There are a ton of decisions to make when piecing together a custom PC build and each one can be pretty critical. Although some decisions may feel fully rooted in performance and others are more about the aesthetics of the rig, some decisions impact both sides. That is certainly the case for builders who are considering the new line of NZXT AIO watercooling loops that includes the Kraken X53 240mm liquid cooler with RGB.
Selecting the AIO cooler that is best for any particular build can be a big decision. Obviously users want to select the cooler that is going to help keep their system running at optimal temperatures during long gaming sessions, but there is also the chance to make the machine really stand out with some stylish lighting choices. Although NZXT has been best known for its cases (like the H510i tower) and pre-builds by many shoppers, the company also has a pretty exciting line of AIO coolers to consider for consumers who are on the market.
Key Features
Before diving into Game Rant's experience with the X53, let's take a closer look at what NZXT has done to make this generation stand out from the preceding models...
Bigger and Brighter - A 10% bigger LED ring allows for more vivid RGB. A rotatable top accommodates re-orienting the logo no matter the direction the cooler is installed.
Better Control - CAM provides sophisticated controls with an intuitive, user-friendly interface. Now with better sync for lighting effects across all NZXT RGB devices, NZXT CAM allows you to manage your Kraken’s performance and lighting with precision, making adjustments with the click of a button.
Incredible Performance - The Aer P radiator fans are designed for liquid-cooling perfection. They feature a chamfered intake and fluid dynamic bearing that provides silent operation, longer life, and powerful cooling performance.
Simple Installation - Fine nylon mesh sleeves strengthen the rubber tubing, providing durability and protection against mishandling. Adjust the orientation of the pump head* to fit the needs of your motherboard without affecting the direction of the logo.
Specs
Water Block Dimensions(LxWxH): 80 x 80 x 55 mm
Material: Block: Copper, Housing: Plastic
Pump Motor Speed & Power: 800 – 2,800 + 300 RPM, 12V DC, 0.3A
Radiator Dimensions: 123 x 275 x 30mm
Material: Aluminum
Tube Length: 400mm
Material: Ultra-low Evaporation Rubber with Nylon Braided Sleeve
Cap Material: Plastic and brass
Rotation Orientation: 360° with 30° increments
HUE 2 Channel Output Voltage: 5V DC
HUE 2 Channel Output LED Qty.: Up to four LED strips - 10 LEDs per strip, Up to five Aer RGB fans, Up to six HUE 2 accessories
Fans Aer P120
Quantity: 2
Dimension: 120 x 120 x 26mm
Speed: 500-2,000 + 300 RPM
Air Flow: 1 8 . 2 8 - 7 3 .1 1 C F M
Air Pressure: 0 .1 8 - 2 . 9 3 m m - H₂O
Noise: 21-36dBA
Bearing: Fluid Dynamic Bearing
Power Consumption: 12V DC, 0.32A, 3.84W
Connector: 4-pin PWM
Life: 60,000 hours / 6 Years
Warranty 6 Years
Compatible Socket & CPU:
Intel Socket LGA 1151, 1150, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2011-3, 2066
Intel Core i9 / Core i7 / Core i5 / Core i3 / Pentium / Celeron
AMD Socket AM4, sTRX4*, TR4*(*Threadripper bracket not included)
AMD Ryzen 7 / Ryzen 5 / Ryzen 3 / Ryzen 9 / Threadripper
Like every NZXT product Game Rant has had the chance to tear open, the Kraken X53's elegant packaging and installation guide really impressed. This can seem like a little touch that shouldn't matter too much, but keep everything neat and clean is something that will definitely appeal to a certain type of PC builder. If keeping things organized and tidy from the unboxing stage through the end of installation is something that appeals to you, then the Kraken AIO coolers are definitely worth considering.
In terms of performance, the X53 definitely does its job and does it quietly. The cooler performs on par with the competition in all the benchmarking and the differences in both temperatures and acoustics are small enough that they are going to be nearly impossible to notice for the average user.
Because of the relatively hard to notice differences in temp and noise in comparison to other AIO coolers at a similar price range (around $130 for X53 or $250 for the Z63), the tiebreaker for these types of products often comes down to aesthetic preference. For users looking for an easy to control and customize RGB system in their cooler, it's hard to beat what the Kraken has to offer.
The perfectly round infinite mirror offers a vivid RGB display that looks very stylish in any build. As expected with any NZXT product at this point, the X53 integrates with CAM for control of both lighting effects an performance monitoring. The CAM software is very user-friendly and pretty easy to pick up for builders who haven't had the chance to experience with it quit yet.
Overall, the Kraken X53 is a high-quality AIO cooler that is competitively-priced and well worth the investment for builders who will be tickled by the lighting effects and CAM controls. Users who do not have a case with glass displays and aren't interested in custom lighting may not get as much bang for their buck with this particular brand of AIO.
The updated line of Kraken products, including the X53 and Z63 series, are now available and Game Rant had a chance to get hands-on with them. For this review, we'll be concentrating on the X53 model, which we recently unboxed, installed, and took for a spin.
The NZXT Kraken X53 is available now. Game Rant was provided a X53 for this review.