NZXT Kraken Elite 420 RGB CPU Cooler Review

Conclusion

It’s bigger and it’s better – what more could you want?

The concept behind the NZXT ELITE 420 RGB is simple. What if we took the NZXT ELITE V2 series from 2024 and made it bigger? Now, a large 420mm version of NZXT’s premier liquid cooling solution is here, and it delivers some of the best thermals we have ever seen on our test rig. It provided the best results we have seen on our Cinebench tests at 1500 RPM and maximum fan speeds.

Aesthetically, this cooler gives us nothing to complain about. Its single-frame 420mm Core fanset makes this cooler visually pleasing. Furthermore, its cable management gives this cooler an almost cable-free appearance. That’s perfect for PCs with ASUS BTF, Gigabyte Stealth, and MSI Project Zero (PZ) motherboards. The cooler’s large LCD screen is also a great aspect of this cooler. It’s highly customisable, it’s bright, and it has an added RGB ring surrounding it to boost its appeal. If you want your CPU cooler to have an attached LCD, know that NZXT’s new ELITE series coolers have implemented this feature well.

NZXT’s 2024 Elite series 240mm, 280mm, and 360mm coolers are great options. NZXT has taken things to the next level with their 420mm version. With its larger radiator and fans, this AIO delivers better thermal results than NZXT’s smaller AIO variants, clearly showing that size matters when it comes to CPU cooling.

With this new cooler, NZXT has taken something good and has made it better. Now, users of large PC cases can take advantage of this space to push their CPU thermals to new lows. The KRAKEN ELITE 420 is an excellent cooler, and is worthy of being called an “Enthusiast Grade” product.

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