Inside Corsair's Retooled H110i GT - Microfin, Manifold, Tubing, & Coldplate Changes

Corsair's theme for the year seems illustrated simply by one word: Retooling. Alongside SilverStone, Corsair has moved to introduce a new, deeply-stamped case to the budget market and a refreshed CLC lineup.

Corsair's primary retooled design is that of the H110i GT, a new take on the somewhat industry-famous Corsair H110 CLC. The new version -- named the H110i GT -- may be Corsair’s best CLC yet. Just about everything inside the cooler has received some form of upgrade. George Makris, Product Manager for Cases and Cooling, helped to explain the changes.

This improved model features a larger 140mm x 322mm x 27mm aluminum radiator from the supplier, attached to CoolIT-supplied components that have received substantial tweaks as input by Corsair. The copper coldplates have been altered in the pitch and density of the microfins to increase cooling efficiency without restricting the flow of the coolant. The pump design was changed so that the fluid entry angle at the manifold slightly increased coolant flow rate, done by reducing resistance in the manifold.

The fans are now the highest static pressure models available through Corsair, who've opted to use two SP140L 140mm parts. The tubing has also seen marginal improvements, including a slight change to increase flow rate by thinning the inner walls, thereby creating a larger inner diameter. Interestingly, our first encounter with Corsair (PAX East 2011) saw the company boasting a plastic tubing solution over rubberized competition; it seems that the company now feels confident in using both types of tubing for its CLCs, depending on the model and application.

Finally, the radiator has been adapted by introducing micro slits in the fins (similar to what is found in automotive radiators) to increase turbulence, resulting in more rapidly dissipated heat. All said, Corsair expects users to see as much as a five-degree Celsius improvement if they upgrade from an existing H110.

There were a few aesthetic changes to the H110i GT that shouldn't be overlooked. In the revised H110i GT, Corsair added sleeves around the pipes to produce a higher quality look, replaced the plastic end caps on the pipes with metal springs for a stronger appearance and more durable end piece, and added customization by placing color-customized logo inserts on both the block and radiator. The H110i GT will be available in February for about $130 USD, around the same price as the H110 shipped.

We'll keep you updated as Corsair continues to roll-out its new product line.