There have been many discussions on the interwebs of whether or not traditional air cooling is efficient enough and if it can provide enough performance or if water cooling can supersede it and offer things that air cooling just can’t. Noise, power draw, reliability, performance and pure price are among common categories mentioned in these discussions. The camps are still divided but the manufacturers aim at the middle and hopefully will change that. A few years ago we started seeing hybrid all-in-one liquid cooling kits showing up on the market. The first models where still very closely related to traditional water cooling; however, soon after we started seeing more complete and pre-assembled kits taking over. And the benchmarking wars began.

Testing liquid and water cooling devices is rather different from testing air cooling devices. There are different things to consider and focus on. As we primarily focused on air cooling in this section, devices like the Antec KÜHLER H₂O 920 are difficult to pin against traditional water cooling or air cooling as it is very difficult to accomplish a level playing field. However, we would like to like to see how well they perform and how well they perform compared to air coolers.

Antec explored the opportunity in a new market as well and developed the Antec KÜHLER H₂O 920. The cooler was released January 2011 and is what we will be reviewing today. The Antec KÜHLER H₂O 620 is the little brother of the Antec KÜHLER H₂O 920. The Antec KÜHLER H₂O 620 was released in April 2011 and we will also be reviewing it soon.

This type of hybrid cooler, if you even can call it that, has gained interest in the enthusiast market and grabbed a foothold quickly. They resemble a water cooling system much more then a air cooling system but they are less complex from a user standpoint. Because of the size and simplicity they usually resemble the performance of an air cooler much closer, So far.

The Antec KÜHLER H₂O 920 separates itself from the field with a rich feature set. We will get into more detail about those features along the way but for now, lets get started with a little into who Antec is and hear what they say about the KÜHLER H₂O 920:

About Antec

Antec, Inc. is the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets. Founded in 1986, Antec is recognized as a pioneer in the industry and has maintained its position as a worldwide market leader and international provider of quiet, efficient and innovative products. Antec has also achieved great success in the distribution channel, meeting the demands of quality-conscious system builders, VARs and integrators.

The Antec KÜHLER H₂O 920 provides maximum-performance liquid cooling for your CPU in a quick, easy-to-install package. Unlike traditional liquid cooling systems, this self-contained unit comes prefilled and requires zero maintenance. The dual 120 mm Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) fans and 3rd generation copper coldplate ensure quiet, efficient cooling, while the 49 mm thick radiator is equipped to handle the highest performing CPUs on the market. Lastly, the included software helps you monitor and control the KÜHLER H₂O 920’s performance and allows you to customize its stylish RGB LED. Designed to unlock the maximum potential of your CPU, the Antec KÜHLER H₂O 920 delivers exceptional cooling when you need it the most.

Features:

• Included software provides essential tools to control and monitor the KÜHLER H₂O 920
• Non-corrugated easy-bend tubes for maximum flexibility in radiator positioning
• Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) radiator fans
• Customizable RGB LED creates brilliant illumination
• Cooling Liquid – Safe, environmentally-friendly, anti-corrosive
• Copper Micro-Channel cold plate
• 25,000 hours (MTTF)
• LGA 2011 compatible

Supported Sockets:

*Intel LGA 2011 Mounting bracket is now included

Next: Unboxing, Packaging and Accessories

Packaging:

Specifications and Features:

Next: A look at the Antec Three Hundred Two

Packaging:

Specifications:

Next: A look at the Sentey GS-6500 Burton

Packaging:

Specifications and Features:

Next: A look at the NZXT ZERO 2

I hope you like pictures because I am bringing a lot for you to look at. Lets get started with the massive PSU and all the glory that is 1200w!

Features:

• PowerCache™, a high-performance capacitor that delivers an extra power reserve when and where users need it most
• NVIDIA™ SLI™ – ready certified and ATI CrossFire™ certified
• 80PLUS® Silver Certified – 85% or more efficiency at 20%, 50%, and 100% load
• Designed to support quad core, Core i7 and Core i5 CPUs, quad GPUs
• Six 12V output circuits and DC to DC Voltage Regulator Modules ensure supreme system stability
• 80mm cooling fan uses Pulse Width Modulation for whisper-quiet operation
• Advanced sleeved cable management improves airflow and reduces clutter
• Gold plated connectors for superior conductivity
• Industrial grade protection: OVP (Over Voltage Protection), UVP (Under Current Protection), SCP (Short Circuit Protection), and OCP (Over Current Protection)
• Universal Input and Active PFC allow the Quattro to operate efficiently on any power grid in the world
• Approvals: UL, CUL, FCC, TTüVV, CE, C-tick, CCC, CB, BSMI
• Unit Dimensions:
  - 3.4″ (H) x 5.9″ (W) x 7.9″ (D)
  - 86mm (H) x 150mm (W) x 200mm (D)
• Package Dimensions:
  - 9.4″ (H) x 12.4″ (W) x 5.3″ (D)
  - 240mm (H) x 315mm (W) x 135mm (D)
• Net Weight: 7.0 lbs / 2.72 kg
• Gross Weight: 10.0 lbs / 4.53 kg

Output Voltage Range / MAXReg.OCP Set / PointRipple / Noise

+3.3V, +5V max. load: 170W

+12V1, 12V2, 12V3, 12V4, 12V5, 12V6 max. load: 100A

The continuous maximum total output power shall not exceed 1200W.

Input:

With only being able to look the Antec 1200w over, since it is not ready to be installed yet, I can just give a little info on it.

With everyone these days overclocking everything and running SLI/Crossfire or even tri and quad SLI/Crossfire. People are starting to pay more attention to the efficiency of their power supplies and how they handle different load types. This Antec TPQ model is 80PLUS Silver Certified (85% or more efficiency at 20%, 50%, and 100% load) Which makes this an extremely efficient power supply, and does not matter what kind of load the PSU is under.

You also may have noticed above the modular spots have stickers as a little guide to what to plug into each section. It is a nice addition to the power supply and will help take the guessing work out of where you need to plug hardware into. This will be greatly appreciated by a user who is not well read up on PSU’s and the multiple rail system.

One thing I was not super impressed with was the cable sleeving. It looks very half assed and for the price you pay on this unit I expect better. Also, the sleeving itself is not the greatest. Yes it helps with the aesthetic value of somewhat hiding the wire colors, but the sleeving is cheap and pretty much see through. I have seen a lot better sleeving on a lot cheaper units. With the money you dish out for this unit I do not see why they could not up the quality of the sleeving, e.g., Murdermod sleeving.

Now doesn’t that look so much better than what you see from Antec. If they used quality sleeving, I am sure it would help boost sales and win customers over who are on the border of buying the PSU. Another thing that annoys me is the fact they did not even complete the sleeving into the casing itself. They left it dangling at different lengths outside the PSU casing, and it looks atrocious.

Overall, other than the crap cable sleeving, I am happy with this unit. Once I can run further tests I can be a little more help with this power supply. I am really pleased with the solid feel of all the cables and the unit itself. It seems very well put together and the paint job is a nice touch!