115i XT

So I got the 115i XT yesterday and was left profoundly disappointed. I was upgrading from a Cryorig H7 and went with my first AIO to mainly negate the ryzen temp spikes. For that purpose this AIO is great, fans are idling and there is no spin up noise. But the pump noise is honestly unbearable. It's a constant high pitch noise and so much louder when compared to the H7.

I'm a bit at a loss if it's just how AIOs are or if the one I got is faulty. On Balanced pump preset, with fans at 650rpm the pump noise is just too much...

Edited February 7, 2020 by KestasKoi

This is always something of a paradox for life long air cooler users. While you can use lower fan speeds and they do not to be so reactive, it introduces an additional mechanical device into the system — the pump. How much effect this has on you is usually down to proximity and general sensitivity. I am sensitive. For this reason, I never keep my builds on the desk directly next to me. 18” away through a plexiglass clear panel is going to be heard, unless you cover over it with something else... like fan noise.

 

We are more accustomed to the generally diffuse sound of a fan blade and their application is quite widespread. We typically don’t spend as much time with pumps and their noise is a narrow higher frequency range. It’s not hard to pick out if you are listening for it. I bought my parents a very expensive drinking water cooler — the kind that pumps up from the bottom so they don’t have to lift the 5gallon bottle to the top. It was quite expensive and replaced the top down gravity one they had been using for the last 20 years. For the last two years, every time I talk to them the noise is mentioned. They are never going to get over it and were too accustomed to absolute silence. Know yourself. If you are a quiet freak and can’t deal with noise like that, it’s ok. Just make the decision with that in mind.

 

On the other hand, that damn water cooler is noisy and not what I expected for $400. Upload a sound recording if you can and we can listen. Avoid putting the microphone right on the pump. Manually take the fan speed as low as possible (or off) and record from where the case door would be. We don’t have much data on the XT series since it just released, but I would expect it to sound like the Platinum series with a presumably identical pump.

This is always something of a paradox for life long air cooler users. While you can use lower fan speeds and they do not to be so reactive, it introduces an additional mechanical device into the system — the pump. How much effect this has on you is usually down to proximity and general sensitivity. I am sensitive. For this reason, I never keep my builds on the desk directly next to me. 18” away through a plexiglass clear panel is going to be heard, unless you cover over it with something else... like fan noise.

 

We are more accustomed to the generally diffuse sound of a fan blade and their application is quite widespread. We typically don’t spend as much time with pumps and their noise is a narrow higher frequency range. It’s not hard to pick out if you are listening for it. I bought my parents a very expensive drinking water cooler — the kind that pumps up from the bottom so they don’t have to lift the 5gallon bottle to the top. It was quite expensive and replaced the top down gravity one they had been using for the last 20 years. For the last two years, every time I talk to them the noise is mentioned. They are never going to get over it and were too accustomed to absolute silence. Know yourself. If you are a quiet freak and can’t deal with noise like that, it’s ok. Just make the decision with that in mind.

 

On the other hand, that damn water cooler is noisy and not what I expected for $400. Upload a sound recording if you can and we can listen. Avoid putting the microphone right on the pump. Manually take the fan speed as low as possible (or off) and record from where the case door would be. We don’t have much data on the XT series since it just released, but I would expect it to sound like the Platinum series with a presumably identical pump.

 

Thanks for the reply. Will try to record all presents and upload them. But honestly if this will turn out "normal", i will try to return it or even sell at a loss. Sitting across the room I can hear the high pitch noise and its driving me crazy.

Have you installed Icue yet? Just wondering what the sound level is like when you switch the pump from quiet to extreme.

Have you installed Icue yet? Just wondering what the sound level is like when you switch the pump from quiet to extreme.

 

Yes ICUE installed. Quite is the worst, its a loud, low pitched noise, but also like some ticking noise. Balanced is what I am running now. Extreme is very high pitched and loud. Again will post vids later on.

I think all pumps have a high pitch. No one said they were beautiful, but it should not be a screamer. Random single clicks are concerning and not really normal. This is different than the more continual static pops of bubbles. By uploading a sound byte, hopefully we can help you can make an informed decision. Edited February 7, 2020 by c-attack

There is a chance that some air bubbles are trapped in the cooling block itself causing some noise but over time it will move to the radiator as it's the highest point in the system. I'm not sure of the construction with the new style Asetek pumps. I took my previous generation H115i apart a few weeks ago due to cooling issues. I don't recommend doing this by the way. I found that the pump blade/impeller simply sits on a plastic pin. If that pin breaks, the blade will still turn and move the liquid but it will be unstable and cause a knocking sound since it's hitting the side walls of the housing of the pump. A little worrying that yours has a high pitched and ticking noises. Yes please upload a sound byte but if you've just bought this then maybe return it for a replacement.

Doesn't sound as bad on the recording as the ticking noise isnt very clear. But I can definitely still hear it on the recording and in person

Quiet

https://streamable.com/kdjeq

Balanced

https://streamable.com/39mgt

Extreme

https://streamable.com/7a257

 

And this is the quite up close

https://streamable.com/1alx5

Edited February 8, 2020 by KestasKoi

Listened to all 4 of the clips and yes definitely noisy but as I don't own one of these I cannot say if it's normal or if there is an issue with it. In my opinion that is too noisy. At the end of the day it's your decision to either keep it or rma it.

Listened to all 4 of the clips and yes definitely noisy but as I don't own one of these I cannot say if it's normal or if there is an issue with it. In my opinion that is too noisy. At the end of the day it's your decision to either keep it or rma it.

 

Thanks for taking the time. Think I will return it to the retailer as a warranty claim and see where that takes me.

There is nothing wrong with the pump, per se. The tone is relatively smooth and even. When you have a bad unit spinning at 2000-3000 rpm you will get continual negative feedback as the bad spot comes round and round and round again. This isn't that situation.

 

So, I am afraid it is what it is. A small mechanical device that spins at high speed. In the really splitting hairs category, I think the CoolIT OEM pumps have a slightly higher pitch harmonic than the current Asetek H115i 'Pro series'. But that's not something I would use as a selling point for one model or another. Just an observation from someone who is very finicky about sound.

 

I think you'll have to do the grand assessment. AIO coolers will have pumps that create noise because of what they are. This is often further enhanced by the mounting location and it can use the motherboard as a drum skin within the case. I typically only notice this kind of stuff at idle in a quiet room, early in the day. However, if you know you are super sensitive to this stuff and cannot address it from the other direction by creating more distance between your head and the case, then you'll have to balance the performance vs the noise compared to a large air tower.

There is nothing wrong with the pump, per se. The tone is relatively smooth and even. When you have a bad unit spinning at 2000-3000 rpm you will get continual negative feedback as the bad spot comes round and round and round again. This isn't that situation.

 

So, I am afraid it is what it is. A small mechanical device that spins at high speed. In the really splitting hairs category, I think the CoolIT OEM pumps have a slightly higher pitch harmonic than the current Asetek H115i 'Pro series'. But that's not something I would use as a selling point for one model or another. Just an observation from someone who is very finicky about sound.

 

I think you'll have to do the grand assessment. AIO coolers will have pumps that create noise because of what they are. This is often further enhanced by the mounting location and it can use the motherboard as a drum skin within the case. I typically only notice this kind of stuff at idle in a quiet room, early in the day. However, if you know you are super sensitive to this stuff and cannot address it from the other direction by creating more distance between your head and the case, then you'll have to balance the performance vs the noise compared to a large air tower.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 

Honestly feel disappointed, because really like the look and the performance of this AIO. Like you said, probably not for me as I am sensitive to the noise and cant really stick the case further away.

 

Will try to unload it now and go back to air coolers. I guess at least I now know AIOs aren't for me.

Me personally, I would suggest returning it. The reason being is that you are probably sensitive to the frequency that the device is putting out. I do not mean that in any sort of negative way, everybody is different. It comes from something called Misophonia.

 

As an example, there are some adapters when plugged in produce a vibration when electricity is run through it, and that vibration produces a noise that some people can hear and some cannot. I can hear it no matter where I am in the house, it drives me crazy. But nobody else in the house has any idea what I am talking about.

 

I listened to the streams you posted, and I did not hear anything. I only heard a low hum when I turned the volume up to 100, and put my ear against my speaker.

Me personally, I would suggest returning it. The reason being is that you are probably sensitive to the frequency that the device is putting out. I do not mean that in any sort of negative way, everybody is different. It comes from something called Misophonia.

 

As an example, there are some adapters when plugged in produce a vibration when electricity is run through it, and that vibration produces a noise that some people can hear and some cannot. I can hear it no matter where I am in the house, it drives me crazy. But nobody else in the house has any idea what I am talking about.

 

I listened to the streams you posted, and I did not hear anything. I only heard a low hum when I turned the volume up to 100, and put my ear against my speaker.

 

I'm in the same boat, I can hear that high pitched noise across the room lol.

Dont think I can actually return as it doesn't seem to be faulty, might check with the retailer anyway...