NZXT Kraken Elite 420 RGB CPU Cooler Review
Cinebench R24 Thermal Test
OC3D CPU Cooler Stress Test
We want to push CPU coolers to their limit, and that requires a workload that will place maximum load on our i5-14600K CPU. Why didn’t we choose an i7 or an i9? The simple answer is that we want to test various CPU Cooler options. If we put the hottest CPU we could in our system, only the best of the best CPU coolers would even pass our testing procedures. Since not everyone uses such a power-hungry CPU, we decided to tone the wattage and thermal loads down by using an i5-14600K. Even so, this CPU consumes a lot of power and generates a lot of heat under all-core workloads.
For testing, we have used Cinebench R24. This is an all-core workload that places heavy strain on all available CPU cores. This load pushes CPU thermals higher than any other and does so consistently. We use Cinebench R24 for 30 minutes to see how hot our CPU gets over that time. If CPU temperatures rise to 100 degrees Celsius or over, that CPU cooler has failed our testing. This is part of the reason why there are more coolers on our higher fan RPM cooler charts. Some coolers will pass our thermal testing at higher fan RPMs but fail at lower fan RPMs.
1000 RPM Performance
At 1,000 RPM, NZXT’s ELITE 420 RGB delivers strong performance numbers. That said, this cooler performs much better comparatively when its fans are at higher RPMs. This cooler really comes into its own when its airflow is maximised.
1500 RPM Performance
At 1500 RPM fan speeds, this is the best CPU cooler that we have tested to date. It inches ahead of the TRYX Panorama and is a full degree cooler than be quiet’s Silent Loop 3 420mm cooler. Great results from NZXT.
Max RPM Performance
With its fan speeds cranked to their maximum, this cooler sees CPU thermals drop once again and remain at the bottom of our charts. This cooler offers users best-in-class cooling performance. Excellent results from NZXT. Note that this cooler delivers thermals that are 2.3 degrees cooler than this heatsink’s 360mm model. Clearly size does matter.
