Corsair H55 Review

Introduction

If you’re looking for a nice powerful cooler for your Intel CPU, you should consider the Corsair H55 cooler. In the following article, we are going to look at some of its key features and see why it is considered one of the best coolers among the gaming community.

For gamers or any other use of intense use of the CPU, you need a cooler to regulate the temperatures in the processors and motherboard as a whole. Computers come with stocked preinstalled coolers that provide air cooling.

However, this cooler is sometimes not enough especially when you’re stretching your CPU to the limits using intense rendering and gaming. In this case, you need another cooler and a better cooler. One of these coolers is the Corsair H55 Quiet Liquid Cooler.

As the name suggests, this cooler uses water to cool unlike the stock ones that use air. Fluid cooling is a more effective way of cooling CPUs and this is why it is preferred for heavy rendering machines. You may question using water as a coolant for electric appliances but this shouldn’t be the case.

With an AIO (all in one) cooler such as the Corsair H55, you eliminate all issues that come with installing an air cooler. Also, air coolers are heavy and bulky making fluid coolants such as the H55 a much better option.

The Corsair H55 is one in the long line of all in one coolers released by the Corsair company. Some of its predecessors include: H40, H50, H60, H70, H80 and H100. All were released at different periods to cater for the different technological needs at that moment. The H55 is a much quieter version of the H50 and was first released in 2011. It is a great choice for anyone that wants to replace the stock cooler that comes in the box together with CPU.

What to Expect from the Corsair H55

The Corsair H55 is known for its quiet nature. This is attributed to the fact that it uses water as a coolant instead of air. Fans that are found in air coolers are what make them loud, the H55 does not have these. Even the H in H55 stands for Hydro, meaning water.

It features the following components that make it’s a great cooler for your CPU: a 27 by 120mm thick radiator, a single 120mm fan, an improved rubber tubing and a stronger, more robust mounting system to mount in the CPU. This provides the user with 24 degrees more than the stock Intel Box cooler.

It also has a fixed maximum RPM 3 pin fan that guarantees a quiet cooling process. The H55 sits above the H50 and H40 in performance, meaning it gives such a premium feel. It is great however because its price is not premium priced like the H100 or H110.

The Corsair H55 is also very small and compact. It is able to fit into most cases that support a 120mm rear exhaust fan. The radiator (made by Asetek) is also very high in quality and is equipped with a strong set of fins. This means that the H55 would work very well with a second fan because the radiator requires air flow to get the performance out of it. The pump design is also very stylish and has flair. It is smaller and much more compact than previous versions.

The fan is solid and with a nice dark look to it that makes it look quite nice. It also adds an industrial feel to the cooler which some users like. This fan operates at 12V at about 1700 RPS and has no PMW support. This are some of the things you should expect from the Corsair H55. The following section looks at some of the features that make this fan such a great choice.

Corsair H55 Review: Key Features

When you install the Corsair H55, one thing stands out most – the quietness of how it cools. It will also cool the system faster and more effectively than a stock cooler that comes with the CPU. It has also been built to be easily installed as the process is very straightforward. The Corsair H55 is installed on the motherboard and all you need is a screwdriver. The package comes with clear and precise instructions on the installation process.

Because of its compact sizing, the Corsair H55 is easy to fit in both small and large cases. It is especially better for small cases where space might be limited. This size efficiency ensures that the CPU works smoothly. All you need is to install the 120mm mount near the CPU and the H55 will fit well.

The following are the key features of the Corsair H55.

Low Speed 120mm Fan

This cooler has a low speed 120mm fan that is responsible for the quiet nature of the cooler. The fans are also wide in diameter to reduce noise levels. Compared the smaller fans found in stock CPU coolers, the H55 is a huge improvement in the noise department.

Highly Compatible Three-Pin Connector

The Corsair H55 is connected to the system’s motherboard using a three pin connector. This is because most cases have a 3 pin port compared to the alternative 4 pin port. The 3 pin connector found on this cooler ensures that it is compatible with majority of the cases in the market. It is important to know the pin port on your system before buying any cooler.

Fitted with a Low Profile Pump

The pump is an essential component in any CPU cooler. It is responsible for pumping the water through as it cools the system. The pump in the Corsair H55 is a high speed circulation pump. It is small and compact in size and helps improve air flow in the system. The low profile pump is also quiet due to its small size.

Fitted with Latest Generation Micro Fin Copper Plate

Copper is used due to its strong thermal transfer property. The copper cold plate also comes with pre applied thermal grease. The micro fins on the other hand are fully optimized for heat transfer and exchange.

Low Permeability Rubber Tubing

With liquid coolants, evaporation is bound to happen as the cooler works. Evaporation is a problem as it lowers the effectiveness of the cooler and this is why it is important that the manufacturers find a way to keep it at a minimum. Minimal evaporation makes sure that the cooler has a long life. The rubber tubing is what makes evaporation at a low. It offers high flexibility, low permeability and protection against leaks.

Fitted with a Low Profile Heat Exchanger

The heat exchanger is made from aluminum. It is responsible for reducing the airflow needs within the Corsair H55 cooler. It is also small and compact in size to ensure that installation is easy and increase compatibility with many cases.

Comes with a Free Mounting Bracket Kit

This cooler comes with a mounting kit in the package. This mounting kit does not require any tools to use and is compatible with both Intel and AMD microprocessors.

Comes with a Self-Contained Cooling System

The Corsair H55 does not need refilling since it comes with prefilled with a coolant.

Final Verdict

The Corsair H55 might not be the best cooler, but it is a good one. It is perfect for anyone that wants to upgrade from the stock CPU air cooler. It is a more modern cooler that is known mainly for its quiet nature. It is also important to remember that it is one of the lowest priced all in one cooler which is a great plus if you are on a budget. The Corsair H55 can be found on online stores such as Amazon and buying it would definitely not be a bad choice.