The Captain 240EX RGB from Deepcool is an interesting proposition. It offers solid cooling performance on top of an exceptional light show thanks to the included RGB LED strip. Overall, it certainly stands out from the crowd considering the performance and bundle if RGB LEDs are something you are interested in. That said, the design is based on the previous Captain series of CLCs and is not new by any means. The 240EX RGB essentially appears to be more of a feature refresh. There is nothing wrong with that as the unit performs quite well overall.

A nice bundle still only gets you so far. Thankfully, there is a lot more to like here, such as an easy installation, which makes this offering a good option for beginners. Build quality is also good with no flaws in the tested unit to speak of. Clearance, as is the case with most all-in-one liquid coolers, which includes this one, was perfect, with no problems on whether it would get in the way of memory or graphics cards. Overall, there is a great deal to like, and I am in general quite pleased with the unit as a whole.

That said, I did notice a few shortcomings. First and foremost is that at max RPM, and, therefore, max performance, the unit gets quite loud, hitting 49 decibels. Considering the performance on offer, the competition, such as the Fractal Design Celsius S24, offers similar performance with far less noise. If RGBs are of utmost importance, the Aerocool P7-L240 is again offering similar performance at lower noise with RGB LEDs. The inline RGB controller is workable, but looking at remotes on other units, such as the LEPA NEOllusion and Raijintek Orcus 240, there are better solutions for motherboards that lack RGB syncing capabilities. Simply put, if you want a specific color, there's no problem, but if you like to change it regularly and your motherboard lacks RGB sync, you are going to need to open up that case to change the color of the LEDs.

I should also mention that the cooler is a bit pricey at an MSRP of $129.99, but let's face it, these prices are the new normal. It doesn't mean consumers can't find deals. Patience is a virtue, and as I was writing this review, the Captain 240EX RGB was available for $109.99. Finally, the extra mess of wires that enable the RGB LEDs can be a pain to deal with, but that is only a minor annoyance nearly all these RGB coolers have in common.

Overall, the Deepcool Captain 240EX RGB is a good all-in-one liquid cooler. From a performance aspect, better options exist, and the same goes for noise levels or, depending on one's taste, the RGB LED implementation. That said, when you look at the bundle with the included RGB LED strip and unique pump design, it all comes together to create a product that visually stands on its own. However, much like the Raijintek Orcus 240, it doesn't excel in any one category other than the fact that it puts on a pretty light show. However, I highly doubt anyone who does end up using a Captain 240 EX RGB will be disappointed. All things considered, it is still a damn good option in an increasingly crowded cut-throat closed-loop cooler market.

When it comes to all-in-one liquid coolers, those not afraid of a bit of noise under extreme loads and with a liking for RGB LED functionality should take a good look at the Deepcool Captain 240EX RGB.