I decided to give NZXT Kraken a try after i had bad experiences with Corsair Hi Capellix AIOs (their pumps are unbearably loud). According to many reviews Kraken and Corsair Hi series go head to head for the top spot in AIO business. I've tried both, and i like Kraken a lot more than Corsair.
Noise: In my build i strive for ultra silent build with maximum performance. As i mentioned before Corsair pumps are really loud, they sounded like a dental office practice right next to my ear; after a while the sound started to drive me crazy. I've read reviews that NZXT fans are not great and are very loud, so as i bought my x73 Kraken i also ordered (x3) Noctua NF-A12 120mm fans. Let me tell you guys, this set up is dead silent. The pump is barely audible even at 100% load mode and Noctua fans are well know for their performance and silence. I don't know how loud Kraken is with original NZXT fans, but Kraken AIO with Noctua fans is silence enthusiast's dream.
Perfomance: Performance is great, Kraken is actually fares a bit better than Corsair. I get 35C idle on boosted CPU speeds @ 4350MHz and i get 70C on 100% multi-threading test in Cinebench. Corsair was 40C idle and 69C is Cinebench.
Aesthetics & RGB: This one is very subjective, because different people like different things. Personally i prefer Corsair pump design plus their RGB quality & brightness is twice that of Kraken, but constantly buzzing pump was a deal breaker for me.
Installation: Corsair AIO was harder to install. Each fan comes with 2 wires one for RBG one for fan control, it also comes with a command module with more wires. Kraken has a lot of wires too, but it's set up was more straightforward and easy. The length of wires was just enough for my needs but barely. One thing i didn't like about Kraken set up is that i could not install pump-head traditionally at 90 degree angle to the right because it's water houses extend too far into RAM housing territory, thankfully the pump head is easily rotatable & adjustable, so i settled for a 45 degree angle set up.
Conclusion: If i could i would take off half a star for subpar RBG brightness, inability to mount pump-head at 90 degree angle and wires that should be a bit longer, but all that is not enough to take down a full star in my opinion. All things considered NZXT Kraken X73 is great AIO, it cools wonderfully, it's dead silent and it's pretty good looking. Worth the premium price, and it lives up to multitude of positive reviews online.
My Build:
CPU: Ryzen 7 2700X
MOBO: ASUS ROG Strix X470-F Gaming
GPU: EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER SC
RAM: G.SKILL Trident Z RGB 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 2400Mhz, CAS 15-15-15-35
NVME: Samsung 970 PRO
PSU: Corsair AX Series AX760
PC Case: Be quiet! Silent Base 802 Window Black
| Product Dimensions | 18.66"L x 7.17"W x 5.75"H |
|---|---|
| Brand | NZXT |
| Power Connector Type | 4-Pin |
| Voltage | 12 Volts |
| Wattage | 3.6 watts |
| Cooling Method | Water |
| Compatible Devices | Intel Socket LGA 1200, 115X, 1366, 2011, 2011-3, 2066 AMD AMD Socket AM4, sTRX4*, TR4*(*Threadripper bracket not included) |
| Noise Level | 21 dB |
| Material | Brass, Plastic Copper, Plastic Aluminum Rubber with Nylon Sleeve |
| Maximum Rotational Speed | 1200 RPM |
| Air Flow Capacity | 73.11 Cubic Feet Per Minute |
| UPC | 815671015280 |
| Manufacturer | NZXT |
| Item model number | RL-KRX73-01 |
| Item Weight | 4.41 pounds |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 18.66 x 7.17 x 5.75 inches |
| Color | Black |
| ASIN | B082DYKB1F |
| Date First Available | January 28, 2020 |
