In today’s review we will focus on a device unusual for our editorial office – a cooling system. This is the first computer module of its kind that we are testing. Therefore, for our readers, we will make a short preface about what kind of cooling systems are in general and what are their differences.
In 2023, when it comes to the CPUs to choose from for your PC, brands are immediately mentioned Intel and AMD… Typically, Intel’s 10-series and AMD’s 3-series are currently being considered.
You can understand the processor series by the first digit of its model range, for example Intel Core i9 10900KF and AMD Ryzen 9 3950X… Prefixes K and X from both manufacturers are installed if the processor supports manual overclocking – that is, increasing the operating frequency in order to obtain greater performance.
Although modern processors are not as “hot” as they were a couple of years ago, it is worth paying attention to the heat dissipation parameter. Manufacturers go to different tricks every year to make their “stones” colder, and this gives its results. When choosing, look at the TDP parameter, which is measured in watts. It is he who will help you find the right cooling system. When buying a cooling system, it is important that its TDP is greater or equal to the processor’s TDP.
The most common mistake when assembling a PC is installing an unnecessarily powerful cooling system on a completely undemanding processor in order to “grow” or “with a margin”. This decision leads to the fact that the user overpays money, which could be spent on other PC components of higher quality.
The next mistake is striving for low processor temperatures. On some devices, the comfortable operating temperatures of the processor can reach 90 degrees, and this is considered normal if the PC is working stably at that moment. These temperatures are declared by the manufacturer, however, for some personal reasons, users believe that these are bad values and overpay for more expensive cooling systems.
It is completely different when a professional machine is built on hot top-end processors, like Core i9, which are also subject to overclocking. During overclocking, the electricity consumed by the processor increases and it heats up more than the declared temperatures, so in this case there is a need for powerful cooling systems.
And if we are dealing with this particular sector of devices, then the most common solution here is the installation of liquid cooling systems. There are some options with tower coolers, but in this case they turn out to be extremely bulky, although their efficiency is less.
The advantages of CBO (water cooling systems) are as follows: they work much quieter than tower coolers, take up less space in the cases, and cool much more efficiently than air cooling systems, especially under critical loads. But there are also drawbacks that you need to be aware of: the case must be compatible with this type of cooling, the service life can be limited and varies from three to five years. After this period, it is advisable to replace the system or service it. As a rule, modern water supply systems are covered by a guarantee just for a reasonable period of operation, therefore, you can service an air supply system from the manufacturer under warranty.
CBOs can be both custom and serviced and unattended. The basis for such cooling systems is always the same – it is a water block with cooling coolers, pipes for fluid circulation and a pump-pump for pumping fluid in the system.
Custom systems are assembled by users from a wide variety of components – often to look aesthetically pleasing. The liquid in such systems is tinted in different colors, transparent tubes and reservoirs are placed, these tubes are laid beautifully, and so on. This is a kind of separate hobby. Maintenance-free systems are distinguished by their maximum ease of use and reliability. All you need to do is screw the complete coolers to the water block and install the pump on the processor. The assembly of such systems is even easier than many air cooling systems.
In terms of temperatures, serviced and unattended cooling systems are almost always more than sufficient. They are also divided into several types: one-, two- and three-section. As you might guess, the number of sections affects the size of the water block and the number of coolers installed on it.
The most popular option among users is a two-section CBO. We will consider the option from ASUS a series TUF GAMING… Namely ASUS TUF Gaming LC 240 RGB… The TDP of this CBO is not declared, but in my experience it is close to 350 watts on such systems – which is the ultimate solution for overclocked processors.
Equipment
The CBO is delivered in a black and yellow box, inside of which there is a cardboard gasket that separates the parts of the set from each other. From the name we understand that this SVO with RGB backlighting is suitable for designer cases.
The delivery set is very simple and does not need a detailed description. Namely – two sets of fasteners for systems based on Intel and AMD, as well as several adapters for connecting the CBO to the motherboard.
Design
LC 240 RGB looks stylish and compact. Immediately after turning on the PC, a pump catches your eye – the logo of the TUF GAMING series shimmers on it in different colors on the mirror surface. In addition to it, the coolers that are attached to the water block are illuminated. They are yellow by default, but you can change it.
The pump housing, cables and water block are painted black. The size of the waterblock radiator is 240 x 120 mm, it is light and thin. Holes for mounting coolers on both sides, so that you can assemble any configuration of your PC without restrictions.
Braided tubing, waterblock and pump attachment looks secure. The tubes themselves are very durable and not subject to kinking.
Coolers in a black case are bolted to the block. The cooler blades themselves are transparent when turned off.
Installation and operation
The water block is attached to the body from the top or from the front. In both cases, the cooler installation is different and you need to be very careful to ensure the correct air flow. When installing the unit from above, the coolers are put on the blow-out, when installed from the front – on the blow-out. You can understand the cooler orientation by the sticker with the TUF Gaming logo.
The pump is delivered from the factory with the thermal interface already applied to the copper plate. In this case, it is thermal paste. As a rule, manufacturers of any cooling systems (except Noctua) put on their devices the cheapest thermal pastes, which quickly lose their properties. I always wipe the “prepared” thermal interface with alcohol and use my own. In my case, I applied Noctua thermal paste [NT-H2]… I recommend it as the best solution in terms of thermal conductivity and durability.
The pump attachment process is pleasant and simple. After installing the complete kit on the motherboard, the pump is screwed with four bolts without problems.
After eternal torment with the installation of almost any processor cooler, using the CBO seems extremely simple and comfortable.
Then the CBO is connected to the motherboard in specially prepared connectors – and it is ready for use.
Before overclocking
After turning on the PC, we can hear a small noise – the pump is pumping fluid in the system. It does not last long – after which the SVO is absolutely silent. When used in normal operating mode on an Intel Core i9-10900K, we got about 38-40 degrees. While playing DOOM Eternal and 3DMark tests, the maximum was seen at around 63 degrees, but almost all the time the temperature was at 48-50 degrees.
Intel XTU
After overclocking
After overclocking the processor to 5.3 GHz with the Intel XTU program, we got temperatures around 75 degrees under load. Without load, the temperatures are comparable in overclocking and without it. It is worth noting that with manual overclocking with manual voltage setting on the processor, you can get even lower temperatures, but even in such conditions set automatically by the computer, we have a good result.
The ASUS TUF Gaming CBO series pleasantly surprises first of all with its ease of use. Almost Plug and Play. In everyday work and in games, the LC 240 RGB performs well – even the relatively hot Intel Core i9-10900K stone shows low temperatures and stable performance. Overclocking, even automatic, is also no problem. The appearance of the device pleases with its compactness, laconism and the ability to customize the backlight. Also, the declared guarantee for five years is always a great bonus for the CBO. But for the above advantages and the almost complete absence of disadvantages, from our point of view, you will have to pay a round sum. ASUS TUF Gaming LC 240 RGB starts at 16,499 rubles… Which is quite a lot, but ASUS products stand out for their quality.
Author: Alexey Sarafanov (ASarafanov)
Read also: Board for Discerning Content Creators: ASUS ProArt Z490 Creator 10G Review…
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