and a very efficient air cooler.
Specifications and recommended cost
| Name characteristics of |
ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 240X ARGB |
|---|---|
| Radiator | |
| Dimensions (L Γ W Γ H), mm | 274 Γ Γ 120 27 |
| Radiator fin dimensions (L Γ W Γ H), mm | 274 Γ Γ 117 15 |
| Radiator Material | Aluminum |
| Number of channels in the radiator, pcs. | 12 |
| Distance between channels, mm | 8,0 |
| Radiator density, FPI | 19-20 |
| Thermal resistance, Β°C/W | n / a |
| Refrigerant volume, ml | n / a |
| Fans | |
| Number of fans | 2 |
| Fan model | ID-Cooling ID-12025M12S |
| Standard size | 120 Γ Γ 120 25 |
| Impeller/stator diameter, mm | 113 / 40 |
| Number and type of bearing(s) | 1, hydrodynamic |
| Rotation speed, rpm | 700β1500(Β±10%) |
| Max Airflow, CFM | 2 Γ 62 |
| Noise level, dBA | 18,0 β 26,4 Feet |
| Maximum static pressure, mm H2O | 2 Γ 1,78 |
| Rated/starting voltage, V | 12 / 3,7 |
| Power consumption: declared / measured, W | 2Γ3,0 / 2Γ2,8 |
| Service life, hours/years | n / a |
| Weight of one fan, g | 124 |
| Cable length, mm | 435 (+ 200) |
| water pump | |
| Size mm | β 72 Γ 52 |
| Productivity, l/h | 106 |
| Height of water rise, m | 1,3 |
| Pump rotor speed: declared / measured, rpm | 2100 (Β±10%) / 2120 |
| Bearing type | Ceramic |
| Bearing service life, hours/years | 50 / >000 |
| Rated voltage, V | 12,0 |
| Power consumption: declared / measured, W | 4,32 / 4,46 |
| Noise level, dBA | 25 |
| Cable length, mm | 320 |
| Waterblock | |
| Material and structure | Copper, optimized microchannel structure with 0,1mm channels |
| Platform Compatibility | Intel LGA115(Ρ
)/1366/2011(v3)/2066 AMD Socket TR4/AM4/AM3(+)/AM2(+)/FM1(2+) |
| Additionally | |
| Hose length, mm | 380 |
| External/internal diameter of hoses, mm | 12 / n/a |
| Refrigerant | Non-toxic, anti-corrosion (propylene glycol) |
| Maximum TDP level, W | 250 |
| Thermal paste | ID-Cooling ID-TG05, 1 g |
| backlight | Fans and pump cover, with remote control and synchronized with the motherboard |
| Total system weight, g | 1 063 |
| Warranty period, years | 2 |
| retail price, RUB | 4 500 |
Π£packaging and equipment
The packaging that the ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 240X ARGB is sealed in is the same cardboard box as the flagship model we recently tested with a 360mm radiator. The only difference is that it is, for obvious reasons, more compact.
The information content on the back of the box is the same as that of the ZoomFlow 360X ARGB - here you can find all the useful information about the LSS itself and about support for branded backlight systems from ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte and ASRock motherboards.
The system and its components are reliably protected from the vicissitudes of shipping, since inside the colored shell there is another black cardboard box, and a basket with compartments is already placed in it.
The delivery package differs only in a smaller number of mounting screws for fans, and all other components here are exactly the same as in the flagship ID-Cooling LSS.
If ZoomFlow 360X ARGB costs a little more than six thousand rubles, then the 240th will cost potential buyers 25% cheaper, since in Russia it can be purchased for only 4,5 thousand rubles. The country of production and the warranty period are the same: China and 2 years, respectively.
Design features
The key difference between ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 240X ARGB and ZoomFlow 360X ARGB is in the heatsink. Its dimensions are 240 Γ 120 mm, that is, other things being equal, the radiator area is 33% smaller here, and this, as you know, is the most important indicator that affects the cooling efficiency.
But the system turned out to be more compact and lighter.
The second difference is the length of the hoses: here it is 380mm versus 440mm on the 360X. This must be taken into account when planning how the system will be placed inside the enclosure, as some options may not have enough hose lengths.
But the aluminum radiator itself is exactly the same (not counting, of course, the dimensions): the thickness of the fins is 15 mm, 12 flat channels, glued corrugated tape and a density of 19-20 FPI.
The fittings on the radiator are metal, and the hoses on them are pressed with metal bushings, so there is no doubt about their reliability.
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The system circuit is filled with non-toxic and anti-corrosion refrigerant. Refueling of the system by standard methods is not provided, but, according to the experience of operating such LSS, nothing will happen to the coolant for at least three years.
The fans on the ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 240X ARGB are the same as those on the older model: with a black frame, a 40 mm stator mounted on four posts, and an eleven-bladed impeller with a diameter of 113 mm.
Recall that the fan speed is regulated by pulse-width modulation (PWM) in the range from 700 to 1500 (Β± 10%) rpm, the air flow of one "turntable" can reach 62 CFM, and the static pressure is 1,78 mm H2O.
The noise level declared in the specifications lies in the range from 18 to 26,4 dBA. Its reduction is facilitated by rubber stickers at the corners of the fan frame, through which they come into contact with the radiator.
The resource of the hydrodynamic bearing of the fans is not indicated in their characteristics. The power consumption at maximum speed is 2,8W, the starting voltage is 3,7V, and the cable length is 400mm.
Like the fans, the pump on the ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 240X ARGB is identical to what we saw in the older model, and is capable of pumping 106 liters per hour.
Hoses are crimped on plastic swivel fittings - just like on a radiator.
The declared resource of the pump is 5 years of continuous operation. Its cover has an adjustable backlight.
The water block of the system is copper and microchannel, with a fin height of about 4 mm.
The evenness of the base of the water block is perfect, which is clearly seen from the prints of the processor heat spreader we received.
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The quality of processing of the contact surface of the water block is good, and we have no questions about its evenness.
Compatibility and installation
The fully universal ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 240X ARGB is installed in exactly the same way as the older model, so we will not repeat this description in today's article. But we will supplement the material with photographs of the assembly and installation instructions, which are not available in electronic form on the official website of the company and which can be useful if any questions arise in the process.
You can also add here that the water block can be installed on the processor in any orientation, but if you place the system on the upper wall of the system unit case, then it is more convenient from the point of view of the passage of hoses to install the water block with the outlets of the fittings towards the RAM modules (or the front wall case of the system unit). Here's what it looks like in our case.
And of course, the system is equipped with RGB lighting built into the fans and the top of the pump. The backlight is configured as you like using the remote control on the adapter cable, and can also be connected to the motherboard and synchronized with the backlight of other components of the system unit.
Test configuration, tools and testing methodology
The effectiveness of the ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 240X ARGB and two other cooling systems was evaluated in a closed case of the system unit with the following configuration:
- motherboard: (Intel X299 Express, LGA2066, BIOS P1.90 dated 29.11.2019/XNUMX/XNUMX);
- Processor: Intel Core i9-7900X 3,3-4,5GHz (Skylake-X, 14++nm, U0, 10Γ1024KB L2, 13,75MB L3, TDP 140W);
- thermal interface: (8,5 W/(m K);
- RAM: DDR4 4 Γ 8 GB , XMP 3600 MHz 18-22-22-42 CR2 @ 1,35V;
- video card: 8GB/256bit, 1470-1650(1830)/14000MHz;
- drives:
- for system and benchmarks: Intel SSD 730 480 GB (SATA III, BIOS vL2010400);
- for games and benchmarks: Western Digital VelociRaptor 300 GB (SATA II, 10000 rpm, 16 MB, NCQ);
- archive: Samsung Ecogreen F4 HD204UI 2 TB (SATA II, 5400 rpm, 32 MB, NCQ);
- body: (six 140 mm , 990 rpm, three - for blowing, three - for blowing out);
- control and monitoring panel: Zalman ZM-MFC3;
- PSU: Corsair AX1500i Digital ATX (1,5kW, 80 Plus Titanium), 140mm fan.
At the first stage of evaluating the efficiency of cooling systems, the frequency of a ten-core processor at BCLK 100 MHz with a fixed value 42 multiplier and set to the first (highest) level of stabilization of the Load-Line Calibration function was fixed at the level 4,2 GHz with increasing voltage in the BIOS of the motherboard to 1.040-1,041 V.
The maximum TDP level with such overclocking of the CPU slightly exceeded the mark of 220 watts. The VCCIO and VCCSA voltages were set to 1,050 and 1,075 V, respectively, CPU Input - 2,050 V, CPU Mesh - 1,100 V. In turn, the voltage of the RAM modules was fixed at 1,35 V, and its frequency was 3,6 GHz with stock timings 18-22-22-42 CR2. In addition to the above, several more changes were made to the BIOS of the motherboard related to overclocking the processor and RAM.
Testing was conducted on Microsoft Windows 10 Pro version 1909 (18363.815). Software used for the test:
- - to create a load on the processor (Small FFTs mode, two consecutive cycles of 13-14 minutes each);
- β for temperature monitoring and visual control of all system parameters.
A full snapshot during one of the testing cycles looks like this.
The load on the processor was created by two consecutive cycles of Prime95. It took 14-15 minutes to stabilize the processor temperature between cycles. The final result, which you will see in the diagram, is the maximum temperature of the hottest of the ten cores of the CPU at peak load and in idle mode. In addition, a separate table will show the temperatures of all processor cores, their average values ββand the temperature delta between the cores. The temperature in the room was monitored by an electronic thermometer installed next to the system unit with a measurement accuracy of 0,1 Β°C and with the possibility of hourly monitoring of changes in the temperature in the room over the past 6 hours. During this test, the temperature fluctuated in the range 25,1 β 25,4 Feet Β° C.
The noise level of cooling systems was measured with an electronic sound level meter "Β» in the period from zero to three in the morning in a completely closed room of about 20 m2 with double-glazed windows. The noise level was measured outside the case of the system unit, when the source of noise in the room was only the cooling system and its fans. The sound level meter, fixed on a tripod, was always located strictly at one point at a distance of exactly 150 mm from the fan rotor. The cooling systems were placed at the very corner of the table on a foamed polyethylene substrate. The lower measurement limit of the sound level meter is 22,0 dBA, and the subjectively comfortable (please do not confuse it with low!) noise level of cooling systems when measured from such a distance is about 36 dBA. For a conditionally low noise level, we take a value of 33 dBA.
Of course, it would be interesting to compare the ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 240X ARGB with the flagship model ZoomFlow 360X ARGB, which we did. In addition, we included a supercooler in the tests. equipped with two standard fans.
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We add that the speed of rotation of all fans of the cooling systems was adjusted using with an accuracy of Β±10 rpm in the range from 800 rpm to their maximum in steps of 200 rpm.
Test results and their analysis
Cooling efficiency
First, about comparing the effectiveness of two ID-Cooling LSS. As you can see, ZoomFlow 240X ARGB is noticeably inferior to the flagship model in the entire fan speed range, which, however, is quite expected. For example, at maximum fan speed, the difference in cooling efficiency of the overclocked processor between these systems is 6 degrees Celsius in favor of ZoomFlow 360X ARGB, at 1200 and 1000 rpm - 7 degrees Celsius, and at the minimum 800 rpm - immediately 9 degrees Celsius. The difference is really very decent, and here it is obvious that, all other things being equal, such an advantage of the ZoomFlow 360X ARGB comes from an enlarged heatsink and a third fan on it.
But with the supercooler, the competition of the LSS was quite successful. Normally, maintenance-free coolers could compete with the best air-cooled systems starting with a 280x140mm radiator, but today the ZoomFlow 240X ARGB with a smaller radiator managed to quite confidently withstand the formidable Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black. So, at the maximum fan speed, it wins 3-4 degrees Celsius from him, at 1200 rpm - 3 degrees, and at 1000 and 800 rpm, the advantage of the LSS is reduced to 2 degrees Celsius. Obviously, at low fan speeds, the system no longer has enough heatsink area to effectively dissipate the heat flux pumped from the processor. And 120mm fans don't perform as well against the huge 150mm Noctua fans.
Next, we increased the load on the cooling systems by setting the processor frequency 4,3 GHz at voltage in motherboard BIOS In 1,071 (monitoring programs show 0,001V below).
The Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black at 800 rpm and the heroine of today's review at 800 and 1000 rpm dropped out of the comparison.
ZoomFlow 240X ARGB lagged behind ZoomFlow 360X ARGB from 6 to 7 degrees Celsius at maximum fan speed and from 7 to 8 degrees Celsius at 1200 rpm. At the same time, the system retained its advantage over the supercooler, not counting the modes with low fan speeds. In the latter case, ZoomFlow 240X ARGB is no longer enough performance to ensure the stability of the processor at such a frequency and voltage.
In addition to our efficiency tests, we tried to test the ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 240X ARGB at even higher processor frequencies and voltages. Unfortunately, 4,4 GHz at 1,118 V turned out to be too tough for this LSS: the temperature very quickly flew over a hundred, and throttling was activated. Interestingly, even at such a frequency and CPU voltage, the supercooler continued to cope with cooling, although the speed of its fans had to be kept at maximum.
Noise level
The noise level curve of the ZoomFlow 240X ARGB fans almost copies the curve of ID-Cooling's flagship coolant, but goes lower, which indicates a lower noise level of the coolant. My subjective feelings speak about the same. With fewer fans, the 240 can run at higher impeller speeds for the same noise level. For example, at a subjective comfort limit of 36dBA, two ZoomFlow 240X ARGB fans are 825rpm, while three ZoomFlow 360X ARGB fans are only 740rpm. We can observe a similar picture at the border of conditional noiselessness of 33 dBA: 740 rpm versus 675 rpm. True, such an advantage in fan speed will not help ZoomFlow 240X ARGB to compensate for the difference in cooling efficiency between these systems, they are simply fundamentally different levels.
As for the noise level of the pump, here it works silently. I came across user reviews that a low murmur is often heard inside the pumps of ID-Cooling products and other manufacturers, but this is typical of them only in the first 15-20 seconds of operation, and then the murmur disappears completely.
Conclusion
ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 240X ARGB is a classic maintenance-free liquid cooling system that differs from similar products from other manufacturers in a very beautiful fan and pump illumination that can be synchronized with other components of the system unit or controlled using a remote control on the cable. Compared to the flagship model ZoomFlow 360X ARGB, it is less efficient and probably not suitable for maximum overclocking of processors, but it will be more than enough to cool any processors in the nominal mode or with moderate overclocking.
It differs from ZoomFlow 360X ARGB not only in the number of fans, but also in lower noise level and smaller size, which makes it compatible with a large number of system case cases, as well as lower cost. Note that it is so low that all supercoolers that this system is able to bypass in terms of efficiency at maximum and average fan speeds are left behind.
Another advantage of the ZoomFlow 240X ARGB over the vast majority of air coolers is the system's compatibility with AMD Socket TR4 processors. Who knows, maybe in a couple of years you will get some Threadripper 3990X for cheap - and then you won't have to run and look for cooling for it. Set, plug and forget. There is no doubt that this system will cope with its cooling.
Source: 3dnews.ru