NZXT Kraken X52 All-In-One CPU Liquid Cooler Review @ [H]

FrgMstr

Just Plain Mean
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NZXT Kraken X52 All-In-One CPU Liquid Cooler Review - NZXT has been stepping up its cooling game this year, and the Kraken X52 All-In-One represents its "in between" liquid CPU cooler model for those cases with somewhat limited space for the radiator. The Kraken X52 comes with a healthy feature set that has most of the bells and whistles that are needed to make it competitive.
 
Nice review as always but its baffling that your results from the recent review of the TS140 arent included as this is the kind of direct comparison we as overclockers would like to see.
https://www.hardocp.com/article/2017/04/19/thermalright_true_spirit_140_direct_cpu_air_cooler/3

For those interested, the Kraken is $150 and gets the following with the 4.4GHz clocked 4770K
69.6C @ 44.9dB
81.2C @ 40.1dB

The True 140 costs $47 and gets
75C @ 40dB

That is because this review was actually fully authored before the TS140 article. We were holding off for AM4 support and new models to solidify before publishing this article. Not everything you read here is produced in a linear fashion as you see it published. That said, the Kraken X52 is included on the chart in the TS140 review. :) Are you still baffled?
 
Thanks for replying.
A little baffled still.
There have been six days since the TS140 review was published and you quite often correct elements of a review after publishing.
You knew the results were in the pipeline...
 
Kyle - I always read your cooler reviews with interest and my last builds have been made from your recommendations. One thing I would like to see on your charts is one more bar with the Fans at 50%. We have the extremes - high and low, but in real life we typically run our coolers somewhere in the middle. I don't think anyone runs their fans at 100% (too noisy) or at the lowest setting (not getting good cooling) but a chart at 50% would give us a real life idea of what to expect in our daily usage. IMHO.
 
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Would be a real winner if it was $50 cheaper. But, damn, if that isn't the sexiest looking AIO I've ever seen.
 
Would be a real winner if it was $50 cheaper. But, damn, if that isn't the sexiest looking AIO I've ever seen.
Makes the buying decision a bit easier to me: if you don't care for the fancy lighting, save the $$ and go with something like the Arctic Cooler Freezer 240, or air cooling.
 
I use the NZXT X62 with their AM4 Bracket that took forever for them to ship because of a redesign of the bracket. The mini USB to internal header was a problem for me as I ran out of headers so I just used the regular USB and hooked it to the board in the rear. The CAM software has improved tremendously as I was using it with my previous NZXT X61. The fans build quality also improved tremendously. My fans on the original X61 wabled while spinning and would make clicky noises as they nicked the radiator or casing. The fans that came with the X62 were of far higher quality and I ordered more. With the X61 I had to trash them and buy noctua to fix it. The water pipe quality and how well it bends into position has also improved as has length. I have it on a 1800X at 4,120mhz. Works like a charm.
 
The X62 is $10 more ($160) and has a 280mm rad. The X52 has a 240mm rad.

So those of use with a decent mid-tower or better, and are willing to pay $10 extra, will get even better performance at MUCH lower sound levels............who in their right mind (case restrictions excluded) not fork over ten extra bucks?
 
Seeing as how the Liquid Freezer 240 is touted as an option, it would be interesting how it compared to the X52 in the performance tests in ONLY a two fan push or a two fan pull rather than push/pull. Particularly for those of us that don't have the room in our cases for the full push/pull default configuration.

So those of use with a decent mid-tower or better, and are willing to pay $10 extra, will get even better performance at MUCH lower sound levels............who in their right mind (case restrictions excluded) not fork over ten extra bucks?

I can fit a 280mm radiator in my case, but my propensity has been to move to smaller and smaller cases as time has gone on, so sticking with the 240mm radiator is more a future-proofing move even though case limitations aren't currently an issue. Otherwise, yeah, 280mm seems to be the way to go.
 
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I don't care much for how my stuff looks behind a metal/steel door. With that said, you sure are paying a price premium for this thing...
 
I'm going to replace my HAF X with the Evolv ATX TG. According to the technical specifications I can install a 280mm rad on top and on front.
The X62 will fit on top ? Is it better to fit it on top or i should install it on front ?
 
I'm going to replace my HAF X with the Evolv ATX TG. According to the technical specifications I can install a 280mm rad on top and on front.
The X62 will fit on top ? Is it better to fit it on top or i should install it on front ?
Since hot air rises I would think top mounting would be the most efficient in a push config. But front mounting in a pull config would allow cooler outside air to go through the radiator instead of the warmer case air being pushed out in a top mounted config. In the end I think the difference will only be a few degrees Celsius, so go with whatever will allow for the best routing of the hoses.
 
The charts confused me. I get the concept of {delta temp}/cost but it seems like the next highest delta was the Scythe Fuma, which costs about 1/3rd of the Kraken's price. Am I missing something?
 
The charts confused me. I get the concept of {delta temp}/cost but it seems like the next highest delta was the Scythe Fuma, which costs about 1/3rd of the Kraken's price. Am I missing something?
Other way around: price / ΔC. That's why it's a lot lower than the X52. You're paying 3 times at much for nearly the same cooling performance.
 
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