The Corsair iCUE Link XC7 RGB Elite released at an MSRP of $120 but is currently discounted to $105 with similar price cuts in most regions around the world. This puts it on the lower end of average for CPU blocks in 2024, although it must be noted there is a hidden cost in terms of requiring the iCUE Link Hub if you want to light up the LEDs and use the thermal sensor. That hub costs $60 by itself, or you could decide to go all in with Corsair's iCUE Link ecosystem and get other products which include the hub. This increases the cost of using the XC7 RGB Elite to a minimum of $165 if you want to use all of its features now and things are a lot less attractive as a result. If you do go with iCUE Link products for your PC build then it is easier to justify, but I can't say I am a fan of how things are going now. The whole point of DIY cooling and PC builds was the freedom to pick and choose parts from different brands, and we are quickly losing that.

On the other hand, newcomers to PC builds and DIY cooling will actually appreciate a simple system that comes together almost like LEGO blocks. iCUE Link is clearly something Corsair is investing heavily into and adding products across different lines all the time. We saw something similar before with Commander Link before it was integrated into iCUE, and this happens to be the most mature, most feature-rich, and easiest to use version yet. There will no doubt be complaints about using iCUE, yet things have improved significantly with the modular aspect to where it's not the resource hog it used to be. There is still room for optimization though, but it's not a dealbreaker anymore. This can help tilt things in favor of the XC7 RGB Elite which is actually a decent CPU block in its own right even if you ignore the entire iCUE Link aspect. It offers very good thermal performance on top of increased CPU socket compatibility, has a reasonable liquid flow restriction at the same time owing to a new cooling engine, and is priced low enough while still having larger retail and customer support channels across the world. I am sure there will be people who like the design and aesthetics of the block and the brand factor is also something to consider. But there's also the part where the brand is putting its marketing efforts towards the more expensive CPU block that has the integrated LCD screen—expect a separate review soon—to where the XC7 RGB Elite does feel like it is falling through the cracks. Falling in the middle of the pack in relative performance and performance per dollar doesn't exactly help it stand out either.