Best SLIM 280mm radiator

[Andrew420]

Hi!

 

I'm currently using a Cooler Master Storm Trooper and I would like to add a top radiator to my custom watercooling loop.

Cooler Master said that the Nepton 280L cooler is compatible in this case.

 

The clearance from the top of the case to the top of the motherboard standoff is 60mm.

Fan mounts on the top of the case are slotted, but they are very short slots, but I'm not sure if radiators with 20mm spacing would fit (with all 8 screws).

Also, the mounts are not offset.

I don't want to cut the filter mounts on the top of the case so I would not be able to fit an extra set of fans on top of the case.

I am planning to use Noctua NF-A14 industrialPPC-3000rpm PWM fans

 

So, here are the radiators I have listed,

• Hardware Labs Black Ice Nemesis LS280 (312*140*29.7), 16FPI
• Hardware Labs Black Ice Nemesis GTS280 (312*153*29.7), 16FPI
• Magicool MC-RADI280 (323*145*29), 16mm fan spacing, 14FPI
• Koolance HX-CU1402V (316*140*29.2), 20mm fan spacing, 30FPI
• AlphaCool NexXxoS ST30 280 (319*144*30), 16FPI
• not sure about Swiftech MCR240-QP (315.6*145.6*30.6), 12FPI

So, which of these radiators perform the best? and why?

[GlassBomb]

So, here are the radiators I have listed,

• Hardware Labs Black Ice Nemesis LS280 (312*140*29.7), 16FPI
• Hardware Labs Black Ice Nemesis GTS280 (312*153*29.7), 16FPI
• Magicool MC-RADI280 (323*145*29), 16mm fan spacing, 14FPI
• Koolance HX-CU1402V (316*140*29.2), 20mm fan spacing, 30FPI
• AlphaCool NexXxoS ST30 280 (319*144*30), 16FPI
• not sure about Swiftech MCR240-QP (315.6*145.6*30.6), 12FPI

So, which of these radiators perform the best? and why?

 

The Koolance will perform the best, because it's the one with the most dense stack of fins per inch.

The Swiftech should be the most quiet one, since it is the least dense.

 

All the others is in between in terms of raw performance you get from them. 

[Enderman]

the black ice GTS performs the best with low speed fans

http://thermalbench.com/2015/06/07/ek-coolstream-xe-480mm-radiator/5/

[airdeano]

although you have 60mm clearance, you also want to take into account the area

of the VRM heatsinks, 8-pin CPU power plug and DIMM slots.

because of the extra 10mm width (per side) over the 120 radiators, you may have

the vertical space, the the horizontal could make an issue of fitment, since the

mounts are centerlined, rather than offset.

[WynLore]

the black ice GTS performs the best with low speed fans

http://thermalbench.com/2015/06/07/ek-coolstream-xe-480mm-radiator/5/

Based on ExtremeRigs, despite that they mostly have triple 120 rads on reviews, Hardwarelabs won their best slim radiator award.

I mean, look at this: http://www.xtremerigs.net/2015/02/11/radiator-round-2015/10/

Edited December 20, 2015 by WynLore

[Benji_w]

Based on ExtremeRigs, despite that they mostly have triple 120 rads on reviews, Hardwarelabs won their best slim radiator award.

I mean, look at this: http://www.xtremerigs.net/2015/02/11/radiator-round-2015/10/

 

They also do 240-280 rad reviews, I was looking at 120-140 reviews last night.

[WynLore]

They also do 240-280 rad reviews, I was looking at 120-140 reviews last night.

They do. Its just that they've done a fair lot more of triple 120 rads.

Off-topic: I'm still surprised that in the thick radiator or overall radiator performance category, EK came in to cockblock them, twice I think because EK's XE series beat out HW's SR2 (but EK's medium thickness wasn't all that great while their slim radiators scored ridiculously low) while their CE beat out HW's SR2 420 series again. By beat I mean the score difference was really close in performance while in price and features... EK lost on features but won in price.

[Andrew420]

 

Based on ExtremeRigs, despite that they mostly have triple 120 rads on reviews, Hardwarelabs won their best slim radiator award.

 

I mean, look at this: http://www.xtremerigs.net/2015/02/11/radiator-round-2015/10/

 

Slim Koolance rads aren't reviewed yet in xtremerigs...
Are there reviews for a slim koolance 280?

 

 

The Koolance will perform the best, because it's the one with the most dense stack of fins per inch.
The Swiftech should be the most quiet one, since it is the least dense.

 

All the others is in between in terms of raw performance you get from them.

at 3000rpm push, which rad would perform the best? (using 3000rpm noctua fans, won't complain about noise, performance first)

 

 

the black ice GTS performs the best with low speed fans
http://thermalbench.com/2015/06/07/ek-coolstream-xe-480mm-radiator/5/

what about 3000rpm Noctuas?

 

 

although you have 60mm clearance, you also want to take into account the area
of the VRM heatsinks, 8-pin CPU power plug and DIMM slots.
because of the extra 10mm width (per side) over the 120 radiators, you may have
the vertical space, the the horizontal could make an issue of fitment, since the
mounts are centerlined, rather than offset.

yes, the mounts are centerlined

[Patrick Bateman]

what about 3000rpm Noctuas?

thats gonna be loud AF

[Andrew420]

thats gonna be loud AF

So, will the Black Ice GTS perform better than the koolance rad with 3000rpm noctuas (i don't mind the noise, and there are 4 CM Xtraflo 120s on the bottom doing intake p/p on an EK XTX240)

[WynLore]

So, will the Black Ice GTS perform better than the koolance rad with 3000rpm noctuas (i don't mind the noise, and there are 4 CM Xtraflo 120s on the bottom doing intake p/p on an EK XTX240)

Well, at some point, yes. IIRC, I read somewhere that there comes a point that too much FPI is a bad thing.

[Andrew420]

Well, at some point, yes. IIRC, I read somewhere that there comes a point that too much FPI is a bad thing.

Like dust buildup or something? What can go wrong with high FPI?

[WynLore]

Like dust buildup or something? What can go wrong with high FPI?

Well, think of it this way. The more fins per inch there is, the harder the fans have to work, and how much cooling potential tapers off when there's just wayyyy too much fins per inch. Its also fairly evident in Koolance's thick radiators and how it got defeated by HardwareLabs and EK.

[Andrew420]

Well, think of it this way. The more fins per inch there is, the harder the fans have to work, and how much cooling potential tapers off when there's just wayyyy too much fins per inch. Its also fairly evident in Koolance's thick radiators and how it got defeated by HardwareLabs and EK.

So, will the Hardware Labs Black Ice GTS/LS 280 perform better than the koolance rad, even with 3000rpm Noctua iPPC fans?

[WynLore]

So, will the Hardware Labs Black Ice GTS/LS 280 perform better than the koolance rad, even with 3000rpm Noctua iPPC fans?

Yes.

[VSG]

So, will the Hardware Labs Black Ice GTS/LS 280 perform better than the koolance rad, even with 3000rpm Noctua iPPC fans?

Nope. The Koolance rad (which is actually just a rebranded HardwareLabs GT Stealth rad itself) will outperform the Nemesis GTS/LS at higher airflow. This is assuming you just forgot to add in Nemesis in front of the GTS/LS rads in your post of course, the older GT Stealth (GTS) are the same as the Koolance slim rad.

[Andrew420]

Nope. The Koolance rad (which is actually just a rebranded HardwareLabs GT Stealth rad itself) will outperform the Nemesis GTS/LS at higher airflow. This is assuming you just forgot to add in Nemesis in front of the GTS/LS rads in your post of course, the older GT Stealth (GTS) are the same as the Koolance slim rad.

In this case, it's the Nemesis 280GTS/LS280 (16FPI). So, the 30FPI Koolance performs better under high airflow/static pressure?

[VSG]

In this case, it's the Nemesis 280GTS/LS280 (16FPI). So, the 30FPI Koolance performs better under high airflow/static pressure?

Yes (assuming that you are referring to 2000+ RPM fans, for example), but that comes with added noise and dust. If you are ok with it then go for the Koolance/HWLabs GT Stealth.