Page 2 - Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
The overall design of the SilverStone VIDA 240 SLIM is quite standard when it comes to the general shape of an all-in-one cooler -- not that there are many other ways to design one. What is unique is the usage of thinner fans. Looking at the water block, we have a standard design with SilverStone’s logo in the center. The radiator is rectangular likewise to all other radiators. The corners of the radiator are quite sleek, being quite square and not rounded. The cooler is completely black with no noticeable branding. Aside from the basic rectangular design of the radiator, we also have the standard wave fin pattern in the middle. This design allows the heat to be dissipated effectively. Coming out from the top of the radiator are two sleeved tubes and a coolant refill port, which is uncommon for AIO water coolers. Sleeved tubing adds to the quality of the build. The tubes also connect to the pump with some hinges, allowing the tubes to have better mobility for installation.
When talking about size, the SilverStone VIDA 240 SLIM radiator comes in at 120mm by 22mm by 275mm. This is a standard size for two 120mm fans to be attached to. Aluminum is a good choice of material for the radiator, as it does not add too much weight while providing relatively good heat transfer. The two fans can be mounted on either side of the radiator for either a push or pull configuration.
The SilverStone VIDA 240 SLIM water block is quite standard. The shape is quite circular in design, and you can rotate the water block into any orientation, allowing the logo to be always upright. Inside, the pump motor features a three phase, six pole design rather than single phase, four pole design found in most coolers. You may have noticed in the pictures that the pump is actually placed within the radiator. This is to reduce the pump's overall output noise levels. The company promises increased energy efficiency and smooth, quiet operation, which we will take a look at on the next page. The mounting points for the water block are interchangeable, given this cooler is compatible with a wide variety of processors. SilverStone provides different mounting clips to be swapped in and out of depending on the processor it is being used on. The water block is made out of copper, which is better for heat transfer compared to aluminum, making it an excellent choice for the base. After deeply inspecting the milling job, the entire surface was generally pretty smooth with no noticeable marks. Something SilverStone could have done to further improve the quality would be to electroplate the base with nickel to protect against oxidization. Nickel is highly resistant to corrosion, making it perfect for sustaining copper surfaces. The SilverStone VIDA 240 SLIM comes with its own tube of thermal paste rather than having pre-applied thermal paste. I personally prefer this method as I can apply the amount of thermal paste necessary for my processor. Additionally, there is enough for thermal paste for reapplication in case you are ever swapping out your CPU.
The two included fans are SilverStone’s CC12015H12S fans, known more commonly as the Air Slimmer 120 ARGB, which my colleague Jonah has previously reviewed. Despite being the same fan model, the listed specifications for these fans differ between the cooler's and fan's product page.
SilverStone calls them “pressure optimized fans which produces high airflow volume with high static pressure”. The Air Slimmer 120 ARGB uses an all-copper fluid dynamic bearing rated for about 70,000 hours of operation. To put it generally, fluid dynamic bearings are more advanced hydraulic bearings that uses a thin layer of rapidly moving pressurized liquid between the bearings surfaces to support the load. This creates a low friction, low wear, and low vibration fan. As for the specifications, the RPM ranges from 300 to 1800 RPM, maximum airflow of 66.83 CFM, and maximum static pressure of 2.59 mmH2O. The noise levels were rated relatively average at 15.9 to 33.9 dBA.
The installation process of the SilverStone VIDA 240 SLIM was easier than I initially anticipated. I simply had to swap the mounting clip and use the stock AMD back plate for my Ryzen 7 3700X. After this, it was as easy as applying thermal paste, setting up the bracket, placing in some spacers, and screwing the spring screws into place. The instruction manual provides steps for the installation of all supported CPU sockets. These include LGA2011, LGA2066, LGA115X, LGA1200, LGA1700, AM4, and AM5. Looking at the image above, you can see parts of the clip and where the screws line up for an AM4 installation. Based on which type of processor you are using will differentiate which mounting bracket you use. The design is very compact to the point where the thickness including the fans is only 38mm.
After installing the pump, I installed the radiator. Just like any other radiator, I started by installing the fans with the provided screws. After, I proceeded to prop the radiator up to the top of my case and proceeded to screw it into place. I used a push configuration, meaning the fans would blow air through the radiator. As expected from the name, the VIDA 240 SLIM fits quite easily into almost any space, given its thinner design. This cooler looks quite good in my opinion, but of course, your opinion may differ.
As previously stated, the SilverStone VIDA 240 SLIM comes with an RGB controller. If your motherboard does not support ARGB, SilverStone provides an RGB controller to cycle through ten fixed effects. The lighting on this water block looks quite good, but standard to any other LED effects.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware, Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
