Test System and 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's and AIDA64's CPU 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

Deepcool's Gamer Storm Captain 360 does very well in idle, managing to finish second, right behind the Swiftech H240-X at both stock and overclocked settings.

Update: 2/20/2015:

There was no change in idle temperatures with the new sample and the graphs have, as such, remained the same.

Typical Load Temperatures

In Wprime, the first typical load test, the Captain 360 does well but is out gunned by the smaller 240 mm all-in-one liquid coolers. At stock, it falls behind the Corsair H105 by 4°C.

Update: 2/20/2015:

Performance improved by 1°C with the new unit, which is enough to place the Captain 360 in the same league as the Corsair H105 in this particular test.


Firing up Aida64's CPU benchmark, Deepcool's Captain 360 falls further down the charts. At stock, it ties the Deepcool Maelstrom 240, and with the system overclocked, it falls behind the smaller Deepcool AIO. Its performance can be classified as disappointing in comparison to the rest of the competition.

Update: 2/20/2015:

Performance improved by 1-2°C with the new unit. While not a massive difference, it is enough to push the Captain 360 into the top third of the chart on the overclocked CPU test.

Max Load Temperatures

Now for the torture test. Using Aida 64 to put a high load on the CPU's FPU for as much heat as possible, the Captain 360 again performs poorly. At stock, it is rivaled by 120 mm AIOs and beaten by many high-end air coolers. With the CPU overclocked, the Captain 360 again puts on a mediocre show. The results remained the same even though I remounted the cooler a few times.

Update: 2/20/2015:

Max load temperatures improved by 2°C with the new sample at stock CPU settings and 3°C with the CPU overclocked. The improvement in performance places it that much closer to the top. It now rests firmly in the same category as the likes of Noctua's NH-D15 and the Enermax LIQTECH 240.