ID-COOLING ICEKIMO 240W AIO CPU Cooler Review

Introduction & Closer Look

ID-Cooling is a name on the rise in the CPU cooling market and they have been no stranger to us here at Play3r. They recently sent us in one of their latest and greatest 240mm AIO CPU liquid coolers for testing, the ID-Cooling ICEKIMO 240W which has a rather sleek look and unique design; it’s all white! When they announced the ICEKIMO 240W back in September of last year (2016), I just knew I had to have one as, like many people, I am a huge fan of white components; there is just a certain look to be had with them.

So taking a look at the ID-Cooling ICEKIMO 240W featuring an all-white design; if you’re not a fan of the white colour scheme, ID-Cooling do a very good range called the FrostFlow which we previously took a look at HERE! The radiator itself is 240mm so if you’re looking at purchasing this cooler, make sure your case is compatible and has room for installation.

The ICEKIMO 240W sports a very unique CPU block and pump combination; this actually has a white LED which isn’t customisable, but it does look very good in my opinion. The included pump features a ceramic bearing and operates at a maximum speed of 2500RPM. This is a relatively powerful pump and coming in acoustically at 25dB according to official specifications, this is also decent from ID-Cooling.

The dimensions of the block are 68x68x35.6mm, so memory clearance shouldn’t be an issue when using this particular CPU cooler. The ID-COOLING ICEKIMO 240W has support for all the major Intel and AMD sockets (not AM4 unfortunately). They are as follows:

Intel

LGA2011/1150/1151/1155/1156

AMD

FM2+/FM2/FM1/AM3+/AM3/AM2+/AM2

In terms of hose length from the radiator to the CPU block, there is 315mm of length between the two components. This hosing is white in colour which matches the overall aesthetic of the ICEKIMO 240W and is very smooth and flexible; not as tough as some other AIO CPU coolers on the market.

ID-Cooling have included 2 x 120mm white LED fans which operate between 700 and 1500RPM, perfect for low noise situations, but with a rated airflow of 62CFM, have enough performance to keep the fluid cool.

Specifications

Thermal Performance

Since our previous cooling reviews prior to November 2016, we have decided to update the method accordingly for better and consistent results. It isn’t ideal running Prime95 for a prolonged period of time and if you get called away to do something, it could be left running for much longer than needed. Our new methodology involves running a very stressful multi-threaded performance benchmark called ROG RealBench.

It should also be noted that the reason we omit acoustic/noise testing is due to an inaccuracy within the readings and method. To provide truly accurate readings, you need a lab setting with the same ambient noise on an hour by hour, day by day and week by week basis. As ambient noise can increase at different times of the day, we believe that it’s pointless providing noise testing if we can’t measure consistent and accurate data due to our office being a busy setting.

Test Setup

CPU – Intel Core i7 6700k – (4.2GHz at 1.25v & 4.5GHz at 1.38v)
Motherboard – ASUS Z170 Maximus Hero Alpha
GPU – ASUS GTX 1060 STRIX
RAM – Crucial Ballistix 3000MHz 32GB (4x8GB)
PSU – be quiet! 850w Dark Power Pro 11
SSD – Crucial MX300 525GB SSD
Case – Cooler Master Test Bench V2

Idle Testing Methodology

To test each cooler at idle, the minimum temperature is taken after leaving the PC with only start-up programs on Windows 10 being allowed to run for 5 minutes. After this, the minimum temperature with the core temperature being offset against the room temperature; thus achieving delta.

Load Testing Methodology

To load test, we run RealBench while selecting the heavy multitasking benchmark only. We run this a maximum of 3 times concurrently and the maximum temperature recorded is taken. This temperature is deducted from the current room temperature and our final delta temperature is provided.

Results

The above results show that the ICEKIMO 240W and the FrostFlow 240L (both from ID-COOLING) perform pretty identical which isn’t a bad thing by any means necessary. The ICEKIMO 240W sits at the top of our refreshed CPU cooling graphs currently at load by a single degree.

Conclusion

So the conclusion…the ICEKIMO 240W AIO CPU cooler has been on the test bench, tested, results taken and now it’s time to discuss whether or not this cooler is naff, or it’s a bit of all-white (sorry for my bad pun).

ID-COOLING are a brand on the rise, with even more retailers (especially within the UK) starting to widely stock their ranges. This is a very well deserved move in my opinion and I have to say, I have found it hard to fault the ICEKIMO 240W. The performance shown in the above testing puts it on par with ID-COOLING’s FrostFlow 240L; they are nearly identical in the specification so it shouldn’t be such a big surprise. As we test more coolers on our current cooling test bench and expand the range of coolers this year, I can’t see many other 240mm AIO coolers that look as good as the ICEKIMO does knock it off the top spot anytime soon. I would love to be wrong though as greater competition = more viable choices for you, the consumer.

Focusing on design here for a moment, if you’re a huge fan of white PC components then you aren’t exactly spoiled for choice; this makes this particular cooler very popular indeed. The overall aesthetic of the cooler itself is good, but I have to say that personally, I’m not a huge fan of the inability to change the LED of the CPU block; it’s simply a static light. Other than that, the design is pretty unique and unique is usually great for a brand looking to make a statement; ID-COOLING certainly has in my opinion.

Current availability however for this white AIO CPU cooler is pretty dire and the only place I could find that is stocking this after 5 minutes was ID-COOLING’s store on eBay; not everyone uses eBay so it does limit a number of people that can purchase this, in the UK at least. £79.99 isn’t a bad price and with it being one of the only white AIO coolers on the market, it will demand a slightly higher cost than most. Price wise it’s competitive with other 240mm AIO CPU coolers on the market, but Antec and Cooler Master have 240mm variations at a relatively cheaper price.

If you’re in the market for a new cooler for your processor and white is a preference, the ID-COOLING ICEKIMO 240W is an absolutely superb option in my opinion and if the design is one you like or admire, then it’s obviously perfect for you. If you’re on a tight budget however, you may fare better with another brand.

Huge thanks to ID-COOLING for sending the ICEKIMO 240W in for review.