The Corsair Hydro X Series range of custom liquid cooling hardware has been in the works for some time, but the manufacturer took the opportunity to launch the line at Computex 2019. Corsair has gone all in with Hydro X and offers a comprehensive list of components that can be mixed and matched to the needs of any custom water cooling loop with “refined aesthetics and low temperatures” the name of the game.
Hydro X Series XC7 & XC9 CPU Blocks
The main attraction is a duo of CPU water blocks, dubbed the XC7 RGB and XC9 RGB, constructed around a nickel-plated copper frame, a see-through nylon flow chamber, and 16 individually addressable LEDs for customizable RGB lighting arrangements.
The models differ in that the XC9 has 70 micro-cooling fins and a metallic silver color scheme while the XC7 has a fractionally smaller count of 60 fins and a glossy black look. Additionally, the XC7 is LGA 2066, 115x, sTRA4 and AM4 socket compatible, as opposed to the XC9 which is limited to LGA 2011/2066 and sTR4 sockets. The XC7 retails at $74.99 and the XC9 at $79.99.
Hydro X Series XG7 GPU Block
Next up, we have the Hydro X Series XG7 RGB GPU water block which promises to confine noise pollution from chunky GPU fans to the past. Made with precision CNC-milled nickel-plated copper and housed in a sleek aluminium case; the XG7 ensures the GPU, memory, and VRM are cooled in equal measure in what Corsair calls a “premium total conversion design.”
Over 50 cooling fins keep the chip cool while a GPU-sized aluminium backplate covers the entirety of the PCB protecting fragile components. Like the CPU blocks, the XG7 has the same 16 pronged customizable RGB LED setup, which comes to life thanks to an acrylic top plate and see-through flow path. With ease-of-use in mind, Corsair ships the XG7 with thermal materials and pads pre-installed.
As it stands, Corsair has developed XG7 models that fit NVIDIA’s 2080 FE, 2080 Ti FE, 1080 Ti FE, 2070 FE, and AMD’s Vega 64. Prices start at $139.99, maxing out at $149.99 for the 2080 editions.
Hydro X Series XD5 Pump/Reservoir
The Hydro X Series also includes the XD5 RGB Pump/Reservoir Combo. It runs on a Xylem D5 PWM pump attached to a 330ml reservoir with an integrated fill port for easy coolant loading/unloading.
Like the other Hydro X products, lighting is catered for with ten mounted RGB LEDs. Other features include a G1/4-inch real-time temperature sensor integrated into the cooling loop, 120mm and 140mm fan mount rubberized bracket sets, a 24-pin PSU jumper bridge, and individually sleeved paracord cabling. The combo retails at $154.99.
Hydro X Series XR5 & XR7 Radiators
To round off the hardware offering of the Hydro X Series, Corsair is shipping the XR5 and XR7 water cooling radiators designed in conjunction with HardwareLabs.
The XR5 radiator is available in 120/140/240/280/420mm variants, has a 30 mm thickness, copper core, polyurethane outer coat, G1/4-inch threads, 25 micron-thick fins, and fits from two to six 120mm/140mm fans depending on the variation. The XR7 matches those specs except with a 54 mm thickness, and 240/360/480 mm variants.
Pricing starts at $44.99 for the XR5 120mm up to $139.99 for the XR7 480mm version.
Fittings, Adapters, and Coolant
Eager to offer the complete package, the Hydro X Series has an array of solid G1/4-inch thread brass fittings, valves, splitters, and adapters as well as XL5 anti-bacterial/non-toxic/anti- corrosive coolants in a selection of colors. Corsair is also throwing in easy to cut XT tubing in softline and hardline multi-GPU options.
Corsair iCUE Command Pro
Whats a water cooling system without controls? Corsair rounds up the Hydro X line with iCUE Commander Pro compatibility; an all in one solution to manage RGB lighting, fan speeds, temperature monitoring, and two extra USB 2.0 ports to boot.
All the above are currently on sale directly from Corsair. If you fancy a go at conceptualizing a cooling loop, then Corsair’s web site is offering a nifty configurator tool.
