Test System & Temperature Results

Test System

Testing Procedure

All testing is done at a room temperature of 23°C (73°F) with a 1°C margin of error. The coolers are tested with Turbo, EIST, and C1E enabled, which will allow the CPU to clock down to a low 1.6 GHz while idle, or clock up to proper speeds under stock and overclocked conditions. The retail Intel Core i7-4770K I use for testing at stock is set to load-optimized defaults with the CPU's voltage at a static 1.15 V. Overclocked, the processor is running at 4.2 GHz on the CPU and 3.9 GHz on cache, with respective voltages set to 1.20 V and 1.15 V. During all these tests, fans are set to run at 100% in the BIOS, with temperatures being recorded by AIDA64.

The idle test will consist of the CPU sitting idle at the desktop for 15 minutes. This will allow for a stable temperature reading that will be recorded at the end of those 15 minutes.

Wprime and AIDA64's CPU-stability test represent typical multi-threaded loads. Both offer consistent results, with one being a benchmarking application and the other a stability test. Both are run for 15 minutes before the peak reading during the test is recorded and taken as the result. This test lets enthusiasts know what temperatures they can expect to see with games and applications. Wprime is set to eight threads while AIDA64 is configured to stress the CPU, FPU, cache, and system memory.

AIDA64 offers maximum heat generation when set to stress just the FPU in the stability test, which will really push the CPU. This test represents extreme loads much like LinX, Prime95, and other extreme stress tests many users are familiar with.

Idle Temperatures

The Corsair H80i GT performs as expected in idle. It doesn't top the chart, but does tie many high-end cooling options at both stock and overclocked settings.

Typical Load Temperatures

Loading up Wprime and running the 1024m test, the Hydro Series H80i GT does extremely well by performing similarly to many 240 mm based AIOs. Given its radiator's thickness, I did expect it to perform nearly as well but not this well, which makes its performance in this test a pleasant surprise.


The AIDA64 CPU stability benchmark has the Corsair cooler again performing exceptionally well as it manages to get within 1°C of the Swiftech H220-X in the overclocked test. At stock, performance is not as amazing, but still very solid as it manages to again perform similarly to many 240 mm AIOs.

Max Load Temperatures

The H80i GT seriously impresses during the extreme heat test as it once again manages to perform similarly to many 240 mm based AIOs—it's just 3°C behind the H105 in the stock and overclocked tests.