Fractal Design has really done an exceptional job with the Kelvin S24, a part of their first series of all-in-one liquid coolers. It offers fantastic performance considering it runs at less than 48 dBA with its fans and pump at their maximum RPM. While it may not be the quietest AIO to cross my test bench, it is quieter than many other popular units, such as the Corsair H105 and Enermax LIQTECH 240. It is priced similarly and offers something they do not: expandability. The Kelvin S24 can be taken apart and expanded to include extra radiators, GPU blocks, etc. Clearance around the CPU socket, while not as good as with its competitors, is still above average so long as you follow its installation guide to a tee, with the 8-pin EPS connector readily accessible and enough room for the primary expansion slot. It has solid good looks thanks to the neutral black and white color theme and features anti-kink coils on its tubing, which is a feature unique to the Kelvin S24. It is also easy to install, which is always nice and gives the Kelvin S24 an edge over its competition.

A few issues did crop up during testing. Memory clearance could be better and can be if you utilize some common sense. When following the installation guide, the brass fittings face toward the motherboard's DIMM slots. This makes it impossible to install a DIMM into the first slot after the pump block has been installed. The fittings also limit the first DIMM slot on the test system to a memory stick of standard height. This will be a problem for those utilizing such memory sticks as Corsair's Dominator Platinums. However, this particular problem can be avoided by rotating the pump block to have the tubing point toward the motherboard's expansion slots. While common sense, many first-time builders will most likely run afoul of this issue. The next issue isn't so much an issue as it is a head scratcher. Fractal Design decided to use Hex screws for the radiator and fans. Not only is this annoyingly irritating if you lose Fractal Design's Hex key and don't have the proper size on hand, but simple Philips head screws would have also made things a great deal easier. Finally, cable sleeving could be better, but I am now grasping at straws. With build quality so very good and anti-kink coils having been included, the fact that the fan and pump wires are visible at all bugs me. The big issue is, as always, cost. You do get a lot for your money with the Kelvin S24, but $119.99 is a steep price considering many top-end air coolers can offer similar performance for less; granted, they have trade-offs of their own.

My only other thoughts come down to the pump itself. If a user wants to decrease noise output even further, the pump can be run at 9 volts. Doing so will not affect the pump's lifespan; however, it will impact performance. That said, in my testing, the pump was not the main source of noise since the fans were noisier. Even so, overall noise level are acceptable all things considered.

If you are looking for an affordable, upgradable, all-in-one liquid CPU cooler of high quality, make sure to take a good hard look at the Fractal Design Kelvin S24. It might just be what you need to keep your CPU or other components nice and cool!