With this review, we’re going to look at Montech’s HyperFlow Silent 240 AIO. This AIO is relatively low price, available for $69 USD on Amazon at the time of this writing. I previously covered the 360mm version of this cooler for Tom’s Hardware, and I encourage folks interested in this product to read both reviews – as the reviews I post to Tom’s Hardware are more in-depth than those posted here.
The version of the cooler we’re looking at with this article is black without ARGB, but there are variants in white and with ARGB if that’s the sort of thing you’re interested in.
The packaging of the cooler is fairly standard. The cooler is shipped in molded cardboard, with plastic covering most parts. The radiator and fans also have another piece of cardboard (shown above in white) protecting it.
The photo above shows the accessories that come with the cooler. You have mounting support for modern Intel and AMD platforms, a tool to help install the studs, tubing management clips, and a small tube of thermal paste. But wait – there’s more! That tube of thermal paste? It’s actually intended for a 2nd or 3rd installation – the copper CPU contact plate arrives with Montech’s thermal paste pre-installed, as shown below!
The top of the CPU block has a minimalist design, with an etched metal covering. As shown in the picture below, the tubes can be fully rotated to make installation simpler.
There are two things I particularly appreciate with Montech’s design. The first of these is that Montech pre-installed the fans before shipment, saving users a few moments of time and effort.
The second thing I find useful and appreciate is the inclusion of an accessible refill port which isn’t hidden or obscured. Many manufacturers will hide their refill ports and/or try to scare users away from refilling their AIOs with a “warranty void when removed” sticker which is illegal under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 in the USA. Last year, the FTC warned ASRock, Gigabyte, Zotac, and others about such anti-consumer practices. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about any of that with Montech!
Installation
The installation of this cooler is fairly simple, I’ll show the process on Intel’s LGA1700 and LGA1851 platforms. The first step I would recommend is to mount the AIO to your computer case.
Afterwards, take the backplate and use the adhesive strips to secure it to the back of your motherboard. You’ll next take the mounting studs and secure them on the other side of the motherboard, optionally using the included tool.
Afterwards, take the pump block and place it on top of the CPU – securing it with the screws included. You don’t need to worry about thermal paste on your first installation, as it is pre-installed.
Thermal and Noise Benchmarks
Please remember – the reviews I post here will be less in-depth than those I post to Tom’s Hardware. I highly encourage readers to check out my review of Montech’s HyperFlow Silent 360 hosted there for a better picture of how this cooler performs. This review won’t have as much comparative information as I’ve just started to build information for this site.
Maximum Noise Levels
When it comes to the dBA readings, Montech’s HyperFlow Silent doesn’t really live up to the name. At 46.9 dBA, it is one of the louder AIOs on the market. That said, dBA measurements don’t fully represent how sounds are perceived. The pitch of this AIOs fans sounds much quieter than Akasa’s Alucia H4i SFF cooler, despite it having a lower dBA measurement.
Maximum and Noise-Normalized Thermal Performance
When it comes to thermal performance, Montech’s 240mm AIO does pretty well. With 259W cooled on average during testing, its performance is not far off from more expensive and larger 360mm AIOs on the market. Limiting the fan’s noise levels to 38.9 dBA still provides 240W of cooling power – plenty strong enough for most users looking for an AIO for their CPU.
120W Thermal Benchmark
Testing this cooler with a power limit of 120W shows a rather interesting result. Montech’s 240mm AIO outperformed the fan-favorite Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 by a significant 9 degrees Celsius – despite having a smaller, thinner radiator!
95W & 65W Thermal Graphs
With 95W and 65W thermal tests, I don’t really have a ton of comparison data yet. Unfortunately, the only two I’ve tested here are SFF coolers – and obviously a full fledged AIO is going to dominate over them.
Conclusion
Montech’s HyperFlow Silent 240 is a strong, capable liquid cooler that is sufficient for the needs of most users looking for an AIO liquid cooler. It is currently available for $69 USD – and can be found in black or white colors, with or without ARGB lighting.