CORSAIR is taking a big gamble with these two new Hydro units as the choice of the bigger 140mm fan limits the compatibility with many enclosures. Also reverting back to a previous Hydro pump design might seem awkward for many critical readers. Snooping around on forums, we spotted posts that claim that the previously tested  Hydro80/100i units have a higher build quality. The miss of the LINK software, is indeed in my book a flaw, but due the more basic design of the pump and electronics inside, the manufacturing costs are less for these 140mm versions. The failure rate is usually lower on basic components, maybe also why CORSAIR backs up these two Hydro units with a 5 year warranty.

The installation mechanism remains simple and is certified from 7 to 77 years. However due to the number of parts that need to be assembled, it takes a bit longer to get everything neatly seated inside your case.

The included FANs look a bit cheaper then those used on the Hydro80/100i versions. The plastic seems more fragile, but at the moment no failure, nor cracks have popped up. And we neither expect any issues besides dust clogging.

Time to split up the conclusion, between the two tested models:

Hydro 90:

On paper the H90 looks like a great idea. A 140mm fan, spinning at low rpm, delivering extreme cooling performance at a low noise ratio. The truth however is that this is only partly achieved. The noise factor is indeed lower then any of the previously tested Hydro versions. Albeit the H90 comes close to the Quiet mode preset off  the H80/100i models. The cooling performance however is not that brilliant. Just being able to deliver similar performance as the H80i running at the quiet preset. Meaning the H80i still has got loads of headroom left, if we adjust a higher fan Rpm profile ( balanced eg), the 140mm concept indeed could have worked. This if the H90 radiator had maybe the same thickness as the H70/80(i) versions. With some more cooling surface it probably would be able to match the better cooling, but don't forget the H80i becomes far noisier at high FAN rpm then the tested H90.

The Hydro 90 leaves us with mixed feelings. The concept is great, but the blue print drawings and final build are unable to match the expectations set. Back to the drawing board for the H90 and maybe a revised radiator version or inclusion of a second fan soon. Take note that the hexa core i7-3960X is a hot crunching monster that pumps out some serious heat. Maybe with lesser demanding setups the H90 might perform better. However the H80i managed to cool it down, albeit with a thicker radiator and a dual fan setup. The H90, logically should be able to do the same...

Pros:

• 5 year warranty
• Adequate cooling performance versus noise ratio

Cons:

• Cooling performance can't match the H80i (balanced,...)
• No second fan

Hydro 110:

The Hydro 110, with it's 280mm behemoth radiator, suffers from even more compatibility issues with enclosures. Its blended in perfectly with the C70 VENGEANCE case, though the 20mm FAN spacings are not yet a standard. It might require some modding to get the H110 installed. However this cooler is a great performer, matching and surpassing the previous H100i flagship cooling performance. The 280mm design really pays off, especially with our hot test setup, allowing the H110 to show it's true colours.

When comparing the thermal performance at similar noise level, then the new H110 keeps our i7-3960X 4-5°C cooler then the H100i model. The only way the H100i can compete with this cooler is by maximizing the FAN speed. A nice addition to the packaging content would be a fan splitter, this to allow to hook up the two fans straight on the power supply. Since the H110 has got some thermal headroom, a 9V adapter would be a great idea too to add to the box. If your case can house it, the Hydro 110, CORSAIR's new flagship, is the ultimate All in One Cooling kit tested till date by the Madshrimps crew.

PROS:

• Excellent cooling performance
• 5 year warranty
• Acceptable noise level

CONS:

• No fan splitter
• 9 Volt adapter plz

A big thanks goes out to Gareth from CORSAIR for supplying us with the two new Hydro coolers.

Rogier from ASUS for the X79 Sabretooth motherboard to perform all the thermal testing on.

And the mad crew at Tones for the years of continuous support.