NZXT Kraken 62 Review

I use the X61 and am very happy with its low noise and cooling performance, so I look forward to building a future system with this new version.

One thing worth mentioning about the CAM software is, that you can switch it to night mode and get a pleasant grey-orange UI.

Naming the review Kraken 62 instead of X62, doesn't it make it drop down the results on Google's search?

 

I need your opinion, Hilbert. Would you go for H110i, NH-D15 or Predator 360 + gpu block? The priority here is the noise.
My next build will be 6700k or zen plus vega. Currently owning a 2500k plus a FuryX.


P.S. Nice review, thanks.

 

The predator 360 won't be enough for a single loop on the CPU + GPU(considering it will be a full block), if you value noise.

 

looks wicked! Infinity mirrors are going to be a trend I suppose, just look at the In-Win 805 popularity!

I never bothered that much for a killer CPU, running an older i5 with standard air-cooler, but this thing might change that for my next build. I wonder if at some point they'll release these excluding fans, so you can install ones of your own preference. I wonder how these stack up against Corsair's SP and ML series.

edit: actually, this + lower end Ryzen does sound very tempting. :eyebrows:

 

After my fiasco with Predator 280 (3 defective units in a row) i was considering this Kraken X62, but if i can't use it without CAM software the i pass by.
That software skyrockets kernel timer latency.

 

I run a 360 on my 4790k with a 980 on a single loop, no issues with cooling performance and if you swap the fans out with some Noctua fans it will be pretty much silent and you could even do a push/pull config so the fans won't need to work as hard and the EK has the benefit of being fully expandable.

AIO coolers are good, I've had the H100 and before that the Coolit Vantage but the fact that they are closed loops to me the EK is the better option.

 

Hi there

If you are looking to cool CPU and GPU in one loop then EK Predator 360 should do job,but as above they tend to have few issues with earlier revisions,new revision seems is bit better

Second option I would have look on Swiftech H320 X2 Prestige,this one is very popular and performance is somewhere above EK 360 and using very nice fans from Noiseblocker which are very nice and quiet fans

And regarding the air cooling,this depends on yours case etc,personally running NH-D15,but have swapped fans for TY-143 or TY-147A,just due I don't like sound signature of the A15 fans,these fans are very quiet in region 800-950RPM,above that at 1100-1200RPM you will definitely hear them and at full RPM,they're noisy

I would have look on NH-D15S or D14 and slap there one extra fan or have look on TY-147A fans,these fans are 600-1300RPM but they're very quiet fans at full RPM

Other option is BeQuiet Dark Rock 3,Cryorig R1 Ultimate and Phanteks 14PE which are very comparable to D15,all depends on budget

AIO or CLC getting,been there,pump failure first time on H100i V2 then on EVGA Hybrid

Hope this helps and best of luck there

Thanks,Jura

Hi there

I assume you have first revision of the EK Predator,friend have same issue

And regarding the NZXT Cam SW,I would check this SW,this SW should be able control fans and control the pump

http://rh-software.com/

I've tested that with my old H100i V2 and with NZXT as well there

Hope this helps

Thanks,Jura

 

I like aesthetics but I'm a bit lazy so I love a sweet looking AIO solution.

 

These are pretty expensive though, even for here. They're around AUS$239. The Corsair H110i is around AUS$80 less. The Noctua NH-D15 costs less than half that.

I guess if you had the money...

If it weren't so comparatively expensive, at least here, I would recommend it in a heartbeat. They are great coolers, but the typical person will buy what they perceive as the best value. NZXT do not have the branding that Corsair has, and although I believe this is undoubtedly a much better cooler, it really is just in the realms of a specialist product, not just a mild-enthusiast product.

 

I use that SW mainly, works great and offers me great monitoring features which I prefer

Previously I uninstalled all Corsair SW and used only this SW mainly

Hope this helps

Thanks, Jura

 

It will plenty enough if you value noise.

I have the Predator 280+gpu block and it is virtually no noise at all.

Gtx 980TI +i5 3770K both overclocked and temps are respectively 50-55 on the gpu and 50ish on the cpu at load. I set the fanprofile myself for low noise and still the temps are nice.

 

Picked it up because of your review, and yeah, definitely a solid piece of hardware rather dragged down by a shockingly inferior software. I wouldn't even mind the online issue if it was stable and reliable, but it's not - that CAM garbage doesn't keep settings, it doesn't load all too often, it may load but does not recognize the hardware it is supposed to manage (to remedy this, I have to reboot the system, which always results in the CAM settings -fans, pump, lights- resetting to default), and the NZXT support site is full of consistently and intelligently reported problems (such as those I mentioned above, and a few others). I regret buying this now, knowing that the Corsair I was pinning this up against would have been more or less the same, but without the garbage CAM software.

 

Nice review, really interested in audio levels from coolers, couldnt really care about flashing lights.

Had a BeQuiet Dark rock 3 pro, then thinking that it'd be cool to have a water cooler purchased a H100i v2. Oh boy...
The dark rock did it's job and was whisper quiet most of the time, even when gaming, I barely noticed the sound, that said I also use a Bequiet 800 series case, for further dampening, so hard to tell exactly, though i'd hear my gpu more often than anything.

What however has made me hate all in one water coolers, is the stupid revving up of the fans. It's horrendous, all quiet then suddenly taking off, then it cuts then it's back to full wack.
Yes you can set a custom curve and yes i did that, but i found i was getting some strange vibrations from the stock fans at low to mid speeds, resulting in a low brrrrr sound all the time.
I ended up replacing the stock fans with 2x BL064 (BeQuiet Silent wings 3 fans) I chose these over others as i can set them at a static speed and they stay at that speed without any annoying revving. That said at £23 each they're not cheap.
I'm impressed by the noise levels this achieves however, and should (when) my h100i goes to silicon heaven then it'll be on the list.

The only positive thing i had with the H100i was it was easier to install than my dark rock 3 (which nearly got thrown at a wall during the install), however they've apparently fixed that issue with recent models

 

An excellent candidate to replace my corsair h110gt