HardwareCoolingDestructive testing of six liquid cooling radiators reveals some don’t match the marketingWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
HardwareCoolingDestructive testing of six liquid cooling radiators reveals some don’t match the marketingWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Igor’s Lab ripped apart six 120mm liquid coolers for testing:
Two coolers come out of Igor’s Lab testing pretty much unscathed. The ‘full copper’ Alphacool NexXxoS ST30, which was genuinely made of copper throughout, and the mostly aluminium Aqua Computer Airplex. Both made claims of which materials they were using and where, and Wallossek’s testing proved that to be true.
The Hardware Labs Black Ice Nemesis GTS – 120 XFlow also comes out fine. It only claims copper construction for the cooling fins, and that’s what was found during testing. Though why the rest of the materials aren’t listed could be because they’re primarily a copper/zinc alloy, in other word’s brass, of a relatively low copper content—63/37 Cu/Zn but some 70/30 Cu/Zn. All in all, nothing massive to worry about but not exactly a premium construction, either.
The EKWB Quantum Surface P120M claims to come with Copper H90 tubing, which as Wallossek points out gives the impression that it’s copper, whereas ‘H90’ designates it as an alloy. Testing put it at 90% copper and 10% zinc. So it’s brass. Technically it is listed as an alloy, but in a way that Wallossek feels isn’t entirely clear to the customer. Wallossek had some other complaints with the EKWB cooler, such as the “soft, cheap screws” and some flux residue.
The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals
Image1of6
(Image credit: EKWB)
(Image credit: EKWB)
(Image credit: EKWB)
(Image credit: EKWB)
(Image credit: EKWB)
(Image credit: Aqua Computer)
(Image credit: Aqua Computer)
(Image credit: Aqua Computer)
(Image credit: Aqua Computer)
(Image credit: Aqua Computer)
(Image credit: Alphacool)
(Image credit: Alphacool)
(Image credit: Alphacool)
(Image credit: Alphacool)
(Image credit: Alphacool)
(Image credit: Watercool)
(Image credit: Watercool)
(Image credit: Watercool)
(Image credit: Watercool)
(Image credit: Watercool)
(Image credit: Hardware Labs)
(Image credit: Hardware Labs)
(Image credit: Hardware Labs)
(Image credit: Hardware Labs)
(Image credit: Hardware Labs)
Top CPU coolers(Image credit: Future)Best AIO cooler for CPUs: Keep your chip chill.Best air cooler for CPUs: Classic, quiet cooling.
Top CPU coolers
(Image credit: Future)Best AIO cooler for CPUs: Keep your chip chill.Best air cooler for CPUs: Classic, quiet cooling.
(Image credit: Future)
Best AIO cooler for CPUs: Keep your chip chill.Best air cooler for CPUs: Classic, quiet cooling.
Lastly, the Watercool Heatkiller Rad 120-S. This product was found to not offer the copper channels as originally advertised on its website, and instead used a 65/35 Cu/Zn brass in its place. The cooling fins were advertised as copper and were tested as copper. Igor’s Lab notes, however, that the website has since been updated for the Heatkiller Rad, so that the exact wording for this product makes clear that channels are made of brass, not copper, as had previously been stated. Igor’s Lab says it has not heard from the company directly.
For the full testing data with plenty of images from some very expensive testing gizmos, I recommend checking out theoriginal story on Igor’s Lab.
Igor’s Lab chalks up the issues to complacency rather than malevolence. Wassolek notes that he believes “permanent monitoring is actually important and essential”. For the few companies with incorrect specs, it also appears as though something is being done to rectify the issue. Though it did take Wallossek’s hard work in hacking into them to get things moving, and because of that, he says he will collect another sample of random coolers for the same treatment. Let’s hope that next batch gives us less to talk about.
TOPICSHardware
TOPICS
More about coolingYou’ve heard of a CPU cooler screen, but have you heard of a curved CPU cooler screen? Apparently it has ‘unmatched performance and visual appeal’Noctua NH-D15 G2 reviewLatestToday’s Wordle answer for Monday, January 13See more latest►
More about coolingYou’ve heard of a CPU cooler screen, but have you heard of a curved CPU cooler screen? Apparently it has ‘unmatched performance and visual appeal’Noctua NH-D15 G2 reviewLatestToday’s Wordle answer for Monday, January 13See more latest►
More about coolingYou’ve heard of a CPU cooler screen, but have you heard of a curved CPU cooler screen? Apparently it has ‘unmatched performance and visual appeal’Noctua NH-D15 G2 review
More about cooling
You’ve heard of a CPU cooler screen, but have you heard of a curved CPU cooler screen? Apparently it has ‘unmatched performance and visual appeal’Noctua NH-D15 G2 review
You’ve heard of a CPU cooler screen, but have you heard of a curved CPU cooler screen? Apparently it has ‘unmatched performance and visual appeal’
You’ve heard of a CPU cooler screen, but have you heard of a curved CPU cooler screen? Apparently it has ‘unmatched performance and visual appeal’
Noctua NH-D15 G2 review
Noctua NH-D15 G2 review
LatestToday’s Wordle answer for Monday, January 13See more latest►
Latest
Today’s Wordle answer for Monday, January 13
Today’s Wordle answer for Monday, January 13
Today’s Wordle answer for Monday, January 13
See more latest►
Most Popular
Today’s Wordle answer for Sunday, January 12
Watching an all-romances speedrun of the legendarily janky Fallout: New Vegas is a delight
Activision will send you alarmingly detailed data for every single Call of Duty match you’ve played in the last 4 years if you ask, and players are using it to figure out their mysterious SBMM rankings
Here’s a game about being a depressed, lonely maintenance robot on a long-haul space colony ship
Civilization 7 has been Steam Deck Verified ahead of its launch next month
23-year-old D&D RPG Neverwinter Nights just got a new update thanks to the ‘unpaid software engineers’ of its unkillable community
My Summer Car, the absurdly detailed Finnish life sim about vehicle maintenance and drinking in your underpants, smashes into 1.0 after nearly a decade in Steam early access
Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes a run at improving parkour, as Ubisoft strives to make the system less ‘like a gas pedal’
Today’s Wordle answer for Saturday, January 11
The Last of Us season 2 trailer is a brief look at a story you should probably just play yourself in April
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS
1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
1
Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop
2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop
2
Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop
3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most
3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most
3
Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most
4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands
4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands
4
Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands
5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested
5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested
5
Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested
1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits
1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits
1
Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits
2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback
2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback
2
Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback
3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review
3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review
3
WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review
4Ikea Utespelare desk review
4Ikea Utespelare desk review
4
Ikea Utespelare desk review
5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
5
Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
