DeepCool GamerStorm Captain 240 All-in-One Liquid CPU Cooler
Final Thoughts about the GamerStorm Deepcool
At the stock frequency and voltage, the Captain 240 handled itself fairly well. While it did not lead the pack in terms of performance, it did not fall flat and end up in last place. Cranking the i7-4770K to 4.5 GHz and ramping the voltage up to 1.25v tells a different story. There is a considerable difference in average temperatures. I was a little surprised at the noise the pump makes while running. While not terribly annoying or distracting, it is noticeable. The pump speed stays fairly constant with a variance of plus or minus of 100 RPM.
The reactor-style design of the pump glows while powered on. The subtle glow is just enough to cast red light on the components housed inside the case and not be annoyingly bright to beam through the case window.
Old-School water coolers will tell you that radiators with a high FPI (Fins-Per-Inch) a high static air pressure fan is needed to maximize cooling. At 2200 RPM, the DeepCool fans are able to generate 3.71mm H2O whereas the Twister Storm fans generate 2.52 mm H2O at 1500 RPM and 6.9 mm H2O at 2500 RPM. I believe this is the case here as well. The higher-pressure fans showed a good performance increase over the stock fans but at a cost of more fan noise. Manufactures are always trying to balance noise and performance.
As one of the few non Asetek AIO coolers I have tested, I was pleased to see more metal in the installation kit. The metal parts tend to last quite a bit longer than their plastic counter parts when it comes to removing and re-installing the cooler. Less flex and a reduced chance of stripping screw threads are another benefit to having a metal back plate and mounting hardware and ensure the CPU block is firmly seated atop the heat spreader on the CPU.
Overall, the DeepCool GamerStorm Captain 240 performed fairly well. At $109.99, the Captain 240 is well within the price range of similar coolers. Prices tend to range from about $95 – $135. Price to performance ratio is slightly better than the Captain 360 that we reviewed not too long ago here.
If you are looking to move from an air cooler to an All-in-One style unit and are running stock to a mild overclock, the Captain 240 should be a consideration. Those that push their CPUs further should take note and prepare to swap the included fans.
Pros:
- Stock CPU frequency and voltage performance
- Metal mounting parts allow for many removals and re-installs.
- No interference issues with memory slots or PCI-E slots.
- Refreshingly unique reactor-style pump design
- PWM Fan hub included
Cons
- Overclocked performance with included fans
- Not upgradeable without modding
[sc:recommended_hardware_award ]
