CORSAIR iCUE H170i ELITE LCD Display Liquid CPU Cooler-Custom IPS LCD Screen-48 Dynamic RGB LEDs-140mm Fans -420mm Radiator-COMMANDER CORE Smart Lighting Controller

IF YOU HAVE ISSUES READ BELOW FOR SUGGESTIONSPROS:Works well in keeping my PC nice and cool. Normally temps hover at 31C and when gaming, it can go up to 60C.CONS:There is a lot left to be desired with everything else that comes with the cooler and software. This set up is also VERY sensitive to cables not plugged in + how much power is flowing in said cables. And what makes it more annoying is that it will try to run but then give errors on everything but the actual cause of the error.IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH:>LCD screen option not showing on iCUEStop using the provided usb splitter. Plug the 9 pin cable directly into the USB slot on the mobo. On my mobo, there were two USB slots directly below the RAM slots and towards the very edge of the board. If your slots are already full, someone on reddit claimed that a pin to usb cable and plugging into a 3.0 USB worked for them (they linked to a 5 pin connector but this is a 9 pin, tread at your own pace here).>Pump failure (only if the CPU is not overheating)When this happened to me, a red icon appeared on the LCD screen and the fans kicked into overtime. I knew the pump didn't die because my system was not overheating. I found a solution from a cosair representative on Reddit and did the following: Shut down your PC > Turn off the power supply > Open up the PC > Secure the 20 pin connector on top of the commander core. In my case, I completely removed it and plugged it back in. This resolved my pump issues immediately. I would also double check all other connectors just in case. If your issue doesn't go away, Corsair *has* to be contacted for pump failures.>RAM, other devices not showing up on iCUEAgain, reseating the cables on the commander core & plugging 9 pin into the mobo resolved this.>LCD turned black but shows in iCUE, other issues with RGBUsually solved by restarting iCUE. If you have other RGB software running (i.e Mystic Light, ASUS armory), go into iCUE settings > SDK > Device Control > uncheck iCUE control on the affected devices (it sounds contradictory but this will make iCUE run first). If that doesn't work, then block competing software under Application control in that same window (SDK).All in all, when *everything* is set up as mentioned above, it works fantastic. The RGB sometimes messes up but that could be because I have Mystic Light running at the same time.

This got the full five stars save installation. That depends on your computer case, space, orientation, processor and experience. Existing systems, you're more than likely pulling out your motherboard. That said, Corsair provides you more than enough hardware for installation. Intel LGA 1700 hardware comes standard, as does older Intel, AMD and Thread Ripper. Corsair even includes the hardware in the box do do a push/pull radiator setup (which I did). So no trips to the hardware store looking for extra screws etc.Required connections: One pin (either pump or cpu fan) on motherboard used as a 'tach' wire to show the motherboard there is a cooler installed. On the motherboard USB connection (requires two but cooler comes with a USB splitter cable meaning you need only occupy one USB motherboard connection. Finally a SATA power connector, all three of which connections are present in most all even semi-modern computers.The Pump and three fans are run by an included commander module which can operate RGB and RPMs of up to six fans. Three fans are included with the kit for the radiator. These are magnetic levitation fans, meaning no bearings. This means no bearings, less noise, better RPM slew and quieter. IE the fan is 100 percent indepenant from the fan chassis. Corsair's free software ICUE is a must to control the RGB and the screen on the waterblock.The screen is very clear, supports .gif(s) and .jpeg(s). I have mine set to monitor CPU and GPU temp but all of this is easily changed should you like to set up lighting/performance profiles in the software.NOTE: The software seems a bit resource heavy and is a little tricky for beginners, but you're not going to blow anything up. Running the ICUE software is not required for this pump and fans to throttle/operate (as the motherboard can control them) but HIGLY recommended. I'd call it a MUST. If not, you're just wasting money. I include that because in the event the software fails, or something else goes wrong, the cooler will still function properly.NOTE: I found cable length for all connections to be more than long enough for a nice clean look in what I'd call a large mid-tower case (Corsair 5000D).Thermal paste is included pre-applied on the water block, and my previous experiences with Corsair's factory paste are good. This stuff I rubbed off and used Thermal Grizzly instead. Not a required step, but some of the best compound out there.So to the primary point, HOW WELL DOES IT COOL? Well it's not the best out there, but HARDLY the worst. It's in the bounds of a top tier cooler with only a few being better, and those that are, are not by much (a degree or 2) and around the same price with far less features.Results may vary (everyone's case cooling is different), but with an overclocked Intel I7, 13700k I am running near ambient room temperature at idle (27-30C) and under Prime 95 (pretty much the hardest stress test you can give a CPU around 86C after 15-20 minutes. Those temperatures, to keep it simple, are VERY good temperatures to see on a chip that is know to run on the hotter side of things even without an overclock.It's a quiet cooler with a lot of features, and easy to install, again depending on your case and experience. If you do not have experience building computers I would NOT recommend trying to install this yourself, but then, I'd say the same for any other cooler. Have someone that knows what they're doing help you, better yet help and teach you.

I am on my 3rd AIO from corsair in 4 years. As the title suggests, when it is working, it cools my PC really well. However, I have had numerous issues with Corsair's AIOs. All stemming from what is in my view hardware AND software instability. What seems to happen is that the AIO just disappears from the iCue software. With my most recent failure, the device disappeared from iCue and then the pump just stopped circulating coolant. Which lead to a frusterating series of events, including my computer being unusable as the AIO cooler was not cooling the device. All of my ohter failures were other variations of this. With two of the failures having the pumps being totally uncontrollable by icue, but the pump remained in a low state of circulation so my PC was at least usable. In this last instance, my CPU hit dangerous temps before shutting down to preserve itself.For a device that has a 5 year warranty, this failure rate is flatly unacceptable. Add in the glacially slow response times of corsair support staff, and its generally 3+ weeks before you have a new unit that you have to install.Literally the only reason I again purchased one of these was for the integration with the rest of my fans and lighting in my PC. When I rebuild my system in a few years, I will very likely look to other brands as having to deal with Corsair support and tearing my rig apart has become a yearly ordeal. I am an experienced builder, and none of these failures have been due to misuse or improper installation.I was a huge corsair fan, but my repeatedly poor experiences have soured my view on the company in general. Corsair charges premium prices in their segment, yet seems to deliver hardware and software that's finnicky, temperamental and seemingly prone to very early and frequent failure.