Tested on system
CPU: i5 7600k
Motherboard: MSI Z270 SLI Plus
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro M
In the BIOS, I have settings regarding the processor at a manual 5000MHz. It says target frequency at 5000MHz, but in Windows, it rarely goes above 4900MHz. Usually, it runs at 4800MHz under load.
Below, in some points, I will make a comparison with the Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4 because that’s what I had, and I can only express an opinion there.
COOLING
I tested it with the Intel(R) Extreme Tuning Utility for 5 minutes.
The highest temperature I recorded was 69℃ at some moments; generally, it was lower.
At idle, it averages around 32℃.
During browsing, YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, etc., the average is 36℃.
In gaming and peak load, it’s around 44 - 56℃.
The previous cooler I had was a Dark Rock Pro 4. I can't say it was decent for its age, but it clearly had higher temperatures. In the same test (with the auto settings in the BIOS as above), it reached 89℃, and during light use, it was around 45. While I had it, I had set all cores to 4000MHz, so I saw idle around 32℃ and full load around 50℃ (However, I had limited the capabilities of my processor).
NOISE
It maintains incredible temperatures and is literally silent.
In the MSI Control Center, it shows that it runs at 252 RPM, and I have these temperatures! I deliberately set the fans to run at full speed, and it was still very good in noise at 2400 RPM (that's when you can actually hear it). When I set it to 600 RPM, it seemed almost the same noise level as at 250. It is very quiet, which was essential for me. I won't compare the noise with the Corsair H80i, even though I had it in silent mode. It's truly night and day!!! The Corsair A500 is clearly quieter, not that the Dark Rock had bad noise, we’re just talking comparatively!
APPEARANCE
In terms of appearance, it is quite beautiful, and I believe it is the prettiest, but I expected RGB from Corsair because it’s Corsair, guys. The matter is, of course, subjective, and I’m comparing liquid cooling with air cooling, so two dissimilar things visually.
Conclusion
Although I was afraid of air cooling for the i5 7600k, I was proven wrong. I was thrilled, and I would comfortably recommend it! For someone looking to buy it, don’t be afraid; I believe it will meet your expectations.
P.S. I have no idea about overclocking, so in this case, I cannot express an opinion.