Corsair H60 vs DeepCool LS320 WHcomputed

Both coolers at the same heat load: what each dissipates, the coolant temperature over fan speed, and the fan speed and noise each needs for the same temperature. Calculated from radiator size, core thickness and the stock fans' datasheets, not measured.

Side by side

Corsair H60DeepCool LS320 WH
Radiator120 mm120 mm
Core thickness27 mm27 mm
Stock fans2 × SP Series PWM1 × FC120
Fan rpm, datasheet600 – 1700500 – 1800
Pumpnot published3100 rpm max
Tubing–310 mm
Dissipation at max rpm8.1 W/K8.5 W/K
Coolant, 250 W, 30 °C intake61.0 °C59.6 °C
Noise at max rpm, all fans31.3 dB(A)28.0 dB(A)

Coolant above intake at 250 W

0 10 20 30 40 50 0 20 40 60 80 100 % of max fan rpm H60 LS320 WH K coolant above intake, 250 W

Noise, all stock fans

below room noise 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 0 20 40 60 80 100 % of max fan rpm H60 LS320 WH

At the same coolant temperature, 250 W

K above intakeH60 rpmdB(A)LS320 WH rpmdB(A)Quieter
10.0not reachable–not reachable–
12.5not reachable–not reachable–
15.0not reachable–not reachable–
17.5not reachable–not reachable–
20.0not reachable–not reachable–
25.0not reachable–not reachable–

The LS320 WH dissipates 8.5 W/K against 8.1 W/K at max fan rpm. Both stay below room noise wherever they hold the same coolant temperature. A cooler pinned at its fan's minimum rpm runs colder than the row asks; the comparison is then not at equal temperature.

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How these numbers are computed

A radiator moves heat in proportion to the difference between coolant and incoming air: Q = q · (Tcoolant − Tair). q depends on the air actually passing through the core. Airflow per fan is CFMmax · derate · rpm/rpmmax with the radiator derate (0.62, or 0.72 for pressure-optimized blades) times the core-thickness factor. Per 120 mm segment at 27 mm: q = 8.5 W/K · (airflow / 45 CFM)0.6; heat transfer over fins scales with roughly the 0.6 power of velocity.

CoreAirflow factorFin area factor
27 mm1.001.00
30 mm0.971.09
38 mm0.901.15
45 mm0.841.22

Thick cores gain fin area but lose airflow; at low rpm the net is close to zero. With fans off, natural convection is taken as 1 W/K per segment. The band is ±15 % on q: fin density, coolant flow and preheated case air. Pump speed matters little above roughly 1 l/min. Noise is the stock fan's curve plus 10 · log₁₀(fan count).

Air entering the radiator is case air, usually 5 to 10 K above room. Die temperatures sit above the coolant by the block and TIM delta, typically 25 to 45 K under load. Nothing here is measured; the same model runs in RadiatorTemp.