What In God's Name Is Corsair Doing?

[Dash Lambda]

If you've been keeping up with Corsair's AIO coolers recently, you know exactly what I mean.

 

I got the H110i GT when it came out, and it was great (first batch defects aside).

Then, they come out with "GTX" variants of the other ones that use the new aesthetic. This makes sense.

Then they come out with a "GTX" variant of the H110i GT, which is exactly the same thing as the "GT" one except with an Asetek mount. This makes less sense, but it's still passable.

Then they drop the old ones from their store. This makes sense still.

-Now they lose their minds-

Then they bring the old ones back.

Then they drop the H110i GT.

Then they change the "H110i GTX" to "H115i". (I think?)

Then they put the "H110i GT" back as the "H110i".

Then they remove "GT" and "GTX" from all the names and replace it with "v2" for the H80i and H100i variants.

 

All the while, their performance comparison chart seems to be the most fickle comparison chart on the internet. Over the past few months, they had the H110i GT listed as 5 stars with the H100i GTX at 4, the other way around, both at 5, the H110i GTX at 5 and the H110i GT at 4.5, both the H100i and its GTX variant at 4, both at 4.5, and now the H100i went down to 2.5 (and the H80i v2 is at 4...), and that's just when I've checked up.

 

It's like every time I look at their line they've changed a name, introduced a new one that's only superficially different, or both.

[WarWeeny]

Blame a new intern - problem solved

[iamdarkyoshi]

I dunno, lets see what @Corsair Joseph says

[Matt100HP]

Yeah, I agree. I just bought an H110i GT, trying to understand why Amazon are selling what are seemingly the exact same Corsair AIO liquid coolers but with different names and at different prices was no easy task.

 

I settled on an H110i GT in the end, mostly because it was the cheapest out of the H110i/H115i/GT/GTX etc etc...

[PlayStation 2]

I hate to say it, but Corsair's never been consistent with their products. cough RM series cough

[Dash Lambda]

3 hours ago, Dan Castellaneta said:

I hate to say it, but Corsair's never been consistent with their products. cough RM series cough

I haven't really kept up with their PSUs as closely, what are they doing with the RM series?

[PlayStation 2]

Just now, Dash Lambda said:

I haven't really kept up with their PSUs as closely, what are they doing with the RM series?

Back in 2013?, they switched the OEMs from Chicony to Channel Well, and it was pretty much a mystery on which version you got.

[Dash Lambda]

2 hours ago, Dan Castellaneta said:

Back in 2013?, they switched the OEMs from Chicony to Channel Well, and it was pretty much a mystery on which version you got.

Oh dear...

[Dash Lambda]

3 hours ago, Matt100HP said:

Yeah, I agree. I just bought an H110i GT, trying to understand why Amazon are selling what are seemingly the exact same Corsair AIO liquid coolers but with different names and at different prices was no easy task.

 

I settled on an H110i GT in the end, mostly because it was the cheapest out of the H110i/H115i/GT/GTX etc etc...

You know, what confuses me the most is that with all this switching around, the H110i (or H110i GT) is the only revised one that has pivoting tubing. All the newer ones with an Asetek mount have that fixed tubing that runs right out the top, making it impossible to use them on a GPU bracket in most situations.

[Matt100HP]

1 minute ago, Dash Lambda said:

You know, what confuses me the most is that with all this switching around, the H110i (or H110i GT) is the only revised one that has pivoting tubing. All the newer ones with an Asetek mount have that fixed tubing that runs right out the top, making it impossible to use them on a GPU bracket in most situations.

The pivot tubing is way better in my opinion (though maybe more prone to leaks?), having the tubes just pointing at a fixed 90 degrees to the pump/waterblock unit, straight at the side of your case is just stupid. 

 

Is the H110i GT (or H110i by the new naming system) the only CoolIT made one? Also, is the H115i supposed to be better than the H110i GT/H110i? Because, it has a higher number, which suggests it is, but has seemingly identical specs, just slightly different aesthetics and a different manufacturer... The £16 price difference made the decision for me, but if they were the same price I'd be utterly baffled as to which one to buy. 

[Dash Lambda]

3 hours ago, Matt100HP said:

The pivot tubing is way better in my opinion (though maybe more prone to leaks?), having the tubes just pointing at a fixed 90 degrees to the pump/waterblock unit, straight at the side of your case is just stupid. 

 

Is the H110i GT (or H110i by the new naming system) the only CoolIT made one? Also, is the H115i supposed to be better than the H110i GT/H110i? Because, it has a higher number, which suggests it is, but has seemingly identical specs, just slightly different aesthetics and a different manufacturer... The £16 price difference made the decision for me, but if they were the same price I'd be utterly baffled as to which one to buy. 

I don't think the pivot is prone to leaks. A lot of people have H100i and H80i coolers, and it's rare to actually hear about them leaking.

 

Looks like CoollT makes the H60, H80i, H100i, and H110i (Which is referred to as the H110i GT on CoollT's site...).

As for the H110i and the H115i, well... there are the obvious differences:

-The H110i uses Corsair's 'usual' mounting bracket, while the H115i uses an Asetek mount.

-The H110i uses pivoting tubing, while the H115i uses fixed tubing.

 

Then there are the not-so-obvious differences (H110i - H115i:
-Radiator Dimensions: 140x322x27 - 140x312x26

-Fan Speed: 2100 - 2000

-Airflow: 113CFM - 104.65CFM

-Noise: 43dB - 40dB

 

So, from the listed specs, it looks like they should be nearly identical. In fact, the H110i should be better than the H115i if there's any difference at all.

Now, I have no idea whether there's a difference in pump speed or microfin area or something, but they don't list that anywhere...

[Dash Lambda]

So I found another thread with a similar point:

And @Corsair Joseph said...

On 2/17/2016 at 3:54 PM, Corsair Joseph said:

That's exactly what they are, we've just updated the SKUs. They are technically the same in terms of performance. The only thing that's worth mentioning is that the V2 models all have had their blocks slightly tweaked to ensure compatibility with Skylake Mini-ITX boards that may have components right next to the socket. 

 

So, that clears it up a bit, but they were still changing things around a lot before 2016 and it still seems like a bit of a mess.

And I'm still curious about what the functional difference is between the H110i and the H115i that makes the former 4.5 stars and the latter 5 stars, if there is any...

[Matt100HP]

14 minutes ago, Dash Lambda said:

I don't think the pivot is prone to leaks. A lot of people have H100i and H80i coolers, and it's rare to actually hear about them leaking.

 

Looks like CoollT makes the H60, H80i, H100i, and H110i (Which is referred to as the H110i GT on CoollT's site...).

As for the H110i and the H115i, well... there are the obvious differences:

-The H110i uses Corsair's 'usual' mounting bracket, while the H115i uses an Asetek mount.

-The H110i uses pivoting tubing, while the H115i uses fixed tubing.

 

Then there are the not-so-obvious differences (H110i - H115i:
-Radiator Dimensions: 140x322x27 - 140x312x26

-Fan Speed: 2100 - 2000

-Airflow: 113CFM - 104.65CFM

-Noise: 43dB - 40dB

 

So, from the listed specs, it looks like they should be nearly identical. In fact, the H110i should be better than the H115i if there's any difference at all.

Now, I have no idea whether there's a difference in pump speed or microfin area or something, but they don't list that anywhere...

Yeah, my H75 had pivoting tubes, too...it was fine, it never showed any signs of leaking or any other failure. 

 

I initially thought the H115i would be have a thicker radiator, like the H105 vs H100i, but it doesn't. 

 

As you say, the H110i GT (now H110i) should be the best AIO Corsair make, judging by the specifications they publish. I have no idea why it's apparently half a star worse than the H115i/H110i GTX. 

 

My cynical side has had the thought that Asetek may have bagged themselves a better marketing deal with Corsair to have the 280mm AIOs they produce given the "best" names (H115i vs H110i and previously H110i GTX as opposed to just GT). Apart from some unpublished differences in performance, I can't think of any other reason why the 280mm AIO naming system is as it is.