ReviewsCoolersDeepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler Review

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler Review

Best 240mm AIO?

Review Summary

The Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler is a great 240mm AIO that offers some of the best 240mm performance along with beautiful looks. It uses innovative anti-leak technology so that you can rest assured regarding any leakage issues. The cooler may seem expensive to some, but it makes up for it with its high-end set of features.

Overall
8.4/10
8.4/10
  • Performance - 9/10
    9/10
  • Value - 7.5/10
    7.5/10
  • Looks - 8/10
    8/10
  • Build Quality - 9/10
    9/10

Pros

  • Excellent Cooling Performance
  • Low Noise Levels
  • Anti-Leak Technology
  • RGB Lightning
  • Easy Installation

Cons

  • Expensive

Deepcool was founded in 1996, with its headquarters in Beijing, with a focus on providing the best and most personalized thermal solutions for customers around the world. When it comes to enthusiast-grade PC components, Deepcool is a well-established and recognized brand that is gaining more popularity.

The company is focused on providing better thermal solutions in the form of air and liquid coolers. Their Captain Ex is a high-end AIO CPU Cooler that has form and function in a single package. Deepcool has seen more success with their Castle and Fryzen CPU Coolers, and they are catching up with the trend for sure.

The company offers PC Chassis, Power supplies, Case Fans, Laptop Coolers, desks for PC, and Lighting solutions. Gamer Storm is the brand of Deepcool under which enthusiast-grade PC Components are offered to the market. Tri-Stellar, Quad-Stellar, Genome/II, and New Ark 90 are some of the popular and highly customizable PC Chassis in the market.

Earlier, we had reviewed their premium CPU Cooler Captain 240 Ex RGB and found it one heck of a complete cooling solution in terms of performance and aesthetics. Now, the company has released the next iteration of its famous Captain series coolers. Captain 240 Pro is the name of the successor, and it has three distinct features in terms of the main design. These are: –

  • Addressable RGB LED zones on the block
  • Addressable RGB Fans (CF120 variant)
  • Automatic Pressure release valve integrated into the radiator

The water block still features a glass pipe that takes coolant from the lower chamber to the top chamber hence making a way around the Asetek patent. The top side of the block is where the ARGB LED lighting has been implemented.

It does remind us of the arc reactor and definitely adds some stunning and bold looks to the cooler and the overall build theme. Now, they have added the second zone on the main frame of the block, running across all four sides. Unlike the Captain 240 Ex RGB, this cooler has two custom versions of the CF-120 fans.

These are addressable RGB fans that have been further optimized for high static pressure application and better airflow. The radiator is 27mm thick with a 20 FPI count. Given that it is RGB enabled cooler, the Deepcool has enclosed a plethora of RGB lighting-related accessories. Another new addition is the 6-port RGB hub to sync 6 ARGB devices.

Definitely, Deepcool is getting better at providing a complete solution with competitive pricing. What is more, is that there is a dedicated controller as well as two RGB cables supporting all motherboard manufacturers’ onboard lighting solutions. Here are the salient features of the cooler:

  • APAF technology enables Captain Pro to adjust the pressure inside the water circulation system automatically, thereby ensuring stable operation and extended lifetime.
  • ADD RGB on both optimized pump LEDs and CF fans, offering users almost unlimited lighting ambiance.
  • The RGB lighting system is controllable through both the included controller and the specified motherboard. A 6-port RGB hub is included to make your RGB syncing easier.
  • A dual chamber design in an integrally formed water block provides higher circulation efficiency.
  • Injection-type micro water passages allow the copper contact surface to be fully utilized for heat absorption.
  • Pump powered by a three-phase winding motor provides a continuous driving force.
  • Diamond-quality zirconia ceramic bearings and axis effectively isolate operation noise from the water pump as well as provide a longer lifetime.
  • WS2812B ADD-RGB LED is applied and the below 3pin ADD-RGB Headers are compatible for this device: 5V/D/G and 5V/D/NC/G.

Specifications

Radiator Dimensions 290×120×27 mm
Radiator Material Aluminum
Net Weight 1478 g
Tube length 380 mm
Pump Dimensions 93.7×93×85 mm
Pump Speed 2200 RPM±10%
Pump Noise 17.8 dB(A)
Pump Connector 3-pin
Pump Rated Voltage 12 VDC
Pump Rated Current 0.13 A
Pump Power Consumption 1.56 W
Fan Dimensions 120×120×25 mm
Fan Speed 500~1800 RPM±10%
Fan Airflow 69.34 CFM
Fan Air Pressure 2.42 mmAq
Fan Noise ≤30 dB(A)
Fan Connector 4-pin PWM
Bearing Type Hydro Bearing
Fan Rated Voltage 12 VDC
Fan Rated Current 0.17 A
Fan Power Consumption 2.04 W
LED Type Addressable RGB LED
LED Connector 3-pin(+5V-D-G)
LED Rated Voltage 5 VDC
LED Power Consumption 5.7 W
EAN 6933412726500
P/N DP-GS-H12AR-CT240P

Packaging and Unboxing

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Packaging
Packaging

The packing style and theme are the same as what we saw on their Castle 240, and lately, they have been following the black/green colored packing boxes. The cooler is shipped inside a cardboard box.

The front side has the GamerStorm brand name and logo printed on the top left. The compatibility information with various motherboards’ lighting solutions is printed on the top right. There is a colorful picture of the cooler in the main section showcasing its main features of the cooler. Captain 240 Pro is printed at the bottom.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — The backside of the box
The backside of the box

The backside of the box has block diagrams on the top showing the dimension of the product. Salient features are printed in bullet format, followed by the specifications on the right side. The compatibility information with the sockets is printed at the bottom.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — The topside of the box
The top side of the box
Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Unboxing the cooler
Unboxing the cooler

This side has the GamerStorm brand name and logo printed on the top left. The part with no sticker is printed at the bottom right. There is a small-size sticker pasted before the part with no sticker, and it says warranty void if removed, which took me by surprise.Opening the box will show a black color Styrofoam pad on the top of the contents. Removing it will show the nicely packed stuff inside an egged carton.

Accessories

Following are included in the box:

  • 1x Cooling unit
  • 2x 120mm fans
  • 1x backplate
  • 4x Screw Bolts
  • 8x Fan Screws
  • 8x case screws
  • 4x Nut A
  • 4x Nut B
  • 4x Intel LGA20XX Bolts
  • 4x TR4 Bolts
  • 2x Intel Mounting Brackets
  • 2x AMD Mounting Brackets
  • 1x Fan Hub
  • 1x Add-RGB Hub
  • 1x Sticker
  • 1x Fan Extension Cable
  • 1x RGB Controller
  • 1x RGB Extension Cable A
  • 1x RGB Extension Cable B
  • 1x Thermal Paste
Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Box Contents
Box Contents

Closer Look

The Deepcool Captain 240 Pro is a 240mm CLC cooling solution. It has a 240mm radiator with two CF120 (customized) 120mm fans. The dimension of the radiator is 290 x 120 x 27mm. The thickness of the radiator is 27mm. With 25mm fans, the overall thickness would be 52mm. The radiator has 20 fins per inch (FPI).

The length of the radiator has been increased from 274mm to 290mm in order to make provision for an automatic pressure release valve.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — The radiator
The radiator

The radiator is made of aluminum hence it is lightweight. This is Deepcool’s own design. The blocks on both ends of the radiator are rectangular and have straight edges. The fin stack is dense, and taking into account the left and right side channels, it has a total of 12 channels for water flow.

It is following the double tunnel configuration. It has a standard inlet and outlet blocks for the water flow. There are no protective sheets over the fins under the fan mounts. So, take care while mounting the fans as longer screws could damage the fins which would hamper the performance of the cooler.

It is recommended to use the supplied long screws to mount the fans on to the radiators. There is a gap of 105mm between any two fan mounting holes on the radiator.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — The backside of the radiator
The backside of the radiator

The backside of the radiator has an identical layout on the fin stack as is on the front or top side.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — The radiator sides
The radiator sides

Another striking feature is the finishing of the radiator sides. We have a premium touch here. GamerStorm brand name is printed on the plexiglass and screwed on the radiator using aluminum screws. The final product is mind-blowing in terms of the look and feel.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Hoses
Hoses

Unlike many other AIOs in the market, the hoses are clamped inside rugged looking clamps on the radiator as barbs are hidden inside these clamps.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Refill port
Refill port

There is a refill port on the radiator. Surprisingly, it has a Warranty Void sticker pasted on it. Refill port helps the users to refill the coolant should its level drop affecting the performance of the cooler.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — The automatic pressure release valve
The automatic pressure release valve

The above picture shows the automatic pressure release valve or port. The Deepcool has named the radiator as Automatic Pressure Relieving Radiator. The main concern with the AIOs in the minds of the users is and has been the leakage fear which could literally fry their expensive systems.

Leakage could occur due to multiple factors like pressure buildup inside the loop that would ultimately break through the fitting or poorly clamped fitting/hose etc.

Deepcool has given a thought to it and it took their R&D department 3 years to come up with the solution of preventing leak due to internal pressure in the AIOs. They have come up with the solution in which they have integrated the pressure release system in the radiator.

It is designed to be a part of the radiator sitting in the flow of the loop on the outflow port. Any pressure inside the loop will find its way out through this valve in the air. So, we have one major concern addressed here.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Block diagrams of radiators
Block diagrams of radiators

The above picture shows the block diagrams of the typical or standard AIO on the right side and the Anti-Leak enabled on the left side. Deepcool has installed an elastic based pressure-released bag on the outlet side of the radiator.

One side of this bag is dipped in the coolant whereas the other side is exposed to the air. When the internal pressure reached the atmospheric pressure or exceeds it the bag will be squeezed.

This would increase the internal volume of the loop and would cause the increased pressure to be released in the air through the valve. This would reduce the risk of the leakage in the AIO owing to the increased internal pressure.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Radiator Sticker
Radiator Sticker

There is a sticker pasted on the far head or chamber of the radiator. Surprisingly, even it has warranty void if removed sticker pasted on it. So, we have by now four of these stickers. One is pasted on the packing box, three are on the radiator alone.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Hose fittings
Hose fittings

The hoses are firmly fitted on the radiator assembly and on the pump housing. The soft tubing is made from upgraded anti-explosion rubber tube manufactured using an anti-corrosion, crush resistant and thermostable material. The soft material tubing is a bit flexible and doesn’t produce kinking which is always a plus. Deepcool is using mesh sleeve on the hoses to give them a clean look. The length of the hoses is approximately 300mm which is less than what I had expected.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Water Block
Water Block

Let’s take a look at the main element of this cooler. It is the water block with the pump housing. I have seen CLCs with a simple design where only the pump is on the block which reduces the weight of the block and adds more simplicity to the designs.

Then there are integrated reservoirs on top of the pump housing which not only adds more to the looks particularly with the lighting enabled reservoirs but also brings in more coolant capacity.

They have what I would like to term as Arc Reactor for it does resemble the reactor, unique reactor style pump housing giving the overall looks of the block to insanely awesome steampunk appearance. It does look that well in person.

The dimension of the block is 93.7mm X 93mm X 85mm (L X W X H). The block size is relatively larger as compared to other CLCs in the market but definitely, a small footprint when compared with the Reeven’s Naia 240 and Aerocool’s L240. The block has a single piece of the diffuser which is cut to the design.

It has a solid base of approximately 4-5mm thick which is visible on the 4 sides of the block whereas its top surface with 22 cutouts protrudes out of the top lid. They are in a rounded circular manner.

The center of the top lid has a glass tube coming out of it. The overall design immediately jogs your memories about the arc reactor of some sort and Deepcool has successfully designed it to be. What is different is that these diffusers have addressable RGB LEDs underneath to create one heck of stunning and dope looks.

This is another area where the design is different from the Captain 240 Ex RGB.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Glass Pipe
Glass Pipe

The glass pipe is used to bring the coolant from the bottom chamber to the upper chamber. This design circumvents the Asetek patent. Looking at the block would give you an idea of two-chambered design.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — The rear side of the block
The rear side of the block

Looking at what should be the rear side of the block, we can see the 90° barb fittings which can be somewhat rotatable. There are two cables coming out from this side. The top cable is the LED one measuring a length of 275mm.

Believe me, this is a much shorter length than what it should have been. It is coming out from the top side where the second LED zone is located. We have a solid diffuser running across the entire length of the block’s housing. The LED cable is flat.

The second cable is coming from the mid where the actual pump is located at. It is nicely sleeved and has a length of 262mm.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — The side of the block
The side of the block

The left and right sides of the block has GamerStorm printed in the middle. The mounting bracket or plate is pre-installed and it is a part of the block. It has two spring-loaded screws on each end to secure the block on the mounting assembly.

I am a bit skeptical of using only two sides mounting pressure to install the cooler. Only testing will confirm if we have some performance hit or not.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — The base of the block
The base of the block

We have a copper base on the block measuring 53x53mm. We have a total of 8 hex screws securing the copper base to the block’s housing. 53×53 is quite a size and base is not mirror polished finish.

A white color protective sheet is pasted on the base cautioning the user to remove it before installation.

Injection type microchannels for the water allows for maximum copper surface utilization for better heat conduction. The Pump speed is rated at 2200±10% RPM at 17.3 dB(A) rated sound level using 12VDC at 0.13A rated current and 1.56W power consumption.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — 2x CF120 addressable RGB fans
2x CF120 addressable RGB fans

Deepcool has bundled two CF120 addressable RGB fans with this cooler. These are the enhanced version of the original CF120s with specs tuned for better performance on the radiator as original CF120s are optimized for chassis airflow.

I have already done a detailed review of these which can be checked by clicking here. Each fan has 9 translucent blades with dedicated air channels on each blade. There is a GamerStorm brand logo sticker in the middle of the fans.

Each fan has anti-vibration gray color pads on the mounting corners on both sides. The frame has a shiny black color frame on the upper side. Looking closely one can see the main design being circular around the blades and four mounting sides on this circle.

The backside of the fans has an almost similar design as we saw on the TF120 fans that we reviewed earlier. There are air-forming channels on the edges of the frame. We have 4-arms assembly holding and securing the impellers to the frame.

There is a black color sticker on the motor hub with GamerStorm brand logo and name on the top. Fans are made in China. Each fan has 12 RGB LEDs inside the motor hub.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Fan cables
Fan cables

These fans are rated at 12VDC with a rated current of 0.17±10%A with the power of 2.04W. The fan speed at 12VDC is 500±200 ~ 1800±10% RPM. Maximum airflow on 12VDC is 69.34CFM. The noise level is 17.8-30 dB(A).

Maximum static pressure is 2.24mmH₂O. The fans are using the Hydro Bearings with MTBF of 40,000 hrs. There are two cables per fan. One is a 4-pin power cable with a length of approximately 280mm and it is flat. The second one is a 3-pin flat LED cable with a length of approximately 385mm.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Fan hub
Fan hub

The Deepcool has enclosed a 4-port fan hub in the parcel which is really good on their part. This is a revamped version of the fan hub which is sleek and slim in design and looks that good in person. The ports are numbered as Fan 1 to Fan 4.

GamerStorm is carved on the opposite side of the port numbering side. The other side of the hub has a 3M adhesive tape to easily install the fan in the chassis. The hub has a 4-pin PWM cable measuring 392mm. They have also bundled a 4-pin PWM extension cable just in case. That cable has a length of 400mm.

Should a user wants to go push/pull setup on this unit, the 4-port fan hub will come handy as it will allow all the four fans to be connected to this hub and then a single 4-pin PWM cable coming out of this hub can be connected to the motherboard’s fan header for speed regulation.

This way we can be sure of having the same speed on all the fans.  The port one is in white color to indicate that PWM signal from this will be used to regulate all the connected fans.

RGB Lighting

Now, it is time to take a look at the RGB lighting hardware that the Deepcool has provided with the unit. The 16.7M true color RGB flowing light system with 5 in-built effects (dynamic, static, breathing, comet, and fashion collision) has 36 interchangeable lighting modes are on this cooler.

As we have discussed above that addressable RGB LEDs are in the top portion of the block under the diffuser for which there is a 3-pin cable coming out of the pump housing. Due to the format of this cable, it can’t be connected directly on to the motherboard’s addressable RGB header.

Deepcool has provided two solutions for that. One is the dedicated controller to control the addressable RGB lighting effects.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — RGB Controller
RGB Controller

The controller is SATA powered. The length of the power cable is 400mm whereas the length of RGB cable is 370mm. The controller has 3 buttons on the top side of it. The top button has + printed on it and it is used to switch between different lighting modes.

It has a toggle effect. The middle button is used to control the brightness. It will speed up/down the speed of the currently loaded mode and does not work on the static mode. The bottom button has – printed on it and it is used to switch load the previous mode.

There is one caveat that I can mention here when it comes to mounting this controller. Ideally, I would want it to be readily accessible to me so it should be available outside of the chassis which is definitely going to be an issue.

Alternatively, it can be installed in a place inside the chassis where accessibility can be of ease but for that, we still will have to open the side panel to access the controller.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — RGB LED hub
RGB LED hub

This is not all as Deepcool has also bundled RGB LED hub which allows for up to 5 ARGB devices to be synced and color coordinated. That hub can be connected to the controller be it a dedicated one or the motherboard’s lighting header.

It has two magnets on the back side to easily install it inside the metallic chassis. There is also 3M adhesive in case it is to be used on a non-metallic surface.

The Deepcool has included an RGB Sync cable that can be connected on the addressable RGB enabled headers on the modern motherboards like AURA from Asus, Mystic Lighting from MSI, RGB Fusion from Gigabyte.

Two types of RGB LED Extension cables supporting +5V/D//G and +5V/D/G are bundled so as every possible lighting solution format on the motherboards can be covered. Deepcool is using WS2812B ADD-RGB LEDs on the CF120 and on the block of this cooler.

It is clear that Deepcool has left no corner uncovered. Here is some technical data on the LEDs:

LED Type Addressable
Rated Voltage 5V
Rated Power 5.7W
LED Connector 3pin
LED Control Motherboard with addressable RGB header/ADD-RGB Controller
   

 

Here are some pictures for your eye pleasure:

 

Installation

The cooler has been tested on the Intel LGA2011(3) and AMD AM4 sockets using Intel i7 6850k and AMD Ryzen 7 2700X. Here are the installation guidelines for both platforms:

Intel

 
  • Install the LGA20XX bolts on the pre-drilled holes around the CPU socket.
  • Place the Intel mounting brackets on these bolts. I would advise to place them horizontally (looking at the motherboard from the standing position).
  • Secure the mounting brackets using the Nuts A (small size nuts).
  • Install the fans on the radiator.
  • Apply the thermal paste on the CPU.
  • Remove the safety sticker from the base of the cooler.
  • Place the block on the CPU by aligning the spring-loaded screws with the middle holes on the mounting bracket and screw tight the block on the CPU.
Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Intel Installation
Intel Installation

AMD

  • Remove the AMD stock backplate from the motherboard.
  • Slide the 4x bolt screws on the AMD backplate provided with the cooler. AM4 is clearly printed on the holes of the backplate. These bolts have hexagonal heads which should fit in fully inside the backplate.
  • Place the backplate on the backside of the motherboard such that the screw bolts pass through the mounting holes.
  • Place the Nuts B on the screw bolts and secure the AMD backplate. Make sure that black color side of the Nuts B faces the motherboard as it has silicon washers.
  • Place the AMD mounting brackets on these screws.
  • Secure the mounting brackets using the Nuts A.
  • Apply the thermal paste on the CPU.
  • Remove the Safety sticker from the base of the cooler.
  • Place the block on the CPU by aligning the spring-loaded screws with the middle holes on the mounting bracket and screw tight the block on the CPU.

Common steps

  • Connect the 3-pin power cable of the pump to the CPU Fan header or the AIO/Water Pump header of the motherboard.
  • Connect the fans’ power cables to the fan hub and connect the fan hub’s PWM cable to the 4-pin fan header of the motherboard.
  • Connect the RGB LED cables of the fans and the block with the LED hub.
  • Connect the LED hub to the source controller.

The installation is complete. One observation that I made is that the side of the block where the hoses are located obstruct the block’s installation on the X99 as these hoses can’t be rotated fully and they were making contact with the RAMs. I take it there is only one way to install the block on the X99.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Test Bench
Test Bench

Testing Methodology

Intel Test Bench

  • Asus Rampage V Edition 10
  • Intel i7 6850k
  • Corsair Vengeance RED LED 16GB @ 2666MHz
  • Asus ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 O8G
  • Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD
  • WD Black 6TB
  • Corsair AX1200i

AMD Test Bench

  • Ryzen 7 2700X
  • Asus Strix X470-F Gaming
  • Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16GB @ 3200MHz
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 FE
  • HyperX 120GB SSD
  • Antec HCP 1300

We are thankful to our sponsors of the AMD test bench. They are AMD, Corsair, Asus, and Antec.

Following software were used for testing and monitoring.

  • Asus Real Bench v 2.44 [Intel]
  • Real Temp GT v 3.70 [Intel]
  • AIDA64 Extreme 5.99 [AMD]

The thermal paste being used on my test bench is the Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste. The use of the same thermal paste for all coolers will ensure the standardization and mitigate any performance benefit that may come using the supplied thermal paste.

I have started testing the coolers with the bundled thermal paste as well. Here is the voltage and clock information for both platforms:

AMD Platform Intel Platform
Clock (MHz) Voltage (V) Clock (MHz) Voltage (V)
3700 1.1125 3600 1.130
4100 1.3250 4300 1.350

 

On the Intel platform, I have been using the Asus RealBench software to stress test the CPU. On AMD platform, RealBench was problematic hence; I resorted to AIDA64 Extreme for CPU stress testing.

A run of minimum 60 minutes is made on each clock level and the average temperature is calculated by summing up the individual core’s temperature and dividing it by 6. The ambient temperature is deducted from this average value to yield delta temperature.

This is on the Intel platform. On AMD platform, tCtl was offset with -10°C as advised by the AMD for the 2700X only. AIDA64 Extreme run of minimum 60 minutes was made for each clock settings. Each run was followed by minimum 15 minutes of idling state.

Delta temperature is calculated by subtracting the ambient temperature from the maximum reported temperature in the AIDA64 Extreme.

Here are the results.

Results

Let’s take a look at the graphs.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Thermal performance at 3.6 GHz
Thermal performance at 3.6 GHz

On stock clocks, the Deepcool Captain 240 Pro is rocking at the third slot though technically it is the second spot as the first two are with the Asus Ryuo CPU Cooler with stock and NT-H1 thermal pastes. Deepcool clearly making a strong case here.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Thermal performance at 4.3 GHz
Thermal performance at 4.3 GHz

With overclocked 6850k to 4.3GHz at 1.350V, the Deepcool Captain 240 Pro has taken the sweet third spot again making its case stronger. It seems like Deepcool has used their premium thermal paste as well it is giving neck-to-neck competition to the Noctua NT-H1.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Thermal performance at 3.7 GHz
Thermal performance at 3.7 GHz

The Deepcool Captain 240 Pro is sitting behind the Noctua NH-D15. The test was repeated three times to verify the readings both on the stock and the overclocked settings.

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Thermal performance at 4.1 GHz
Thermal performance at 4.1 GHz

Again, we see the Captain 240 Pro sitting behind the Noctua NH-D15.

Sound Level

I could not measure the sound level of the unit due to uncontrollable environmental noises. Based on my experience with the fans and coolers testing, the fans on the cooler are loud, and the sound level seems to be in the 30s at full speed, but they are not teasing.

A custom fan curve can be helpful in case you are sitting too close to the PC or are a sound-conscious person like me.

Conclusion

The Deepcool Captain 240 Pro is a 240mm CLC cooling solution. It has a 240mm radiator with two CF120 ARGB fans optimized for high static pressure and better airflow. The dimension of the radiator is 290 x 120 x 27mm.

The length of the radiator has been increased to accommodate the automatic pressure release valve integrated right into the radiator. The thickness of the radiator is 27mm. With 25mm fans, the overall thickness would be 52mm. The radiator is made of aluminum; hence it is lightweight. This is Deepcool’s own design.

The radiator has 20 FPI. There is a gap of 105mm between any two fan mounting holes. The soft tubing is made from an upgraded anti-explosion rubber tube manufactured using an anti-corrosion, crush-resistant, and thermostable material. The soft material tubing is a bit flexible and doesn’t produce kinking, which is always a plus.

Deepcool uses mesh sleeves on the hoses to give them a clean look. One caveat is the length of the hoses which is 300mm. I was expecting a minimum of 320mm. There is a refill port on the radiator, which to my surprise, has a warranty void sticker pasted on it.

This cooler is compatible with Intel LGA-20XX/115x/775 sockets and AMD’s AM4/AMx/TR4 sockets.

The distinct features of the Captain 240 Pro over the Captain 204 Ex RGB are:

  • Automatic Pressure release system
  • ARGB CF120 fans
  • ARGB lighting solution on the block
  • Modification in the block’s design to accommodate the ARGB lighting.
  • The sides of the radiator are finished with the GamerStorm brand name printed on the plexiglass and secured using nickel screws.

The key feature of this cooler is the new Anti-Leak system. This is the first of its kind design in the AIOs that we have ever seen, and Deepcool’s R&D department took 3 years in the design and testing to finally bring the solution to one of the biggest concerns/fears in the mind of the users when using the AIO; leakage.

Using a specially designed anti-pressure bag having properties of elasticity in nature, resistance to heat and corrosion, and made out of premium EPDM material from DuPont, the DeepCool has integrated this bad inside the radiator on the outlet port. One end is dipped in the coolant, whereas the other end is exposed to the air.

Whenever the internal loop’s pressure buildup reaches and crosses the atmospheric pressure, the bag squeezes, causing an increase in the volume of the loop, which releases the buildup pressure in the air through the exposed end of the air-pressure bag. Definitely, a brilliant idea with equally good execution though only long-term testing could tell the tale.

This cooler still retains the steampunk arc reactor design that we saw on the Captain 240 Ex RGB with some modifications. There is a glass pipe coming from the middle of the top side and going down the bottom chamber where the pump is located.

This design approach has added more to the bold yet sublime looks, and it is circumventing the Asetek patent on pump housing design. The RGB LED lighting is implemented on the top side of the block, giving the dope look when the unit is powered on. The top section of the housing has a single-piece diffuser that runs on the four sides of the housing. The top side of the diffuser protrudes from the lid surface. Now we have 22 cutouts on the outer side, whereas they were inside in the Captain 240 Ex RGB. The dimension of the block is 93.7x93x85mm.

There are two cables coming out of the pump housing. One is the sleeved 3-pin power cable, and the other one is the flat 3-pin RGB cable. The base is made of copper and is a polished finish but is not mirror-like. The base measures 53x53mm. The back side is where the hoses are implemented in a 90-degree rotary position, protruding the block quite a bit.

The hoses can be somewhat rotatable, but not fully. The Deepcool uses closed impellers driven by three phase induction motor to deliver strong liquid flow. Deepcool uses Zirconia Ceramic bearings which are diamond-quality bearings that isolate the noise from the pump as well a longer lifetime. 

How much longer? Not mentioned in the specifications or the literature. Thanks to the dual chamber design, the liquid flows in one direction to achieve circulation efficiency. Injection-type microchannels for the water allow for maximum copper surface utilization for better heat conduction.

The Pump speed is rated at 2200±10% RPM at 17.3 dB(A) rated sound level using 12VDC at 0.13A rated current and 1.56W power consumption.

Deepcool has bundled two CF120 addressable RGB fans with this cooler. These are enhanced versions of the original CF120s with specs tuned for better performance on the radiator, as original CF120s are optimized for chassis airflow.

Each fan has 9 translucent blades with dedicated air channels on each blade. There is a GamerStorm brand logo sticker in the middle of the fans. Each fan has anti-vibration gray color pads on the mounting corners on both sides. The frame has a shiny black color frame on the upper side.

Looking closely, one can see the main design being circular around the blades and four mounting sides on this circle. The backside of the fans has an almost similar design as we saw on the TF120 fans that we reviewed earlier. There are air-forming channels on the edges of the frame.

We have a 4-arms assembly holding and securing the impellers to the frame. There is a black color sticker on the motor hub with the GamerStorm brand logo and name on the top. Fans are made in China. Each fan has 12 RGB LEDs inside the motor hub.

These fans are rated at 12VDC with a rated current of 0.17±10%A with a power of 2.04W. The fan speed at 12VDC is 500±200 ~ 1800±10% RPM. Maximum airflow on 12VDC is 69.34CFM. The noise level is 17.8-30 dB(A).

Maximum static pressure is 2.24mmH₂O. The fans are using the Hydro Bearings with an MTBF of 40,000 hrs. There are two cables per fan. One is a 4-pin power cable with a length of approximately 280mm, and it is flat. The second one is a 3-pin flat LED cable with a length of approximately 385mm. For more information on these fans, please check our detailed review here.

We are not yet done with this cooler, as there are many accessories worth mentioning here. Deepcool has revamped its fan hub and has provided a sleeker and slim-designed 4-port fan hub. It has a 4-pin PWM cable. They have also provided a 4-pin PWM cable extension.

Port 1 has a white color base indicating this port’s PWM signal will be used to set the speed of the remaining 3 fans. Instead of providing a 3-way LED splitter cable, we have a beautifully designed 5-port LED hub to which we can connect up to 5 ARGB LED devices.

They have also provided two LED extension cables that would cover all the LED lighting solutions found on the motherboards from various manufacturers. It is clear that Deepcool was on task when it came to paying attention to the details.

The Captain 240 Pro is listed at $139.99 at the time of the review. If it seems expensive, let’s recap what is bundled with the cooler.

There are two high-performance CF120 fans that have digital LEDs, a dedicated RGB Controller, a 5-port LED Hub, a 4-port fan hub, a PWM extension cable, 2x Extension cables to ensure complete compatibility with the leading motherboard manufacturers’ onboard lighting solutions, AM4/TR4 compatibility and most above all the mechanism that has been integrated into the radiator to cope with the loops’ internal pressure buildup.

Welp, you name it. They have taken care of everything possible that a user would like to do with this cooler. We have tested the cooler on the Intel and AMD platforms, and it has performed very well.

We are thankful to Deepcool for giving us the opportunity to review their Captain 240 Pro CPU Cooler.

Here is our recommendation!

Deepcool Captain 240 Pro CPU Liquid Cooler — Tech4Gamers Recommended Award

 
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Sameed Hussain
Sameed Hussain
With a major in Computer Science, Sameed is a tech enthusiast who puts his passion for gadgets into words and creates informative blogs. From breaking the latest, most credible news to comparing different hardware to reviewing the best RAMs, motherboards, and graphics cards for your next build, Sameed has covered a wide spectrum of topics that have given him a special insight into every nook and cranny of the tech world.

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