EK AIO 240 D-RGB AIO Cooler Review

The term EK always comes to mind, when it comes to computer cooling. Edvard König Water Blocks, or EKWB for short, has created a reputation for themselves as providers of high-end cooling systems. Based in Slovenia, Europe, EK has quickly established a reputation among a broad spectrum of PC customers searching for better and more premium cooling solutions.

EK is well known for its full-fledged high-end water cooling solutions, but as the industry evolves and opportunities arise, EK has gotten on board for mid-range AIO water cooling solutions. Back in the day, EK released an AIO called the “EK-XLC Predator 360,” but it didn’t live long. But this time, EK is serious about the AIO market, and the EK AIO D-RGB series, which includes a flagship elite version, is already performing well.

AIO coolers have always come in various sizes, from the Best 360mm AIO to the low-end 120mm AIO. EK has also released a variety of sizes in the EK AIO series in the D-RGB range, ranging from 120mm to 360mm AIO coolers and an Elite 360mm cooler, which you can learn more about in our review EK AIO Elite 360-D RGB Review

Today, we’ll look at EK AIO 240 D-RGB AIO cooler, which targets the mid-range AIO market. EK has a range of EK AIO RGB coolers, but we will focus on the EK AIO 240 D-RGB today. Keep in mind, we also ranked EK AIO 240 D-RGB as the Best Performance 240mm AIO Cooler. 

Since its debut in 1999, EK has been loyal to its customers, offering them high-quality products. People looking for high-end cooling on a tight budget will always go for 240mm coolers, especially when they provide both efficiency and beauty like the EK AIO 240 D-RGB does. 240mm AIO coolers have long been a popular favorite. They offer cooling performance comparable to a high-end 360mm cooler at a lower price, making them the preferable choice.

In this content post, we’ll be looking at EK’s 240 D-RGB AIO. The EK AIO 240 D-RGB is EK’s entry into the mid-range market, combining extreme cooling with RGB aesthetics. The following are some of the characteristics of the EK 240 D-RGB AIO.

• High-end 120mm EK Vardar S Fans
• Pre-applied Thermal Paste 
• Compatibility for a variety of Intel Sockets (1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1200, 2011, 2011-3, 2066)
• Compatibility with a variety of AMD Sockets AM4
• Massive Copper Cold Plate
• ARGB Pump + ARGB Fans
• 240mm Aluminum Radiator with Remarkable Fin Density

EK-AIO 240 D-RGB Unboxing

The EK AIO 240 D-RGB comes in a white cuboidal box with a graphic of the EK AIO 240 D-RGB on the front. Along with the RGB Pump, the Radiator and fans can be seen in their entirety.

Along with the RGB logo, the front of the box displays the Socket compatibility for Intel and AMD.

The underside of the box contains all the essential information like Product dimensions. We also find some branding for the main components in the EK AIO 24- D-RGB, the Powerful Pump, the Robust Radiator, and the Fierce Vardar S Fan. 

One side of the EK AIO box is completely blank, while the other contains the salient features of the cooler:

• Maintenance Free
• Silent Operation
• Addressable D-RGB
• Easy Installation
• Top Class Performance

The features are printed in several languages for all users to understand.

The bottom of the EK AIO box contains all cooler’s specs in six languages. It also includes Intel and AMD Socket compatibility information.

Last but not least, the top of the box contains some fierce branding saying, “BOOST YOUR PC. IN STYLE!”.

Remove the seal and raise the EK AIO 240 D-RGB top to unbox it. When you lift the lid, you’ll find a piece of foam cushioning and the user manual.

Remove the foam cushioning to uncover the box’s contents after reading the user instructions.

Contents

All the EK AIO 240 D-RGB parts are sitting in their egged cardboard cutouts. The fans, pump, and Radiator are sealed and covered in plastic packaging.

Our 240mm black Radiator is placed beside our two Vardar S fans at the very bottom of the package. The Radiator’s tubes follow the outlines of the box until they reach the pump at the top. We also discover an accessories bag with the necessary items, with the screws and other components carefully wrapped in tiny zip-lock bags. In the 240mm variant, there is no EK Fan Hub.

Closer Look at EK AIO 240-D

We will examine each component in greater detail to make a more accurate assessment of the product. We will look for build quality, design characteristics, and other functional attributes in each component.

240D Radiator

The all-black 240mm radiator is made entirely of aluminum. The Radiator feels solid and durable, and the build quality is excellent. Two 120mm fans can be mounted on either side of the Radiator. Compared to its size and construction quality, the Radiator also seems incredibly light.

The Radiator’s dimensions are 275 x 120 x 27mm. When the Vardar S fans are installed, the overall thickness increases to 53mm. With 20 fins per inch, the Radiator has a highly thick Fin quality, we did find a few bends, but overall the finishing is impressive. There’s also a 105mm gap between the two fan installation holes.

The Radiator is all black with no branding on either side, though the top of the Radiator includes a barcode sticker. The tubes on the Radiator are tightly fixed alongside a fill port that is constricted to factory use only. The fill port is restricted by a warranty void sticker which shouldn’t be hard to explain. 

The Radiator is finished pleasantly, cleanly, with no prominent branding, making it highly user-friendly. The Radiator’s straight fittings with aluminum covers give it a more attractive appearance. The tubing is likewise of excellent quality, with a nylon braided sleeving. The tube is roughly 350mm long, which we believe is short and might be a problem during installation.

Pump/CPU Block

The Pump Head is the most critical component of any AIO cooler; it must be robust and attractive, and seemingly the EK AIO 240 D-pump RGB’s head is both impressive and stylish.

The new EK AIO water pump is made entirely of acrylic and has a matte black finish on the bottom. The acrylic coverings contribute to the RGB lighting and overall appearance. The Pump head is compatible with a wide range of Intel and AMD sockets with a large copper cold plate.

Along with the black cuboid ABS plastic, the top acrylic of the pump features the EK brand logo wrapped in a blueish coating (make sure to remove it before installation). The CPU block is relatively large, measuring 88 x 70 x 53 mm and weighing more than the Radiator.

The radiator tubing on the right side of the EK AIO pump is completely rotatable for easy installation. Aside from the tube, there are two screws for replacing the pump RGB strip. When adjusting, the tubing, on the other hand, provides a premium feel and is rotatable from both the cover fittings and the cable.

One side of the EK AIO pump is black, while the other includes the pump power and RGB outputs. 

We get a 4-pin PWM connector for the pump power and another 3-pin RGB connector. The 3-pin RGB connector also includes a VDG connection for Gigabyte motherboards. Both the cables are pretty long, making installation and later management more accessible.

A huge copper cold plate with pre-applied thermal paste is located at the bottom of the pump (Picture taken afterward). The copper base plate is approximately 58x55mm, with mounting bracket screw holes on either side.

EK AIO 240 D-RGB Vardar S Fans

EK has given us two EK-Vardar S D-RGB fans of the highest quality. Each fan is neatly wrapped inside its plastic container, complete with seals. The EK Vardar S fans include seven frosted blades for optimum airflow and low noise. 

The fans have an all-black exterior with white fan blades to achieve the RGB effects. There is no anti-vibration cushioning on the frame of the fans. The RGB lights are located in the middle of the fans, with the EKWB logo on top.

The four arms are represented on the back of the fans, along with the Vardar S logo/branding. The wires for power and RGB control are mounted on one of the arms. The power rating and manufacturer information are located beneath the Vardar S label.

The cables on the Vardar S include one 4-pin PWM connector with a length of almost 500mm; the other is a male+female dual header ARGB connector with the same size + 100mm. 

The Vardar S Fans Specifications

• Dimension : 120x120x25mm
• Type: 4-pin PWM Connector
• Airflow: 66.04 CFM
• Speed: 550-2200 RPM ± 10%
• Air Pressure: 2.89 mmH₂O
• Noise: 36.4 dB(A)
• ARGB Connector: 5V,3pin ARGB dual Header

Accessories You Get With EK AIO 240 D-RGB

As we mentioned earlier, we get a bag full of accessories, including all necessary screws and brackets. The accessories come in small zip-lock bags, then packed into a giant zip-lock bag labeled ” EK AIO 240&280 D-RGB Mounting”. 

Contents inside:

• 1x Metallic Backplate
• 2x Intel Mounting Brackets
• 2x AMD Mounting Brackets
• 4x Thumb nuts
• 4x Springs
• 4x Intel LGA20xx standoffs
• 5x Screws for mounting brackets
• 8x Screws for Radiator 
• 16x Screws for fans (dual size)
• Y cable for 2 to 1 Fan header
• 1x Ectotherm thermal paste

All the smaller zip-lock bags are clearly labeled to avoid confusion during installation.

EK AIO 240 D-RGB Lighting

The RGB lighting might be an issue if no EK Fan Hub or Controller is included. I ran out of 3-pin ARGB connectors on my Motherboard; thankfully, I had a Fan hub with two additional connections installed, which I utilized to operate our Vardar S fans.

Although the RGB effects on the Pump head are acceptable, they are not perfect, in my opinion. On the other hand, the fans are stunning, and with the RGB infiltrating from the inside, the Vardar S is a sight to see.

Installation

Apart from the tubes, the EK AIO 240 D-RGB installs simply like any other AIO. The user manual explains each step in-depth, with the screws and brackets labeled to make installation as simple as pie.

We tested the cooler on the Intel Core i7-10700K, meaning we had to use the brackets and screws compatible with the Intel Socket 1200.

Before you begin, ensure sure your Processor is free of any prior thermal paste residue; you may wipe the top with rubbing alcohol. After that, attach the Intel/ or AMD brackets to your EK Pump head using the 4+1 bracket screws. Vardar S fans may now be installed on the Radiator in a push or pull way using the longer screws.

Attach the metal backplate to your Motherboard with the appropriate screws, making sure the connection is firm but not too tight. Install your Radiator in the desired position without removing the block cover.

With the Radiator in place, remove the copper backplate cover and set the Pump head on top of your CPU, ensuring that the holes are precisely aligned with the previously inserted screws and secure it with the thumb nuts and springs. Make sure to rotate the tubing on the pump to achieve a comfortable resting position alongside ram clearance, the process can be challenging, but I assure you it will be worth it.

Once the pump and Radiator are in place, double-check that all screws are securely fastened. Connect the Y connector to fans and a fan header on your Motherboard. Also, check sure your pump header is connected to the motherboard fan header. Connect your RGB connections to the appropriate locations now.

EK AIO 240 D-RGB Temperature Benchmarks

If you’re looking for a mid-range cooler, such as the 240mm AIO on the market, we’re delighted to report that the EK AIO 240 D-RGB provides high-end cooling at a reduced cost. As previously said, the testing was not carried out on an open bench. Therefore, the findings shown below will apply to any user; however, bear in mind that we did have a more significant number of fans for intake and drawing air out.

Test System

The Intel Core i7-10700K will be used in our testing with three distinct settings: stock @ 3.8Ghz, OC @ 4.7Ghz, and OC @ 5.0Ghz. The following are the remaining system specifications:

• Intel Core i7-10700K 
• Gigabyte Aorus Motherboard
• 16GB (8×2) Corsair Vengeancence Pro 3200Mhz
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
• Windows 10 running off of SATA SSD 
• Corsair RM750x PSU
• Thermaltake View 71 Case with 5x (Front, Bottom) drawing air in, while 1x (Rear) drawing air out.
• EK AIO 240 D-RGB 240mm AIO with 2x Vardar S fans on top drawing air out

Testing Methodology

The EK AIO 240 D-RGB is a reasonably decent AIO with capable cooling performance, which is why we wanted to test it to its limits. 

We used an Intel Core i7-10700K for this test, and we first put the cooler to the test using the stock CPU settings of 3.8GHz at 100% load. The second and third tests were conducted at a 4.7GHz and 5.0GHz OC stage. We wanted to evaluate how the AIO performed in both stock and high-end OC phases.

The stress tests were run with AIDA64 Extreme, one of the few applications that can entirely wreck a CPU stress test. We decided against an open-bench layout in favor of the Thermaltake View 71t. The Thermaltake View 71t has five intake fans in the front and bottom and three exhaust fans (including the Vardar S) at the top and bottom.

To compare the cooler to some of its well-known competitors on the market, we put it up against the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 and the Noctua NH-D15/S Chromax. With this comparison, we hope that customers will be able to decide which cooler to buy.

Thermal Performance @ Stock 3.8GHz

We initially put the cooler to the test using the Intel i7 10700K’s standard CPU settings of 3.8GHz. The stress test was performed for 15 minutes using AIDA64 Extreme, and the results were as predicted. The EK AIO 240 D-RGB worked admirably, outperforming the Noctua NH-D15/S by a significant margin. It also came close to beating its main competitor, the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240, but fell short by a few degrees. In the stock temperature test, the cooler met or exceeded our expectations.

Thermal Performance @ OC 4.7GHz

Next, we put the EK AIO 240 D-RGB through its paces with an overclocked CPU running at 4.7GHz. The cooler outperformed its opponents and maintained its position. At 100 percent load from AIDA64 Extreme, the thermals reached roughly 43 degrees, which was extraordinary. The EK AIO 240 D-RGB came really close to defeating the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer 240, but it will have to wait for another time.

Thermal Performance @ OC 5.0GHz

Finally, we put the CPU and cooler through their paces. We revved up our Intel Core i7 10700K to 5.0GHz and tested it at full load. The cooler did create some noise as the temperature rose, but that was to be anticipated. The EK AIO 240 D-RGB outperformed the Noctua NH-D15/S while remaining competitive with the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer 240. On load, the thermals stayed at 54 degrees, which was quite outstanding.

In all of these tests, the EK AIO 240 D-RGB outperformed its well-known competition, the Noctua NH-D15/S, although it fell short of defeating the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240.

The EK AIO 240 D-RGB proved the ideal 240mm AIO as the thermal performance was more than acceptable in all scenarios. We also noticed the EK AIO 240 D-RGB be quiet; the Vardar S fans were promising but a little too loud at full speeds. 

Comparison with other Premium Coolers

At the time of writing, the EK AIO 240 D-RGB was available for 120 dollars. This makes it a not so pricey cooler compared to other 240mm AIOs in the same size range, especially with ARGB capabilities. Compared to earlier market giants like Corsair, NZXT, and ARCTIC, EK has been very generous with the EK AIO 240 D-RGB features.

Users will get confused when choosing the EK AIO 240 D-RGB against some mighty competitors in the market like the:

• NZXT Kraken x53
• ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240
• Corsair H100i Series

It all comes down to personal preference and usage, as users may be able to determine their needs in the end, since all of these coolers provide almost equal cooling but differ in terms of looks and noise levels.

Should You Get EK AIO 240 D-RGB?

The EK AIO 240 D-RGB has an all-new acrylic pump with an in-house RGB party effect and the ARGB Vardar S fans that further enhance the experience. The cooler is also compatible with Intel LGA 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1200, 2011, 2011-3, 2066, and AMD AM4 sockets. The pump does come with pre-applied thermal paste to make installation easier, but EK went above and beyond to add an extra tube of thermal paste just in case. When it comes to installation, the cooler is rather simple to set up; however, getting the tubing into the proper position might be a challenge.

The Radiator in question was a 240mm all-black radiator with dimensions of 275 x 120 x 27mm and a thickness of roughly 53mm when the fans were attached. The Radiator is entirely black, with no marking on either side and a high fin density. In addition, the Vardar S fans, which are industrial quality fans with extended life and higher RPMs, make the EK AIO 240 D-RGB worth the money. When operating at full power, the fan sounds can be rather loud, but that is to be anticipated from any fan. Aside from that, the RGB on fans isn’t too bad because they look and feel nice. The fans don’t come with vibration pads, which I believe should have been included if not for noise, but for customer satisfaction, because the small things matter, right?

The EK AIO 240 D-RGB is currently listed at 120 dollars and comes with a complete five-year international warranty. Although an RGB controller or Fan Hub would be excellent, the EK AIO’s thermal performance, noise levels, and RGB features add to a fantastic product. Among its competitors, the EK AIO 240 D-RGB is a premium liquid cooler with greater features for a little price increase. When compared to its rivals, the cooler may appear pricey, but when the EK AIO 240 D-RGB’s capabilities are considered, the price is justified. EK is recognized for producing high-end and premium water cooling solutions and the EK AIO 240 D-RGB is no exception, proving to be a product for all.

Thanks to EK for sending out their brand-new EK AIO 240 D-RGB for Review.