Introduction

A big thank you to DeepCool for supplying the review sample.

Since its inception in 1996, DeepCool has grown into an industry juggernaut. Their focus on the DIY PC market has resulted in the company producing many top-tier cases, power supplies, heatsinks, fans, and all-in-one liquid coolers. Considering the multitude of competitors in the market, DeepCool continuously gaining prominence is no fluke. With a commitment to excellence, they keep offering new products and revamped designs which fuel their popularity. As such, it is no wonder they have become a trusted global brand.


Having previously reviewed DeepCool's AK620, it will be interesting to see how today's review sample, the AK400, performs compared to the competition. On the surface, it appears to be one-half of an AK620 as it has the same clean design aesthetics and low noise levels, but with a more affordable price due to its smaller size. Therefore, I expect great things from DeepCool's latest heatsink. It should prove interesting to see what it is truly capable of.

Packaging

DeepCool continues their current trend of sticking to simple and clean packaging, with the AK400 coming in a white box with the only accent color the bright teal strip. The front has the cooler in full color, showing off their latest interpretation of the traditional single-tower heatsink. Meanwhile, the left side has no information or images; instead, it is just a blank panel. It is not until you flip around to the back that you will find the specifications, which include the overall dimensions, fan RPM, airflow, weight, and socket support. As with previous DeepCool coolers, the packaging's light gray text on a white background is a bit hard to read.


Finally, the right side and top are similar to the left in that they are rather plain with no information or anything else of serious note.

Contents

DeepCool continues to put a smile on my face as of late since they keep using foam to protect their coolers. The AK400 comes with foam on the top and bottom, which is always nice to see. Sure, cardboard does the job fine, but the premium feel from quality foam contributes to the overall sense that you got a premium product.


Socket support is not as robust as with other DeepCool products, but considering the AK400's price point and its primary function as an entry-level cooler, it still supports all mainstream Intel platforms. On the AMD front, only Socket AM4 is supported, but that is perfectly fine. I don't see the AK400 as a viable option for cooling a Ryzen Threadripper CPU.

Common parts supplied for mounting include:

• 4x Fan clips
• 4x Intel mounting screws
• 4x AMD screws
• 4x Intel LGA115x / LGA1200 spacers
• 4x Intel LGA1700 spacers
• 4x AMD spacers
• 1x Universal mounting bracket
• 1x 120 mm fan
• 1x Intel backplate
• 1x Heatsink
• 1x Installation manual