INTRODUCTION

   Just recently we show everyone what a high quality, high performance custom watercooling kit is capable off even when used with one of the hottest CPUs currently available. However although the pros of a custom watercooling kit are undeniable at the end of the day only enthusiasts, hardcore gamers and overclockers will opt for such a solution not only because of the somewhat high cost but also due to the time required to install it and the various things you need to watch out for such as leaks (mostly at first use) and the need to add more coolant when needed. This is also the reason as to why a while ago many manufacturers decided to launch their very own AIO (All In One) liquid CPU Coolers that have all four parts (radiator, tubes, pump, waterblock) attached from the factory to simplify things for the masses. Antec became well known for their AIO Liquid CPU Coolers with the KUHLER H2O 620, 920 and just recently the 1220 model which unfortunately was not very widely distributed. Well Antec is back and so today we will be taking a look at the smallest member of their latest KUHLER line the KUHLER H2O 650 Liquid CPU Cooler.

   Antec, Inc., is the leading global brand of high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) markets. Founded in 1986, Antec is recognized as a pioneer in these industries and has maintained its position as a worldwide market leader and international provider of efficient, quiet, and reliable products. Antec has also achieved great success in the distribution channel, meeting the demands of quality-conscious system builders, VARs and integrators. Antec’s offering of enclosures includes a large range of cases, such as its technically advanced Performance One Series, cost-effective New Solution Series and server grade cases designed for the needs of all workstation and server markets. Antec’s products also include front line power supplies such as its TruePower Quattro Series and EarthWatts, the most environmentally friendly power supplies available. PC gamers are an increasingly significant consumer of performance components, and many Antec products are geared toward the gaming demographic, like the Nine Hundred, the premier gamer enclosure. Antec also offers a computing accessories line comprised of many original products, including its patented LED Fans and Notebook Cooling solutions. Antec is headquartered in Fremont, California, with additional offices in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, as well as in Germany, China and Taiwan. The company’s products are sold in more than 40 countries throughout the world. Please visit www.antec.com for more information.

   Although the KUHLER H2O 620 and the KUHLER H2O 650 are placed into the same entry-level category their design is very much different so whereas the 620 model had a separate radiator, fan and pump Antec decided to merge all three in the latest 650 model and that automatically means 3 very simple to understand things. First that the location of the pump is a lot closer to the radiator and so cooling efficiency should be somewhat improved compared to its predecessor, second that since the pump is on the fan there are no vibrations on the mainboard and third that in the unlikely event that the fan stops working you can't use your own and keep going so RMA is pretty much your only way out. Of course we have every confidence that Antec has put there fan model through rigorous testing to verify that it will keep going for a long time but unfortunately nothing is full proof. In any case we can't comment on something that has to do with the "life expectancy" (MTBF) of a product so let's comment on what we can and that's its performance so without further ado let’s see what the new KUHLER H2O is capable of.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Antec has designed the box of the KUHLER H2O 650 from scratch and so this time over we see a large product image at the front enveloped in blue illumination right above its main features.

The specifications list can be found on the left side.

A chart showcasing exactly how much better the new KUHLER H2O 650 is compared to the Intel stock air cooler, an unknown liquid CPU Cooler and the rest of the new KUHLER H2O models (950/1250) is placed on the right.

The features of the unit are explained in depth at the rear with the help of 4 images.

Antec has placed the entire bundle inside a thick cardboard box with a foam piece covering the top.

Aside the KUHLER H2O 650 Liquid CPU Cooler you are also getting an installation guide, air duct and all the necessary mounting hardware for Intel LGA775/1150/1155/1156/1366/2011 and AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+/FM1/FM2 compatible mainboards.

THE KUHLER H2O 650

The basic design of the latest KUHLER H2O 650 follows the typical one we've seen with many similar AIO solutions in the past.

Compared to the KUHLER H2O 620 the pump of the 650 model is larger and is mounted in front of the 120mm fan that can reach speeds of up to 2400RPM.

This means that the liquid has less distance to travel between the pump and the radiator something that should have a minor positive impact in performance.

Compared to normal fans the directional blades of the built-in fan push more air through the radiator.

The radiator used is a 159mm in length, 120mm in width and 27mm thick.

Unlike many other AIO Liquid CPU Coolers the radiator fins of the KUHLER H2O 650 are very good in quality.

The tubes are 300mm long so you shouldn't have any problems installing the unit.

The 120mm fan along with the pump and the LED over the waterblock are powered by a single 3pin fan connector.

Once turned on the waterblock gets illuminated with various colors according to the temperature of the base.

Both tubings feature a 90 degree swivel to make installation a lot easier.

The copper base features a thin layer of thermal conductive material.

Antec bundles an air duct with the KUHLER H2O 650 but i just can't figure out the why (doesn't really matter if the air scatters once it gets passed the radiator fins) since you'd be better off adding a 2nd fan in push & pull instead.

The RGB LED looks a lot better than the one used with the KUHLER H2O 620/920 models.

TEST BED

TESTING METHODOLOGY

   We always take things quite seriously when it comes to work so just like with the previous LGA1366 database we will not be testing each CPU Cooler on its own and with different ambient temperature levels and thus we can actually have yet another valid CPU Cooler database. Testing a CPU Cooler automatically means that you need to know where it stands against the immediate competition and to accomplish that we have spent both money and time through the years, something that we plan to continue to do so in order to get the most accurate results for the end consumers who read these lines. Every CPU cooler in this database is tested with the bundled 140mm/120mm/92mm/80mm fans while working at both idle speed and 100% of their speeds for all the temperature tests. CPU Coolers that do not come bundled with a fan/s are measured using a Noctua fan (size dependent on the model) to test for the temperature tests but due to the lack of a stock fan dBA level tests are obviously skipped. Single (120/140mm) watercooling solutions are tested with the radiator mounted at the rear of our test rig while dual/triple/quad (240/260/280/360/420/480/560mm) solutions with the radiator mounted at the top. For the dBA tests every cooler in the database was measured both while on idle mode or with the fan controller in the minimum setting and while on extreme load or with the fan controller all the way to the highest possible setting (PWM fans do that on their own without our intervention). Every single test takes place in a temperature controlled room of 23 degrees Celsius Ambient Temp with the help of two AC units placed diagonally inside the room. The Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste is used with every CPU Cooler in our latest LGA2011 database (although initially this was not the plan we had to change things to get the most accurate results). Finally it's very important to point out that just because a CPU Cooler is better than another when tested with our Intel Core i7-3930k test rig that does not necessarily mean that the same performance differences will apply 100% for other CPU models and in other situations (such as different ambient temps and system configurations).

     To successfully record the load temperatures we use the latest OCCT application for around 6-10 minutes to push the processor to its limits and after that is done and the temperatures are recorded we wait for about 10-20 minutes for the CPU to cool down and record the idle temperatures. This is done to allow time for the thermal conductive material to achieve the optimal performance level. Same procedure is then repeated with the Passmark BurnIn Test as a failsafe just in case the OCCT results are wrong. This procedure takes a lot more time than the usual peltier/thermometer tests but this way not only can we deliver real world results to our readers based on real CPUs but we can also triple check the results using a variety of programs. Last but not least the temperatures were recorded using both the latest versions of AIDA64 and RealTemp while the noise level tests are performed using a high precision ExTech HD600 Decibel Meter placed about 10-15cm above the CPU Cooler. Still although the same testing procedure applies to all units do take into consideration that unlike the official numbers which are measured in special noise isolated labs with just the fans here we also have both the rest of the cooler and the rest of the system (although all system fans are turned off when recording noise levels).

TEST RESULTS

CONCLUSION

   Having wrapped up all tests surrounding the KUHLER H2O 650 our final opinion is more of a positive one although we do have some concerns with the new design. On one hand thanks to the larger pump, the distance between the pump and the radiator and the newly developed 120mm fan the cooling efficiency of the KUHLER H2O 650 is quite excellent (for such a small liquid CPU cooler that is) as you can see from the charts especially if we take into consideration that it managed to come quite close to the much thicker (and dual fan) KUHLER H2O 920 so we can't really complain in terms of performance. However a single issue remains and that is the built-in 120mm which although quite good in terms of quality may fail sometime and if that happens then the only solution is for people to RMA the entire unit and that usually takes time. Of course in the end the fan may work without issues for years and we may feel silly for mentioning such a thing but the probability of something going wrong always exists so we need to mention it.

   Antec has just released their new KUHLER H2O line so naturally they are not widely available yet however from the few distributors that do have them the price tag of the 650 model seems to be set at around USD70 inside the USA and 60Euros inside the EU which means that it's priced roughly the same as many high-end CPU Air Coolers. Price and performance however are not everything and so also do remember that an AIO Liquid CPU Cooler takes a lot less space over the mainboard and thus has zero clearance issues with memory modules and graphics cards something which for me makes such solutions the number one choice. Long story short for very good performance paired with a small size and an very tempting price tag the latest KUHLER H2O 650 Liquid CPU Cooler by Antec walks away with our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Performance
- Zero Clearance Issues
- LED RGB Light
- Dual Fan Solution (For Extra Performance)
- Easy Installation
- 3 Years Warranty
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Built-In Fan (Can't Be Replaced)