Page 4 - Conclusion
When Antec concluded they were making a cooler with "best-in-class performance in a quick, easy-to-install package", they were not lying. The Antec Kuhler H2O 1250 is a performer. For one, a difference of over forty degrees on full load between the Intel stock cooler and the Kuhler H2O 1250 on silent is quite outstanding. The fact it can also bring core temperatures down to room temperature is also great to see. Looking at other aspects of the cooler brings up other positives too. Firstly, the aesthetics of the whole cooler is quite intriguing. The black and white scheme, in addition to the countless possible colors from the cold-plate head make for a great look. The flexible tubing and rigid radiator means the build quality of the Kuhler H2O 1250 is also present. While we had a few kinks to fix out with Antec, I am certain this is an isolated incident. The GRID 2.0 software works out of the box, and is simple but effective. My only complaint here is the lack of really customization of the curves. It would be nice to see a bit more features on GRID 2.0, but that is just a suggestion. Now, Antec does allow you to push the Kuhler to Extreme mode, and thankfully, the temperature fall even further. Unfortunately, this extra cooling capability comes with a pretty big tradeoff. At its highest fan setting above 2200RPM, the Kuhler H2O 1250 produces comparable noise to a pair of F-35s taking off. I understand that most users will not be running it at full speed all the time, but the amount of noise produced is pretty astonishing. The re-design also introduces a few other problems, like non-removable fans, which could pose a problem for those aftermarket modders. Looking at retailers, the Antec Kuhler H2O 1250 rolls in around $100 USD at press time, which is more than reasonable for a CPU cooler of this caliber. In the end, we have a very good showing from Antec. In quiet mode alone, this cooler is more than able to keep your computer frosty without producing too much noise.
Antec provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks; but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Numeric Rating is 7.0/10
Please note that the APH Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other sites.
The Antec Kuhler H2O 1250 is much like a bear - strong and quiet when it is not bothered, but ferocious and powerful when you push the wrong buttons.
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Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
