INTRODUCTION

   AIO (All-In-One) Liquid CPU Cooling Solutions may have been around for just over a decade now but no matter how much they've evolved over the years both in terms of technology used (from the 2006 Big Water 745 by Thermaltake and the 2007 Aquagate Mini by CoolerMaster to the units by CoolIT and Asetek which made their debut roughly 8 years ago) and cooling efficiency levels design was never really their strong selling point. This obviously changed with the recent addition of RGB lighting onto AIO models either via bundling RGB illuminated fans or placing RGB LEDs on various parts of the unit with most common being the top of the pump/waterblock combo. Deepcool has released several RGB illuminated AIO Liquid CPU Coolers in their Gamer Storm product lines (CAPTAIN EX RGB & MAELSTROM RGB Series) but the brand new CASTLE RGB Series seems to be their best looking ones to date and today we'll be testing the 240mm model.

   We founded Deepcool with the mission of providing the best and personalized thermal solutions for customers around the world. Deepcool was first established 1996 with its headquarters in Beijing and factory facilities in Shen Zhen that produced coolers and cooling accessories for desktops and servers. In response to rapid advancements in the PC sector Deepcool further expanded into AIO liquid cooling products, chassis, and power supplies. We have built a global distribution network in about seventy countries, allowing end-users to purchase Deepcool products online or at the nearest local storefront. We have gained positive media exposure and coverage, and won awards from renowned professional websites and magazines steadily building a good reputation among general users, gamers, overclockers and modders. We are totally committed towards maintaining user satisfaction by accommodating ever-changing thermal needs while providing the most responsive and comprehensive services in the industry. Our slogan is for you to “Enjoy your cool life!” We adopted the name Deepcool since Deep Blue, a program running on an IBM supercomputer, achieved a stunning victory over Gary Kasparov, then world chess champion, in 1997. This milestone clearly demonstrated that computers have now become the most powerful tool available to the human race, and was the time when we first started our business in computer cooling solutions. We hope our products could be as effective as Deep Blue, and adopted the matching name of Deepcool to help achieve our goal.

   Once again the latest CASTLE RGB series of AIO Liquid CPU Coolers is manufactured solely by Deepcool and is part of their continuously growing Gamer Storm line of products designed primarily for gamers searching for the sweet spot between performance and looks. The CASTLE 240RGB which is with us today features a TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 250W and consists by an 27mm thick and 274mm long aluminum radiator, two ADD-RGB 120mm PWM high speed hydro-bearing fans (1800RPM/ 69.34CFM/ 2.42mmH2O/ 30dBA), two 310mm long flexible braided tubings, high-performance ceramic-bearing pump (2550RPM) and a pure copper waterblock with optimized E-shaped micro water channels. What makes the CASTLE RGB however stand out from the other AIO models by Deepcool to date is not only its rather unique sized pump/waterblock combo (features a very nice double glass effect at the top) but also the fact that it features addressable RGB illumination on both its fans and at the top of the pump. Of course for consumers who don't happen to own an RGB compatible mainboard Deepcool bundles a small cable controller with the CASTLE RGB series of AIO Liquid CPU Coolers which offers 5 different lighting effects and a total of 36 different colors.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

A large picture of the pump/waterblock combo while in operation is placed at the front of the box along with the company logo.

The main product features are listed at the left side of the box.

Some features are also listed at the bottom of the box.

The features and specifications of the CASTLE RGB are listed at the rear of the box right next to several drawings of the product.

As usual the entire bundle is placed in a large formed piece of cardboard and inside several plastic bags and cardboard boxes.

Along with the main body of the CASTLE 240RGB you are also getting ADD-RGB 120mm fans with their mounting screws, fan hub, fan extension cable, two mainboard fan RGB connectors, RGB LED controller, RGB y-cable, RGB LED cable extension, thermal paste tube, single cable tie, backplate, user manual and all the necessary hardware to mount the unit onto Intel LGA1150/1151/1155/1156/1366/2011/2011-3/2066 and AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+/AM4/FM1/FM2/FM2+/TR4 compatible mainboards.

THE CASTLE 240RGB

The extra-large pump/waterblock combo is pretty much the only thing that stands out from the CASTLE 240RGB AIO.

27mm thick radiators are the standard for AIO nowadays and that applies for the CASTLE 240RGB as well.

Much like many other AIO models lately the CASTLE 240RGB features a radiator with an high FPI (fins per inch) count of 20.

This fill/drain port located on the far end of the radiator is not something we see a lot and as expected you will void the warranty of the CASTLE 240RGB if you tamper with it.

The 310mm long flexible tubes are braided for increased durability.

DeepCool decided on using yet another unique looking pump/waterblock combo (especially thanks to the one-way mirror at the top).

Both tubes can rotate from the base of the pump/waterblock combo to further simplify installation of the AIO.

A very large all-copper waterblock with almost no machine marks is located on the other side of the pump.

The ADD-RGB 120mm PWM fans feature anti-vibration pads on all four corners and can reach speeds of up to 1800RPM (-+10%) to produce up to 69.34CFM worth of airflow with 2.42mmH2O air pressure and 30dBA of noise.

With both fans mounted the radiator thickness jumps to roughly 53mm.

We decided to take a couple of pictures during our leak tests prior to mounting the AIO onto our test rig (RGB in all its glory, kudos to Deepcool).

TEST BED

TESTING METHODOLOGY

   Testing complete water cooling kits or individual radiators is no different than testing CPU Coolers and since we want all of you to be able to compare similar products we created new and separate charts (you can still cross-compare results however since we are using the same test rig). So once again 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 complete water cooling kits or radiators with bundled fans are 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. When testing complete water cooling kits we use the Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste. Finally much like when testing CPU Coolers it's very important to point out that just because a water cooling kit outperforms another when tested with our test rig (when we test complete water cooling kits) 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 (when fans exist in the bundle) are performed using a high precision ExTech HD600 Decibel Meter placed about 10-15cm above the radiator. 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

   Deepcool has a long history with AIO liquid CPU coolers which not only looked great (thanks to their reactor pumps) but also offered very good cooling efficiency numbers. The CASTLE 240RGB takes things up a notch not only in terms of cooling efficiency since it’s better than most AIOs by Deepcool to date but also looks due to the RGB fans and the rather impressive RGB illumination of the pump. It’s also obvious that Deepcool decided to keep noise levels low compared to other AIO models which is why the CASTLE 240RGB falls slightly behind similar solutions like the recently reviewed Hydro H100i Platinum RGB by CORSAIR (well we can’t have it all right?). The bundled RGB controller is also a nice touch since it allows people without RGB compatible mainboards to make use of the RGB feature.

   The current price tag of USD159.99 inside the USA (Newegg) and 123Euros inside the EU (Amazon UK) certainly reflects the performance and looks you’re getting from the CASTLE 240RGB by Deepcool. Granted we do think that it’s just a tad higher than it should on the other side of the Atlantic but at the end of the day you’re getting a great AIO liquid CPU cooler both in performance and looks and that’s why we’re giving the CASTLE 240RGB our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Very Good Cooling Efficiency
- Looks (ADDA-RGB Fans / Pump RGB Lighting)
- Dual 120mm Radiator (Compatibility)
- Bundled Fan Hub & RGB Controller
- Up To Four 120mm Fans In Push & Pull
- Price (EU)

CONS

- Price (USA)