Review: Raystorm & EX240

[SEBAR]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiQsJNbNw2g


Here is a short video box opening/overview I did on the XSPC Raystorm CPU waterblock and the XSPC EX240 radiator.

Initial thoughts:
I am very impressed with the overall packaging and presentation XSPC has put together for their products. The packaging is simple yet elegant with Blue XSPC logo over a nice flat black background.

EX240 radiator
Package contents:
1x EX240 Radiator
8x 6mm screws
8x 30mm screws

RayStorm Waterblock
Package contents:
1x RayStorm Waterblock
1x 3mm Twin LED
1x Black Screw Set
1x 2011 Screw Set
1x Thermal Past
1x 775 back plate
1x 1366 back plate
1x 1155/1156 back plate

Opening the box you are greeted with XSPC Technical Details and installation instructions. The instructions are clear, easy to follow and have plenty of pictures to illustrate the instalation process.

Next is the Raystorm CPU block wrapped in bubble wrap and a clear plastic wrap to prevent scratches.

Under the Raystorm Block there is an assortment of mounting hardware for 775, 1165/1155, 1366 and 2011 sockets. Also included is a small tube of XSPC Thermal Compound K2 and two 3mm blue LED's to accent the CPU block.

Installation:
Installation was a breeze. I had no trouble reading and understanding the installation instructions. Instruction for Intel installation is on one side of the document and AMD on the reverse side. Installation is broken down into an 8 step process with clear instructions and large color pictures.

Performance:
I installed the RayStorm waterblock onto a socket 775 motherboard with a Q6600 CPU along with 2 Corsair SP120 quiet edition fans. I know this is not the latest and greatest system spec but it will give us a good understanding of the cooling performance nonetheless.

After all the leak checking was complete I started to run some tests to see how the system performed. I ran prime 95 for an extended run on In-place Large FFT's and after 5 hours my max temperatures where at 49 Celsius. The ambient air temperature was at 29 Celsius/84 Fahrenheit.

Conclusion:
XSPC has delivered a superior product with the RayStorm Waterblock and an equally superior product with the EX240 Radiator. The quality is top notch, the aesthetics are great, and the performance very good. I highly recommend the RayStorm Waterblock and the EX240 radiator.

 

[airdeano]

curious of the difference from your old cooling solution to the newly installed one.

airdeano

 

[seumasbeathan]

Nice review mate

 

[SEBAR]

curious of the difference from your old cooling solution to the newly installed one.

airdeano

The old system was an Antec H2O 620, I did a short run of Prime 95 before removing the system and had a max temperature of 52C. The ambient temperature at the time of the test was 73F/23C. Much cooler then when I did the temperature reading for the custom loop. Another thing to note is that the stock fan on the Antec H2O 620 is very loud on 12v.

Nice review mate

Thanks.

 

[NRG!]

Did you have to remove the motherboard from the system to mount the block? I couldn't mount it in the system for the life of me, it was so fiddly.

 

[dipzy]

Great review, those temps are real nice

 

[SEBAR]

Did you have to remove the motherboard from the system to mount the block? I couldn't mount it in the system for the life of me, it was so fiddly.

The motherboard was removed because I had to drill out the rivets for the 5.25/3.5 drive bay cage. It would have been no problem to install with the motherboard in the system. The installation process of the RayStorm CPU waterblock is much better than the installation of the Antec H2O 620.
I am not sure what was causing your trouble.
For me the installation was painless. In fact I would say that this has been the easiest install of any aftermarket cooler I have installed in the past. Over the past several months I have installed a variety of CPU coolers from different manufacturers such as: Noctua, Cooler Master, Zalman and Antec.

 

[airdeano]

Did you have to remove the motherboard from the system to mount the block? I couldn't mount it in the system for the life of me, it was so fiddly.

really depends on the case and if the mobo cutout is big enough to be helpful.
if i have time, i'll do a mobo removal (making race car sounds) to clean and
organize the new harnesses.

airdeano

 

[CPMFW]

nice review mate

 

[NRG!]

The motherboard was removed because I had to drill out the rivets for the 5.25/3.5 drive bay cage. It would have been no problem to install with the motherboard in the system. The installation process of the RayStorm CPU waterblock is much better than the installation of the Antec H2O 620.
I am not sure what was causing your trouble.
For me the installation was painless. In fact I would say that this has been the easiest install of any aftermarket cooler I have installed in the past. Over the past several months I have installed a variety of CPU coolers from different manufacturers such as: Noctua, Cooler Master, Zalman and Antec.

I found it hard because you have to hold the block in place (the block, the bracket and the bracket faceplate) while holding the backplate on the back of the mobo (it needed to be held as whenever the bolts touched it, it fell off) and then flailing around trying to get the bolts to reach while holding it all together! Maybe I just have small hands idk.. It was my only complaint about the block tbh as it is great at everything else. It was much easier when I'd taken the mobo out of the case though.

I was probably also spoiled by EK's 'easymount' from my supreme HF. That really is easy.

 

[SEBAR]

I found it hard because you have to hold the block in place (the block, the bracket and the bracket faceplate) while holding the backplate on the back of the mobo (it needed to be held as whenever the bolts touched it, it fell off) and then flailing around trying to get the bolts to reach while holding it all together! Maybe I just have small hands idk.. It was my only complaint about the block tbh as it is great at everything else. It was much easier when I'd taken the mobo out of the case though.

I was probably also spoiled by EK's 'easymount' from my supreme HF. That really is easy.

Did your back plate not come with the adhesive? My block included the backplates that had a sticky adhesive to hold the backplate to the motherboard.
Here is a pic of the 775 backplate. all of the included backplates had the adhesive to stick to the motherboard. I also reviewed the installation instructions and step number 2 is to remove the film from the backplate and stick it to the motherboard.

 

[NRG!]

The 775 and 2011/1366 backplates had the adhesive but the 1155 didn't :/

 

[SEBAR]

The 775 and 2011/1366 backplates had the adhesive but the 1155 didn't :/

I can see how you could miss it. The adhesive is just around the mounting posts on the 1155 back plate. See the picture of the 1155 back plate, the white rings around the posts are the adhesive stickers.

 

[NRG!]

That looks familiar! Lol. I'll be taking it off when my koolance 370 arrives (raystorm is for my folder) so I'll see, pretty sure it does have them now though.

I think at the time I thought the white were spacers as they don't match the image on the instructions.

Aw man, I struggled for ages! Even got my bro to hold the backplate in place for me!

 

[coolmiester]

Nice concise review there SEBAR, thanks

 

[SEBAR]

That looks familiar! Lol. I'll be taking it off when my koolance 370 arrives (raystorm is for my folder) so I'll see, pretty sure it does have them now though.

I think at the time I thought the white were spacers as they don't match the image on the instructions.

Aw man, I struggled for ages! Even got my bro to hold the backplate in place for me!

At least you got it together. If things are to hard I get frustrated and would prob throw it out the window. The Antec 620 was a pain in the a$$. I almost gave up on that one. After I had put it on and taken it off a few times it was no problem but most people would just install it once and not mess with it again.

Nice concise review there SEBAR, thanks

Thanks.

 

[NRG!]

I can confirm that I did have those small white adhesive circles! LOL.
No idea why I assumed they were spacers. I guess the instruction picture was different, but, they were still white like the other stickers, lol.

 

[SEBAR]

I can confirm that I did have those small white adhesive circles! LOL.
No idea why I assumed they were spacers. I guess the instruction picture was different, but, they were still white like the other stickers, lol.

Ya, looks like they changed the 1155 back plate.

I put together a short video on how I put the system together. h t t p://w w w.youtube.com/watch?v=VFPjdnLqtPg

 

[AverageNinja]

Nice review mate
The block looks ginormous on that board

 

[SEBAR]

Update to the RayStorm CPU water block review. I recently updated my system to an 1155 socket and installed the RayStorm. The adhesive on the 1155 back plate is absolute garbage. It would not stick to the back of the motherboard because there was not enough contact area to make a secure bond. I had to use tape to hold the back plate on the motherboard while trying to mount the water block. The 775 and the 1366 back plates do have a lot more adhesive then the 1155 back plate so I would expect those back plates would mount much easier.
Here is a picture of the blue tape I used to help hold the back plate into position.

Although the 1155 mounting was a bit of a pain I would still say that the RayStorm water block is a great product.

RayStorm mounted onto a Maximus IV Gene Z/Gen 3