NZXT’s more affordable 240mm AIO cooler is still a great choice for most CPUs.
NZXT is our with some new Kraken all-in-one liquid CPU coolers and today we’re looking at the NZXT Kraken 240. This is a mid-range cooler with ample thermal capacity with a 240mm radiator and the latest generation Asetek pump. NZXT markets this cooler as the best solution for an entry or mid-level processor such as an Intel Core i7-13700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7700. The NZXT Kraken 240 doesn’t have any RGB lighting, but there is a CPU block LCD panel for displaying temperatures and other content.
We’ve put the NZXT Kraken 240 AIO to the test and found it to be a very capable cooler for Intel and AMD processors. Like its larger (and more expensive) sibling the NZXT Kraken Elite 360, it’s easily one of the best liquid coolers on the market, but so too are other solutions that use the same Asetek pump.
Source: NZXT
NZXT Kraken 240
Excellent liquid cooling for budget-friendly PC builds.
The NZXT Kraken 240 is a budget-friendly AIO liquid cooler with a small LCD panel and two capable 120mm fans for impressive results. The latest generation Asetek pump makes it possible to cool even a more power-hungry chip.
- Brand
- NZXT
- Cooling Method
- Liquid
- Integrated Lighting
- No
- Fan Speed
- 1,800 RPM
Pros
- Impressive thermal performance
- Fits numerous AMD and Intel sockets
- LCD CPU block
- Includes two premium F120P fans
Pricing and availability
The NZXT Kraken 240 is available for $140 from NZXT directly, as well as from participating retailers. It’s considerably more affordable than the company’s Elite range of Kraken AIO coolers, which can cost anywhere up to $300. The blow dealt by this price is softened due to the included premium fans, LCD panel on the CPU block, and brackets for mounting the cooler to just about any CPU released in the last decade
Design and features
NZXT shares a similar aesthetic across most of its product lines and the Kraken coolers are no exception. The NZXT Kraken 240 looks like any other Kraken AIO but is only available in matte black. RGB versions of these new Kraken coolers are also available in white. The radiator, like other NZXT Krakens, is made from aluminum and measures 275mm long (for the installation of fans) and 30mm thick. This is slightly thicker than the more expensive NZXT Kraken Elite 360 at 27mm.
The water block with the LCD panel has a copper plate to ensure good contact with the processor IHS, as is standard for most AIO CPU coolers. The entire unit, including the radiator and CPU block, is matte black. This is also the case with the two included fans. The block may be the same size as Elite Krakens but the LCD itself is smaller at just 1.54 inches with a resolution of 240 x 240. This cooler can be used with LGA 1700, LGA 1200, LGA 115x, as well as AM5, AM4, sTRX4, and TR4 sockets. The two fans have fluid dynamic bearings and everything is backed with a lengthy warranty.
Inside the packaging, NZXT includes just about everything you’d require for the installation. There are the necessary screws, brackets, and nuts, and the thermal paste is already applied. If the cooler needs to be reinstalled or removed, we’d recommend applying new thermal paste after cleaning both the CPU IHS and copper plate on the Kraken 240.
Thermal performance
We used the latest processors from AMD and Intel to test the NZXT Kraken 240. Our test right comprised the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and Intel Core i7-13700K with an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and the OS was running off an M.2 NVMe SSD. Modern chips are designed to run at near-max temperatures, but it’s always good to run a processor as cool as possible. The less heat the CPU has to deal with, the longer the electronics should last.
The NZXT Kraken 240 is more than capable of handling waste heat from processors with a TDP of 125W, which shouldn’t come as a surprise as we’re talking about a 240mm radiator and the latest Asetek pump. Even when activating PBO on the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, temperatures only hit seriously high levels in stress tests.
Gaming and other lighter tasks are a different story with both the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD CPU as not all cores are running at full load and speed. We frequently saw the Intel and AMD CPUs settle at around 60–70 degrees when running heavy games such as X4: Foundations or other software. All test readings were taken with the fans set to 50% and the pump set to 100%. The noise was measured at 37dB and that’s about standard with a two-fan AIO with an Asetek pump.
Should you buy the NZXT Kraken 240?
You should buy the NZXT Kraken 240 if:
- You plan on using an Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processor
- You want to do some light CPU overclocking
- Your PC case supports a 240mm radiator
You shouldn’t buy the NZXT Kraken 240 if:
- You won’t be fully utilizing the AIO for powerful processors
- Your case does not support a 240mm radiator
- You don’t want to use NZXT’s CAM software
An AIO liquid cooler for the CPU is recommended to get the most performance out of a processor, especially if overclocking will be carried out. Flagship processors from AMD and Intel can be cooled with air coolers, but the thermal capacity will be quickly saturated. When it comes to AMD Ryzen 7 and Intel Core i7 processors, we’d recommend something such as the NZXT Kraken 240 with a 240mm radiator and powerful Asetek pump.
Moving up to an AIO is considerably more expensive than the best air coolers, however. The NZXT Kraken 240 isn’t the best AIO out there, yet it costs more than $100. If you want a stealthy PC build and/or don’t care for RGB lighting, it’s possible to save some money further. Thankfully, performance here is excellent, the installation process is painless, and NZXT’s CAM software has come a long way and is now a joy to use.
We appreciated the thermal performance and its ability to effectively cool both an Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Ryzen 9 7900 processor. Just like the considerably more pricey NZXT Kraken Elite 360, this AIO is fast, reliable, and backed by a full six-year warranty.
Source: NZXT
NZXT Kraken 240
Recommended
The NZXT Kraken 240 is a budget-friendly AIO liquid cooler with a small LCD panel and two capable 120mm fans for impressive results. The latest generation Asetek pump makes it possible to cool even a more power-hungry chip.