Alphacool NexXxoS HPE-30 Full Copper 360mm Radiator (14377)

The Alphacool NexXxoS HPE-30 Full Copper 360mm Radiator is a 360 mm radiator for three 120 mm fans on one side, or six with fans on both sides, and it is 30 mm thick. The next thickness up in the same size is the HPE-45 Full Copper 360mm radiator.

Properties

Fans

3x 120 mm one-sided / 6x both-sided

Size (L x W x H)

391.5 x 124 x 30 mm (+/- 3%)

Thickness

30 mm

Ports

4x G1/4 IN/OUT, 1x fill and drain port G1/4

Material

copper fins, pre-chambers and channels, brass threads, stainless steel outer housing

Fin density

18 FPI

NexXxoS Full Copper

Alphacool says it has been dominating the market with the NexXxoS Full Copper radiator series for more than a decade, and calls its extensive portfolio of radiator variants unique in the world. It says the same of what it describes as "our manufacturing process, which enables us to manufacture all water-carrying parts and the cooling fins from pure copper". Just like every NexXxoS, the radiator thus achieves what Alphacool claims is the highest thermal conductivity of all radiators on the market. Alphacool credits the series with incomparable performance: the radiators can easily dissipate even extremely high waste heat. By its account they have become indispensable in many areas of the cooling industry.

The next step in evolution: HPE

Alphacool calls the HPE radiator the next step in evolution. It uses the same materials as the previous NexXxoS models but technically goes one step further. Due to the compressed internal structure, the number of water channels and copper fins could be increased, and this radiator has 14 cooling channels. This means that a larger volume of water is in direct contact with the cooling fins, and Alphacool says heat transfer is improved enormously. With a higher number of fin rows and their shortening, Alphacool adds, the cooling surface is also used much more efficiently. Against the standard NexXxoS, the data sheet claims 1.2x increased water throughput and 20% more efficient heat transfer, with 100% of the internal structure made of copper. By Alphacool's specifications the fin spacing is 18 FPI.

Comparative tests with the conventional NexXxoS radiator have shown, according to Alphacool, that a performance increase of 4.5K is possible when using the HPE radiator. At higher ambient temperatures and higher fan speeds, Alphacool says the performance gap with the normal NexXxoS radiators even increases progressively, reaching up to 6K. The test setup was a NexXxoS ST30 360mm radiator vs. a NexXxoS HPE-30 360mm radiator, each with an Eisbaer cooler and 3x 120mm Rise Aurora fans. It ran on an Asus Prime x299 mainboard (motherboard) with an Intel i9 10900x CPU and 350W of waste heat.

What the loop needs

Water enters and leaves via two IN or OUT connections with G1/4 thread in the area of the antechambers, which the technical data calls pre-chambers. That is Alphacool's wording under "Connection options & assembly", while its table lists 4x G1/4 IN/OUT. A loop uses two of them, so the radiator takes two fittings. On the opposite side there is a fill or vent port that can be used to fill and drain the water circuit. The table names it the fill and drain port, and thread length in every port is 5 mm at most.

The radiator takes 120 mm fans on M3 threads, and the possible fan assignment is three on one side or six on both sides. All screws for mounting in the housing and for mounting the fans are included with the radiator: twelve M3x5 case mounting screws and twelve M3x30 fan screws. Alphacool says additional screws are usually not required.

Safety first

Alphacool describes a special protective device that prevents fan or mounting screws from being screwed in too deeply. Protective plates were placed under all mounting holes to prevent exactly that. This protects the underlying cooling fins and water channels from damage.

Patented screw plugs

Like all NexXxoS HPE radiators, this one uses Alphacool's patented screw plugs. Protruding locking screws often ensure that a radiator cannot be placed flush. These plugs are completely countersunk in the radiator and are flush with its surface, which Alphacool says is meant to enable easy installation in the housing. A plug tool is in the box.

Technical data radiator

Notes

• Use only clear, transparent water cooling fluids. Alphacool warns that the particles and additives in pastel liquids can clog and permanently damage radiators, pumps, coolers and hoses, which can void the manufacturer's warranty.

In the box

• 1x NexXxoS HPE-30 Full Copper 360mm Radiator, black
• 12x M3x5 case mounting screws
• 12x M3x30 fan screws
• 1x Allen key
• 1x plug tool

Alphacool's data sheet is a PDF. Its 3D model of the radiator is an STP file, and the 3D viewer shows it from every side.