Alphacool Eisbaer 240 AIO CPU Cooler - Black (11285)

The Alphacool Eisbaer 240 AIO CPU Cooler - Black is an AIO liquid cooler with a 240 mm radiator and two 120 mm PWM fans. It fits AMD AM4 and AM5 and Intel LGA 1200, 1700, 1851, 2011, 2011-3 and 2066, plus the older sockets listed under Properties. It comes prefilled and is modularly built, so it can be upgraded, rebuilt or refilled at any time. A quick-lock closure on one of the hoses opens the loop for more components. We also stock the same cooler with a 360 mm radiator and three fans.

Properties

Intel sockets

LGA 775, 1150, 1151, 1156, 1200, 1700, 1851, 2011, 2011-3, 2066

AMD sockets

754, 939, 940, AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, AM4, AM5, C32, FM1, FM2, FM2+, G34

Radiator

240 mm, pure copper, 278 x 124 x 30 mm

Fans in the box

2 x 120 mm, 4-Pin PWM

Pump

DC-LT 2 Ceramic, 2600 RPM

Tubes

30 cm, 11/8 mm PVC, expandable by quick-lock closure

Fit

For compatibility with Intel and AMD boards, the scope of delivery holds one Intel bracket with an Intel backplate, one AMD bracket and the mounting material. The manual has four mounting chapters. Intel 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150, 1200, 1700 and 1851 use the included backplate, which sticks to the back of the mainboard with its adhesive strips. Intel 2011, 2011-3 and 2066 take their own screws. AMD AM3+ and AM3 are one chapter and AMD AM4 and AM5 another, and both need the original backplate of the mainboard.

The manual shows no mounting steps for LGA 775 or for AMD 754, 939, 940, AM2, AM2+, C32, FM1, FM2, FM2+ and G34. According to the manual, mounting kits for TR4 (Alphacool art. no. 12875) and for 2011-3 Narrow ILM (art. no. 12531) are available separately.

Before mounting, remove the protective film from the cooling plate and any remaining thermal paste from the CPU. Apply a pea-sized blob of the included thermal paste to the center of the CPU and spread it into an even, thin layer. Tighten the screws crosswise and hand-tight only, without tools. The window on the pump has to face upwards, or the Alphacool logo has to read from the front, so the pump does not run dry. On 2011 and 2011-3 boards with continuous threaded mounting holes, the manual says not to tighten the screws more than 4 mm. Every step has a drawing there, the AM4 socket mounting among them.

An AIO built from water cooling components

Alphacool says that with the "Eisbaer" it is fundamentally revolutionizing the AIO cooler market. Its argument: traditional AIO CPU-coolers are disposable products which are neither upgradeable nor refillable. This means the cooler is not only an AIO, but also fully built on classic water cooling components. That is why Alphacool calls it quieter and more powerful than the average AIO solution.

The individual components: radiator

The radiator is made of pure copper, and its base is the NexXxoS series, which Alphacool describes as popular and well-loved around the world. Alphacool depends on copper because, in its words, the pure copper construction raises the cooling performance enormously compared to the usual aluminum radiators used in classic AIOs. The slight thickness of the fins is there for fans with low rotational speed, where Alphacool says it ensures enormous cooling power. When adjusting the fans down, the performance then decreases much more slowly than in radiators with higher fin thickness.

Hoses and quick-lock closure

The hoses are flexible PVC in the 11/8 mm size, which is a standard in the water cooling field alongside the 13/10 and 16/10. Flexible hoses are easier to arrange and move into the right position, and that makes installing the cooler easy. Both hoses have been fitted with anti-kink springs, so they don't bend and stop the flow of the water.

The cooler was designed with expandability directly in mind. This is why you'll find the quick-lock mechanism on one of the hoses. It is compatible with Alphacool HF quick-lock closures (1010383, 1010394, 1010395, 1010442), with which the circuit can easily be expanded to include anything from a radiator to a graphics card cooler. Two of those are in stock here: the HF Quick Release Connector Kit G1/4 Inner Thread (1010394) and the HF kit with bulkhead (1010442). Furthermore, Alphacool names the upcoming GPX-Pro graphics card AIO as compatible, because it will use identical closures.

Fans

Two 120 mm fans come in the box, and they are controlled via a 4-pin PWM connector. The manual shows them mounted on the radiator to force cool air through its fins, either pushing or pulling, fixed with M3x5 and M3x30 screws.

Connectors

All connectors are based on the classic G1/4 inch thread, the standard thread in the water cooling field. This way, all attachments can be switched out for others any time, as desired. This also means, for example, that you could later decide to switch to thicker hoses or even HardTubes. Alphacool's phrase for that is to set your system uniquely apart.

Pumps and cooler

The basis of the pumps is the Alphacool DC-LT 2 Ceramic, also available separately. Alphacool says the pump runs extremely quietly and can be regulated in a range between 7 and 12V, through the motherboard too. If the cooler is being run alone, Alphacool states that the 7V setting will still have next to no performance loss, as shown in diverse test results. The insulated pump case, in Alphacool's words, further perfects the noise generation and ensures that vibrations are almost completely absorbed.

The copper base of the cooler is polished smooth and shiny, which Alphacool says ensures optimal heat absorption. It can relay the heat over the fine slit structure of the cooler to the water quickly and efficiently. The illuminated reservoir also contains the pump, and together with the illuminated logo it gives the cooler its enhanced appearance. Alphacool's line is that this lets the interior of your PC shine in a whole new way. The soft-touch surface of the pump case is a further visual highlight. Alphacool sums up that all these features make the cooler into something extraordinary. With it you get, in Alphacool's claim, an all-around perfect product that is not only extremely high-powered but also works very quietly.

How to connect everything

The cooler arrives prefilled with the hoses and the quick-lock closure pre-installed, so it needs no fittings. To expand the loop, unscrew the quick-lock closure. The manual warns that 2 - 3 drops of water can escape and calls that normal.

Alphacool's notice for expansion: please take care not to mix up the IN and OUT ports. On the cooler, the "outlet" is marked in "red" and the "inlet" in "blue". On the components to be connected, it is the opposite. There the coupling with the "blue" marking denotes the "outlet" and the coupling with the "red" marking is the "inlet". This is important as in many coolers the flow direction is crucial for optimal cooling performance.

A PWM Y-adapter is included to provide one connection for both fans, so they run from a single PWM header on your motherboard or a separate fan controller. The 3-pin connector of the pump also goes to the mainboard.

Technical details pump (DC-LT 2 2600 Ceramic)

Notes

• Alphacool's note on application: use only clear, transparent water cooling fluids. The particles and additives in Pastel liquids can clog and permanently damage water cooling products such as radiators, pumps, coolers and hoses, which can also void the manufacturer's warranty.
• The cooler is prefilled, and the manual says topping up the coolant is normally not necessary. If you expand the circuit, for example with a GPX Eiswolf graphics card cooler, it advises checking the water level. A fillport on the cooler is provided for filling, and Alphacool recommends a funnel or a filling bottle.
• If the pump is unusually loud at first, the manual puts it down to air bubbles and has you mount the radiator above the water block. After around 12 hours of operation it should run quietly.

In the box

• 1x Alphacool Eisbaer 240 CPU - Black
• 2x 120 mm PWM fans
• 1x Intel Backplate
• 1x Intel bracket
• 1x AMD bracket
• PWM Adapter
• Mounting material
• 1x Thermal paste

Alphacool's manual and data sheet are both PDFs.