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Fractal Kelvin T12 AIO Watercooling Kit Review

Cooling/Water Cooling by leeghoofd @ 2014-12-05

Fractal already revealed its upcoming Kelvin water cooling series at CeBIT 2014 in Hannover; at Computex we saw the same prototypes again. Back than the launch date was foreseen for mid-summer. Now on the 9th of December 2014 it is D-day for the new breed of All In One water cooling setups. Fractal proudly announces three AIO models today: the 120mm radiator T12 Kelvin, the S24 being the 240 radiator version and the flagship S36 will be the triple fan version. Today we have a look at the smallest version, the Kelvin T12; this might be together with the S24 the most enclosure compatible version as not all PC cases support a big 360 radiator. It must be said the AIO market is already pretty saturated with versions from Antec, Corsair, Cooler Master, Enermax and Swiftech. What makes this little Kelvin T12 stand out from the crowd ? Time to explore Fractal's latest release.

A Closer Look

The pump/block unit is made out of a copper base for maximum heat transfer and a plastic top to reduce the costs. The Alphacool ceramic bearing pump is custom tuned for maximum RPM (2400 RPM) providing a more optimal balance between performance and noise level. The pump design from the Cooler Master Eisberg (3600 RPM) was also by Alphacool and it was a powerful yet also a very noisy unit, it could be clearly heard even with the case closed. So it seems this issue has been counteracted by the Alphacool and Fractal engineers by opting for a more balanced pump design/speed. The aesthetics remain pretty basic, yet stylish. However don't expect any glowing LED action here.

The 8/11mm tubing is securely attached to the swiveling fittings. Comparing it to one of the popular Corsair Hydro units, the H80i, one spots the Kelvin T12 unit is slightly taller. The tubing size is comparable, with the advantage for the Kelvin T12 that it is interchangeable and very flexible. AS mentioned before you can pimp this new AIO unit to match your favorite color scheme, by adding other fluids and different types of tubing.

A quick photo comparison versus the previous Alphacool & Cooler Master Eisberg project. In comparison to the Eisberg pump unit, the dimensions of the Fractal Design Kelvin T12 remain way more modest. The copper base plate looks similar, alike the tubing and fittings. Biggest improvement will be the thickness of the radiator, which has increased big time for the Fractal Kelvin T12. The CM Eisberg 120L Prestige on the left, the new Fractal Kelvin T12 on the right:

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