icue h150i elite lcd display liquid cpu cooler review quotation

Corsair knows a thing or two about making decent all-in-one liquid CPU coolers and the company has launched a new range of iCUE Elite LCD solutions for Intel and AMD processors. Available as the Corsair H100i Elite LCD, H150i Elite LCD, and H170i Elite LCD, today we"re taking a look at the H150i Elite LCD.

Each CPU cooler comes rocking a 2-inch IPS display that can display temperature readings and more. Corsair bundles the latest ML RGB Elite fans (in 120mm and 140mm flavors), creating quite the compelling range of coolers to go up against heated competition from NZXT, ASUS, and other manufacturers.

Starting from $260 for the Corsair H100i Elite LCD, these aren"t affordable solutions to cool your processor. Is the Corsair H150i Elite LCD worthy of a spot in our best CPU coolers collection?

Bottom line: Corsair"s H150i Elite LCD may be seriously expensive, but this AIO cooler is capable of handling even enthusiast-grade processors without breaking a sweat.

Prices for the Corsair iCUE Elite LCD AIO coolers start from $250 for the 240mm H100i Elite LCD. The H150i Elite LCD we"re reviewing today costs $280-290, which is a substantial amount of money for a CPU cooler, even if it"s an AIO with a 360mm radiator and three premium 120mm fans.

There has always been a premium feel for enjoying the luxury of all-in-one liquid cooling performance compared to air coolers. Corsair"s range isn"t priced out of the competition either. When the 360mm NZXT Kraken Z73 originally launched, it was priced at $280. Corsair does offer some advantages with an IPS display and high-end fans.

Corsair includes everything you"ll require to get up and running, including the pump/radiator, three 120mm ML Elite fans, iCUE COMMANDER CORE RGB and fan controller hub, and a bag of mounting accessories. The iCUE COMMANDER CORE is one powerful hub alone, allowing you to hook up to six RGB channels and fans.Corsair"s iCUE H150i Elite LCD AIO looks the part with its gorgeous IPS display.

It"s possible to connect the three ML Elite fans to your motherboard to let it handle curves and the like, but I"d recommend using the iCUE COMMANDER CORE since you"re going to want to install and use the software to manage the IPS display. If you"ve installed and used an AIO cooler before, you"ll know precisely how everything works with the H150i Elite LCD.

Corsair includes mounting accessories for Intel and AMD (including Threadripper) processors. The fans can be attached to the radiator on either side, depending on how you plan to install the AIO inside the best PC case. Interestingly, the plastic shroud with the IPS display can be detached from the main water block to make installation easier.

The Corsair H150i Elite LCD is more than enough for the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X as the chart below shows, making it overkill for a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor. You could get away with the smaller H100i Elite LCD for anything below an Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 CPU. A temperature reading of 56 C on an overclocked Ryzen 9 5950X is a solid score.

The pump is silent in both silent and balanced modes, though you will notice some whine when pushing it to full speed. The same goes for the three ML Elite fans that are fairly quiet until you really ramp up the system load on the CPU. When joined by a few more case fans, you"ll not endure any additional noise with a good pair of headphones on.

This is one expensive piece of tech. Corsair threw a lot into the H150 Elite LCD box, including premium ML Elite fans and a fan/RGB controller hub. The pump and fans are excellent in keeping powerful processors cooled, but you"ll want to mess around with the various settings using iCUE software to really make the most of this AIO cooler.

There are numerous liquid coolers available for both Intel and AMD processors. Displays are becoming a more common sight on water blocks too. Corsair has always produced some of the best fans on the market and pairing them up with a radiator and reliable pump is a sure way of creating a powerful AIO cooler.

A close contender for the Corsair Elite LCD series is the Kraken range from NZXT. If you"re after a white AIO cooler, NZXT may have just what you"re searching for, but both solutions are extremely good with the latest processors. The decision largely boils down to personal tastes in design and how much you"re willing to spend.

Whether you should buy the Corsair H150i Elite LCD depends on a few things. Firstly, you need to be comfortable spending $300 on a CPU cooler. Then you need to have a powerful enough processor to take advantage of the 360mm radiator and thermal cooling capacity. Finally, you need to be running an OS that supports Corsair"s iCUE software to manage the IPS display.

While it"s only available in black, the H150i Elite LCD is gorgeous. The 2-inch IPS display is great for displaying temperatures or animated images. The three included 120mm ML Elite fans are incredible too. They"re capable of pushing volumes of air through the radiator and the latest pump from Corsair is quiet yet powerful.

Whether you"re using an overclocked Intel Core i5-12600K or AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, you"re going to have an easy time keeping the processor cooled. Playing games or running synthetic benchmarks and stress tests, the Corsair H150i Elite LCD is more than happy to keep temperatures low enough without making too much noise.

Bottom line: In terms of performance alone, the Corsair H150i Elite LCD is an incredible piece of kit. It will happily keep an overclocked Intel Core i5-12600K or AMD Ryzen 9 5950X cool enough under load.

Corsair recently introduced its new iCUE Elite LCD Display Liquid CPU Coolers. All three of these new coolers, the H100i Elite LCD, H150i Elite LCD, and H170i Elite LCD, are equipped with a 2.1-inch IPS screen that can be adjusted to display PC monitoring statistics (such as CPU temps, coolant temps, fan speeds, and system temperatures), as well as photos and animated GIFs, among other things. These coolers also make use of Corsair"s latest ML RGB Elite Series fans, which provide very effective yet silent cooling. Yeah, iCue Elite LCD coolers that are equipped with a 2.1-inch IPS LCD screen for easy viewing of statistics. The screen has a resolution of 480 × 480 pixels and a refresh rate of 30 frames per second. It serves as a useful dashboard for displaying your system"s vital signs. You can, however, personalize it to your satisfaction by including a one-of-a-kind animation or even your favorite meme. The monitor also includes an LED ring with up to 24 ARGB LEDs, which can be controlled using the Corsair iCue software included with the display.

Added into the mix are Corsair ML RGB Elite series fans power the iCue Elite LCD coolers, which provide reduced friction and noise while also providing enhanced performance and durability when compared to ordinary bearings. The ML120 RGB Elite and the ML140 RGB Elite have operational speeds ranging from 450 RPM to 2,000 RPM and 400 RPM to 1,600 RPM, respectively, and are available in two sizes. Eight ARGB LEDs help to distinguish the cooling fans from the rest of the room. The cooling blocks are split-flow copper cold plates based on a high-density design that has 128 micro-skived fins per inch, which allows for more efficient cooling. Pump heads for iCue Elite LCD coolers are powerful, although they produce little noise, according to the manufacturer. According to Corsair"s findings, using a liquid cooler can result in up to 13.6 percent lower processor temperatures when compared to using an air cooler. The tests were carried out on an unidentified processor under a 250W load at an ambient temperature of 27 degrees Celsius, according to the manufacturer. On the iCue Elite LCD coolers, there has no problem with socket compatibility, that"s including Alder Lake support and thus Intel"s LGA1700, LGA1200, LGA115x, LGA2066, and LGA2011 sockets, as well as AMD"s AM4, sTRX4, and TR4 sockets.

Backed by a five-year limited warranty the units do not come cheap though, the H100i Elite LCD and H150i Elite LCD will cost $259.99 and $289.99, respectively, H170i Elite LCD will; cost $309.99. Here"s something to remember though, if you already own one of the brand"s iCue Elite Capellix coolers, you may upgrade the LCD display of your CPU cooler with the iCue Elite CPU cooler LCD display upgrade kit, which costs $99.99.

We test the 360mm radiator, version 150i, which is quite powerful in cooling. It is a cooler series that is easy on the eyes and comes with a relatively tool-free installation. The unit will offer good performance, not exceptional as the key for this release are low noise levels. While we cannot recommend it for reasons we"ll explain later, you could even select an optional 0-DBA mode. As long as the coolant stays under 40 Degrees, C the fans do not spin. So without further ado, let"s have a peek at it and head onwards into the review.

TheiCUE H150i ELITE LCD CPU Coolerfrom Corsair is a powerful product that delivers excellent customised cooling. And today, we’re focusing on this specific cooler here in our Corsair H150i ELITE LCD CPU Cooler review.

The H150i ELITE is among the priciest AIO liquid coolers we’ve tried. So, we just had to see if its price is right for how it performs and what it offers.

Though we understand why it’s a bit on the pricey side since it sports customisable screens on its waterblock/pump unit. Additionally, the company also included their own Corsair iCUE Commander Core – a combination of a lighting controller and fan.

If you need this cooler or are curious about it, read our Corsair H150i ELITE LCD CPU Cooler review. Here, you will get all the necessary information you need to learn more about it. Plus, you’ll also know how it performed during our tests.

When the cooler arrived in our office, it was packed in a typical-looking cardboard box that sports an all-black theme. It’s a flip-open type so you won’t have a difficult time pulling out the product from it.

The top flip cover has “Super Chilled” written on it, as well as the name of the unit inside. On each side of the box, an image of the cooler is displayed with all of its LEDs shining. Again, you’ll find the product’s name written on the sides.

Together with the cooler, you’ll also find a mounting kit for all current CPU sockets. Then, there are three ML ELITE RGB PWM 120mm fans, fan & radiator mounting screws, and a pre-applied thermal compound.

The H150i ELITE sports a 2.1” IPS screen that you can adjust. Doing this showcases PC monitoring statistics like CPU temps, fan speed, and coolant temps. It also displays animated GIFs and photos, among other things.

We love how the cooler looks, especially with its stealthy black theme. Then, the inclusion of an LCD screen lets you customise your PC further, making the build ultimately yours.

Its LCD has a 480 x 480 resolution while its refresh rate is 30 fps. The LCD screen works as a convenient dashboard to display the vital signs of your system.

When we speak of customising your PC using the LCD screen, you’re allowed to add unique animation to it. If not, you can even use your favourite meme for customisation.

The screen even includes a LED ring that has up to 24 ARGB LED lights. These can be managed via the iCUE software from Corsair which is included with the display.

You’ll find a little mirrored logo of Corsair at the centre of the right and left side of the radiator. It’s a nice and attractive touch to the cooler’s all-black theme.

We like that the right-angled couplers connecting the tubes to the CPU block swing around with ease. And speaking of its tubes, these are flexible enough which is convenient especially when you’re faced with challenging installation scenarios.

The ML RGB ELITE Series fans power this cooler while offering decreased friction and noise. Simultaneously, it even offers optimised performance and durability compared to regular bearings.

The H150i ELITE features a 2.1” LCD screen with an ultra-bright 600cd/m² backlight. Here, you can use pre-installed screens and lighting profiles, or upload animated images.

The low-noise pump of the H150i ELITE ensures you can take advantage of every MHz of compatible CPUs. It prevents thermal throttling to avoid sacrificing your system’s performance.

All Elite LCD coolers come with an iCUE Commander Core hub for controlling fan speeds and lighting your fans. This turns your chassis into a smart case.

Each of the all-new ML RGB ELITE fans features eight RGB LEDs. It uses the AirGuide technology channel airflow to deliver high CPU cooling performance.

The H150i ELITE’s cold plate features an optimal design with a high-density stack of 128 micro-skived fins-per-inch. With this, you can ensure efficient cooling at all loads.

Like other ELITE LCD coolers, the H150i ELITE comes with complete mounting hardware. It’s readily compatible with modern platforms including AMD AM4, Intel LGA 1200, and Intel LGA 1700.

This section of our Corsair H150i ELITE LCD CPU Cooler review is all about the product’s specifications. And for starters, we appreciate Corsair for including a 5-year cooling warranty on the H150i ELITE.

The screen size is 2.1” while native and max resolutions are both 480 x 480. Its refresh rate is 30Hz and its fans dimensions are 120 x 25mm. Additionally, there are a total of three fans here and the model is the ML ELITE Series.

For those wondering about its peak brightness, it’s 600 Nit while display colours are 16.7M or 8-bit RGB. The technology used for its display is IPS and its surface is a glossy display which is really good.

This is the most important part of our Corsair H150i ELITE LCD CPU Cooler review since we’re discussing its performance. We tested the cooler for over a week and we’ll share our experience when we used it.

The Corsair iCUE app is currently in its fourth version. This universal software suite is where you monitor variables like component temperatures and the fans’ RPM. Also, it’s where you can customise RGB lighting, control fan RPM, and adjust other settings.

When selecting LED control, you can program the H150i ELITE’s RGB lit Corsair logo and ring. There are a lot of colours available and effects include static, blink, colour pulse, colour shift, rainbow, and temperature. If you don’t want any of these, you can switch the effects off instead.

Installing the H150i ELITE was quick and easy since it followed most of the standard AIO installation processes. However, it’s good to note that the chosen orientation will slightly alter the installation process.

Though with huge radiators like those measuring 360 or 420mm, the process can get a bit tricky. But with the help of the H150i’s LCD, things got a lot easier, especially with its square design.

In silent and balanced modes, the pump was completely quiet. Like the three ML RGB ELITE fans, it only made a little noise when we ramped up the system load.

AIO coolers like H150i ELITE cost a lot and are designed for high-end custom PCs. This CPU cooler from Corsair is a well-rounded product with a great design and superior performance.

The H150i ELITE may be expensive, but it’s capable of handling the temperatures of enthusiast-grade processors. Throughout our tests for our Corsair H150i ELITE LCD CPU Cooler review, we didn’t see any issues. It delivered excellent cooling even under heavy loads while operating quietly.

Overall, the H150i ELITE is an excellent cooler and we highly recommend it if you want to overclock your processor. It’s also best for power-hungry processors that easily get hot under heavy loads.

Here at TBG, we have a thing for coolers. We’ve tested well over six dozen at this point, of all types, from low-profile to towers to big liquid models. In fact, we’ve conducted multiple shootouts for each of these categories, which we believe gives our audience a much better understanding of the market than one-off reviews do. But occasionally we’ll still do a single-product review if we think it will build on a recent shootout, and that brings us to Corsair’s H150i Elite LCD.

Back when we tested the Corsair H150i Pro RGB XT, we mentioned that if Corsair could tweak the fans a bit, it might be able to reestablish itself as a true leader in the liquid cooling market that it pioneered. And lo and behold, buried way down on the spec sheet for the Elite LCD are brand-new fans!

That, dear readers, is why we decided to test this cooler, not the snazzy LCD screen on the pump (which we will obviously be showing off). The Elite LCD is in fact the first cooler to feature the new ML120 RGB Elite fans, which are a major revision of the original ML120 and ML120 RGB fans.  While the basic 7-blade design remains, the shape of those blades is slightly different, and more importantly, the frame has been completely redesigned. One other notable update: every Elite LCD includes an Intel Socket 1700 adapter, which will be music to the ears of Intel 12th-Gen early-adopters.

But how does the Elite LCD perform? Only testing will tell us, so let’s jump into it! As always, thanks to Corsair for providing a sample of the Corsair’s H150i Elite LCD for review.

As with all of our reviews going forward, this review appears exclusively on YouTube, which you can see below. Not only do we provide details on what comes in the box and dive into some benchmarks, but we also show you what the Elite LCD looks like in action!

With that said, a few things stand in the way of total domination. First, of course, is the price. If you don’t want the snazzy screen, you probably shouldn’t be paying for it, right? We just hope that Corsair updates it’s other AIO coolers with the improved ML120 fans on the Elite LCD. Even then, the ML120 fan blade design still holds back the cooler slightly versus the best rad-specific fan designs, and the CoolIt pump is not quite as sublime as what Arctic provides (although it’s at least on par with Asetek designs). But the Elite LCD has enough going for it that other manufacturers can’t provide that we’ll give Corsair a pass on all that and bestow it with our recommended award!

As always, for all of our recommended coolers and fans, check out our CPU Cooler and Fan Buyer’s Guide, updated quarterly to bring you the most up-to-date buying advice!

As always, we"ll start things off by testing things at full speed/performance. Our maximum speed testing is performed with both the fans and the pump powered via a 12V DC source. This input voltage should have the pump and fans matching the speed ratings of the manufacturer. According to Corsair’s specifications, the MagLev fans included with the H150i Elite Capellix should have a rotational speed of 2400 RPM. Our tachometer indicated that the fans were rotating at an average speed of 2370 RPM, very close to their rated specifications.

The Corsair H150i Elite Capellix seems to be getting the best thermal performance out of every similarly sized AIO cooler that we have tested to this date, outperforming NZXT’s X73 by a whisker. The performance seems to be fairly stable across most of the load range, offering predictable performance regarding of the load, with the exception of very low loads where the temperature difference is far too small for appropriate heat transfer between the mediums.

The average thermal resistance of 0.0704 °C/W is impressive but users need to keep in mind that this performance comes with the fans rotating at their maximum speed. With the powerful fans of the H150i Elite Capellix, this results to a sound pressure level of 43 dB(A), a relatively high figure for a CPU cooler.

Using a PWM voltage regulator, we reduced the speed of the fans manually down to half their rated speed. At this setting, the 120 mm MagLev fans of the H150i Elite Capellix rotate at 1220 RPM. Since the pump’s speed cannot be controlled directly, we had the Commander CORE module attached to a PC and set the pump to operate in its “Quiet” mode while testing.

When it comes to thermal resistance, Corsair’s latest AIO cooler initially seems to be slightly outperforming all of the 360 mm coolers that we have tested to this date. The average thermal resistance of 0.0808 °C/W is almost identical to the figures we received from the recently released NZXT X73, with Corsair’s MagLev fans giving the H150i Elite Capellix a small advantage in terms of acoustics.

But if one looks at just the thermal performance charts, other implementations with significantly slower fans, including Corsair’s older H150i Pro RGB, initially seem to be performing slightly worse. A closer look reveals that the better thermal performance is due to the quick fans of the H150i Elite Capellix, resulting to significantly higher noise levels. Setting the fans to operate even slower is likely to neutralize any thermal performance advantage that the cooler has.

During our thermal resistance vs. sound pressure level test, we maintain a steady 100W thermal load and assess the overall performance of the coolers by taking multiple temperature and sound pressure level readings within the operating range of the stock cooling fans. The result is a graph that depicts the absolute thermal resistance of the cooler in comparison to the noise generated. For both the sound pressure level and absolute thermal resistance readings, lower figures are better.

This graph reveals interesting information regarding the overall performance of the H150i Elite Capellix. Although it does manage to get the best thermal performance out of every other similarly sized cooler, it can be seen that the older H150i Pro RGB actually outperforms it when taking the acoustics into account. This is because of the fast 2400 RPM fans that Corsair includes with the H150i Elite Capellix and our two-point testing methodology. Theoretically, the H150i Elite Capellix would perform identically or nearly identically with the H150i Pro RGB if both coolers were to share the same fans. It is also proof that the long and thin 360 mm radiator benefits very little from higher airflow, as its heat transfer surface is far too large to allow for significant temperature differences even if the airflow is low.

The Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE CW-9060062-WW is a Liquid CPU Cooler with 2.1-inch IPS LCD screen 480x480 resolution and ultra-bright 600cd/m² backlight. It delivers powerful, customized cooling for your CPU, with a personalized LCD screen and three cutting-edge CORSAIR ML120 RGB ELITE PWM fans.

The CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE LCD Display Liquid CPU Cooler delivers powerful, customized cooling for your CPU, with a personalized LCD screen and three cutting-edge CORSAIR ML120 RGB ELITE PWM fans.

The best performing coolers from one of the biggest names in cooling, ELITE LCD all-in-one liquid CPU coolers offer a unique window into both your PCs performance and your own style and personality.

Showcase your favorite animated GIF, funniest meme, your team"s logo, or anything you like on a custom 2.1" IPS LCD screen with 480x480 resolution and ultra-bright 600cd/m² backlight.

Each Elite LCD Cooler comes with an iCUE COMMANDER CORE that can control lighting and fan speeds of not only the included fans, but up to a total of six. Turn any case into a smart case.

All-new CORSAIR ML RGB ELITE magnetic levitation fans with eight RGB LEDs per fan and AirGuide technology channel airflow for extreme CPU cooling performance.

Each ELITE LCD cooler comes complete with all the mounting hardware you need for modern platforms, including AMD AM4 and Intel LGA 1200 and LGA 1700, and installs in just minutes.

Corsair has just launched their new Elite LCD series of All-In-One (AIO) Liquid Coolers, which have arrived in H100i, H150i and H170i flavours. The main selling point of these new Closed Loop Liquid coolers is their built-in IPS screens, but what we found more interesting is that these screens can be used to upgrade Corsair"s existing iCUE Elite Capellix CPU coolers.

With these upgrade kits, Corsair is allowing users of their existing high-end AIOs to upgrade their systems without investing in a new liquid cooling solution. Through Corsair"s iCUE software, users can control their Elite LCD and its LED lights. Corsair"s Elite LCD screen can be used to showcase useful information like fan RPMs, CPU temperatures, fan speeds, and more. Alternatively, the screen can be used to display custom images, GIFs, or logos.

COrsair"s Elite LCD AIO upgrade is a 480x480 screen that is 2.1 inches in size, uses an IPS panel and supports a 24-bit colour depth and 30 FPS content playback. The screen features a bright 600 cd/m² backlight, making it bright enough to be seen clearly beside other LED-illuminated components.

The problem with Corsair"s iCUE Elite CPU Cooler LCD upgrade kit is its pricing. With a price tag of $99.99, this product is something that only aesthetics-focused PC builders should consider. The screen itself is a gimmicky add-on, and most PC gamers would be better off investing that almost $100 on some extra SSD space or as part of a larger performance-focused upgrade.

That said, this upgrade option is for PC builders who want to build an aesthetically pleasing system and want to display system information or GIFs on their CPU coolers. When you are building systems like that, your PC"s price-to-performance ratio has already been thrown out the window. While this upgrade"s $99.9 pricing is an obvious downside for many consumers, it"s still much cheaper than investing in an all-new AIO that has one of these screens built-in.

Regardless of your thoughts on this upgrade"s pricing, it is a fascinating add-on that features some utility. It"s also nice to see Corsair"s Elite Capellex AIO users get some love with this new upgrade option.

The best performing coolers from one of the biggest names in cooling, ELITE LCD all-in-one liquid CPU coolers offer a unique window into both your PC’s performance and your own style and personality.

Showcase your favorite animated GIF, funniest meme, your team’s logo, or anything you like on a custom 2.1″ IPS LCD screen with 480×480 resolution and ultra-bright 600cd/m² backlight.

All-new CORSAIR ML RGB ELITE magnetic levitation fans with eight RGB LEDs per fan and AirGuide technology channel airflow for extreme CPU cooling performance.

Each ELITE LCD cooler comes complete with all the mounting hardware you need for modern platforms, including AMD AM4 and Intel LGA 1200 and LGA 1700, and installs in just minutes.

The best performing coolers from one of the biggest names in cooling, ELITE LCD all-in-one liquid CPU coolers offer a unique window into both your PC"s performance and your own style and personality.

Showcase your favorite animated GIF, funniest meme, your team"s logo, or anything you like on a custom 2.1" IPS LCD screen with 480x480 resolution and ultra-bright 600cd/m² backlight.

Each Elite LCD Cooler comes with an iCUE COMMANDER CORE that can control lighting and fan speeds of not only the included fans, but up to a total of six. Turn any case into a smart case.

All-new CORSAIR ML RGB ELITE magnetic levitation fans with eight RGB LEDs per fan and AirGuide technology channel airflow for extreme CPU cooling performance.

Each ELITE LCD cooler comes complete with all the mounting hardware you need for modern platforms, including AMD AM4 and Intel LGA 1200 and LGA 1700, and installs in just minutes.