Corsair H100 Alternatives?

[Jakg]

Short version:
I've got a Corsair H100. It's dead. I need to get a replacement. From what I've seen on the internet, I'm not the first person to have a H100 fail, so I'd like to try something different. Suggestions?

Long version:
I've got a 3770k running at 4.8 GHz at 1.28v-ish, it makes quite a bit of heat. I bought an H100 and fitted some push / pull fans (4x 120mm Zalman ZM-F3 fans) with shrouds and lapped it, which kept it cool enough whilst still being relatively quiet
Unfortunately, the H100 has died - the lights on the unit don't work, the fan controller is only running one fan and the pump doesn't appear to be working. I'll be swapping back to the stock cooler later today but I somehow doubt I'll be able to keep at 4.8 GHz with the stock cooler!

I need to get a replacement. From Googling my problem it seems i'm not the only one with problems with an H100, so I'd like to avoid it again if possible. But I need something that cools at least as well as it does now (and of course ideally, better).

I've had a look around and so far I've found a refurbished H100 (it's only £46, so cheap but I'm scared it'll break again), H100i (could try to pick one up on eBay, doesn't appear to cool much better but a different pump gives me more confidence) or the Swiftech H220 (which looks to be the best but is expensive).

Case is a Coolermaster ATCS 840 which is absolutely massive so (hopefully) space isn't such a problem - it can have up two 3 120mm fans in the top or a radiator mounted in place (terrible pictures but you get the idea).

Don't want to spend *too* much but it depends what's out there. Suspect with the cooling requirements it'll have to be watercooling, but I really want to stick with a sealed system for cost and lack of maintenance.

Full pc specs.

Suggestions?

[Apex]

Silverstone TD03
http://www.silverstonetek.com/produc...id=398&area=en

or Silverstone TD02
http://www.silverstonetek.com/produc...id=404&area=en

Spring to mind; but there are plenty AIO coolers these days, depends what you are trying to do.

[malfunction]

I doubt you need water cooling - at least not from an all in one water cooler, as the top end air coolers are usually in the same ball park, e.g.



(as taken from here)

[Meatfish]

I would get a high end Air cooler as there is very little that can go wrong and you will get at least the same performance. If you have some cash lying around get a Noctua NH-D14 or a Prolimatech Megahalem. The bonus here is you will be able to recycle them for years -the only parts that might go wrong are the fans and these are easily replaceable. Get quiet fans and there will be no difference in noise either. If you are broke, just pick up a used Thermalright 120 Ultra Extreme. I lapped one of these recently for an AMD build and it is still a great cooler. My other (unlapped) one keeps an old i7 920 @3.8 under 70 degrees C when running Intelburntest.

[Kiyam]

Like Meatfish said, I would probably go for an air-cooler, the ones he has suggested are great, and there's also a newer companies Phanteks PH-TC14PE, I have one of the companies other CPU coolers and I have to say it's running great so far

link to a review with a Corsair H100 comparison on it: http://www.legitreviews.com/phanteks...er-review_1759

[Jakg]

An update to this.

I bought the Coolermaster 240M and fitted it. It was ok. Quieter than my H100, but didn't cool as well - in fact it got a bit too hot for my liking, but I put up with it.

I posted my H100 back, but it'd been lapped, I bought it second hand, had no receipt and I had no fans. I didn't expect to get anything, but for the sake of postage (which was £12 to NL!) I thought I'd try.

...the other day a brand new H100i (!) turned up. Very impressed. Fitted it, cools brilliantly and looks cool, too. Slightly noisier, but better performance. Can't fault Corsair here at all!

[vinnyT]

Excellent result, esp. as you had no reasonable expectation of a replacement, great customer service.