INTRODUCTION

   Watercooling kits for CPUs and GPUs have been around a long time and although in the past they were considered to be something unique aimed solely towards hardcore overclockers and enthusiasts today they've become quite common even amongst regular gamers and users. Still not everyone is willing to undergo the entire procedure needed to build a custom watercooling kit (from choosing the right parts and then installing them or to even install the parts if we are talking about a ready kit) since something like that obviously requires both time and effort not to mention plenty of space in your tower. AIO (All In One) liquid CPU cooling kits combine very good performance levels and easy installation at a relatively low cost so in a way they were created for that exact reason and since their first appearance roughly 5 years ago we've seen all the major players in the market launch their own solutions. Antec was amongst the very first to enter this market with the very good Kuhler H2O 620/920 Liquid CPU Coolers and today we will be taking a look at the successor to the 920 model the Kuhler H2O 950 Liquid CPU Cooling System.

   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.

   Just like the Kuhler H2O 650 model the 950 model is aimed towards people who want to take their first steps into liquid cooling but don't have much free space inside their towers (thus a 240mm radiator is out of the question). Now exactly like with the Kuhler H2O 620/920 models the 950 model is based around an 120mm radiator almost two times thicker than the one that came with the 650 model and if that wasn't enough to further improve the efficiency of the cooler Antec also bundles a second 120mm fan which can be used in push and pull configuration (again just like the 920). Unfortunately as many of you already know the entire Kuhler H2O line launched by Antec just recently (650/950/1250) has the fans attached to the main body so unlike the previous line (620/920/1220) you can't replace the fans if you want to use quieter ones or in the case of them failing and that's the only drawback we know we will encounter in this review right from the get go. The 3 year warranty however makes things less terrifying so all that's left is to see how the 950 model performs both against its predecessor the 920 and against the new 650.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

A large product image surrounded by blue illumination is placed at the front of the box right above the main features and next to the mainboard compatibility list.

The specifications list is printed on the left side in 8 languages.

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

In depth explanation of all the units’ features with the help of 5 pictures is placed at the rear again in 8 languages.

As usual the product is placed inside a thick cardboard tray with a foam piece covering the top.

The package is quite rich so aside the KUHLER H2O 950 Liquid CPU Cooler inside the box you will also find a 120mm fan, software CD, installation guide, 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 950

The KUHLER H2O 950 follows the typical AIO design we've seen with many similar solutions in the past including both the 650 and the previous KUHLER line.

Compared to the KUHLER H2O 920 the 950 model features a larger pump which is mounted in front of a 120mm fan spinning between 600 and 2400RPM.

Long story short the placement of the pump allows the liquid to travel much less distance to get to the radiator something that should slightly impact performance.

The radiator of the 950 is almost twice as thick as the one of the 650 and more specifically it is 159mm in length, 120mm in width and 50mm thick.

Just like with the 650 we couldn't find a single serious dent with the radiator fins of the 950 model.

The 300mm long tubes connect the radiator to a round waterblock with the Antec logo at the top and a LED right beneath which illuminates according to the temperature of the liquid.

Both tubings can swivel up to 90 degrees to help with the installation of the cooler.

A second 120mm fan gets bundled in the box which you can (and should) use at the rear of the radiator.

With the second fan installed the KUHLER H2O 950 becomes 75mm thick.

The copper base comes ready with a pre-applied layer of thermal conductive material.

ANTEC GRID

With the KUHLER H2O 950 Antec bundles their GRID v2.0 control software which allows you to check the temperature of the liquid, either choose between silent and performance mode or set your own fan speed, change the waterblock LED illumination and change the skin of the program.

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 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

   Since when we tested the KUHLER H2O 650 we saw that it came quite close to the KUHLER H2O 920 we had no doubt that the new 950 would perform even better but things are not so black and white in this case. Yes the KUHLER H2O 950 does manage to outperform its predecessor the very good KUHLER H2O 920 when used as advertised (sucking air from the interior of the case) but on one hand the performance difference between both models is not really great while on the other the fact that you can't use both fans to suck air from the exterior thus improving the cooling efficiency of the cooler (something you could do with the 920 model) will most likely disappoint some overclockers and enthusiasts. However it's clear to all of us here that the largest drawback of the KUHLER H2O 950 (and the entire KUHLER line) is that you simply can't replace the front fan in case it ever fails and although Antec gives 3 years warranty for their new KUHLER H2O line what happens if the fan does fail after that? Of course most people may not even keep the 950 for that long and there's always the fact that it may never fail (have used countless fans during the past 2+ decades and not even 1 ever failed) so things are obviously not as bad as they sound, still it’s our job to always consider and report all possibilities.

   When the KUHLER H2O 920 was launched it cost roughly USD120/110Euros a price tag which for some people was considered to be quite high. Well Antec improved that on the new KUHLER H2O 950 model since it currently retails for just USD79.98 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 87Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). Now this may not be really better compared to that of the 920 model since its price has dropped quite a bit over the years (remember it was launched in 2011) but as you all know I’m always in favor of getting the best possible bang for your buck so even the slightest performance improvement compared to a previous model is welcome, still the truth is that if you happen to already own the KUHLER H2O 920 i see no reason to even think purchasing the 950 model. However for people who want to try an AIO liquid CPU cooler the KUHLER H2O 950 could be the ideal choice since it combines very good performance, easy installation, small size and a very tempting price tag which is why it receives our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Performance
- Zero Clearance Issues
- LED RGB Light
- Dual Fan Solution (Push & Pull)
- Easy Installation
- GRID Control Software
- 3 Years Warranty
- Price (For Some) 

CONS

- Built-In Fan (Can't Be Replaced)
- Noise Levels (Performance Mode)