Since its founding in 2003, SilverStone has manufactured coolers, power supplies, expansion cards, and other PC gear. The company is probably best known for computer cases such as the SFF Sugo 14. The recently reviewed SFF-focused Hydrogon H90 ARGB cooler.
Here we take a look at the VIDA 240 Slim AIO, an SFF cooler from SilverStone. Combined with Intel’s Core i9-13900K, it presents quite a challenge. Will it die under the heat of a high TDP CPU, or could it even take the challenge and make it onto the best CPU coolers list? We’ll have to do some testing to confirm, but first look at SilverStone’s specs. Let’s.
cooler specs
| cooler | Silverstone VIDA 240 Slim |
| Manufacturer’s suggested retail price | $124.99 USD |
| Radiator dimensions | 120(W)×22(H)×275(D)mm |
| Radiator material | aluminum |
| Socket compatibility | Intel 115x/1200/1700/2011/2066 |
| AMD Socket AM4/AM5 | |
| base | copper |
| Maximum TDP (our test) | ~285W |
| guarantee | 2 years |
Packing and inclusions
SilverStone’s VIDA 240 Slim comes in a rather small box that uses plastic, foam, and cardboard to protect the contents.
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Package includes:
- Slim 240mm radiator & CPU block
- 2x slim 120mm fans
- Mounts for Intel & AMD Platforms
- Hardware ARGB controller
- ARGB & fan splitter
- thermal paste
install
Installing the VIDA 240 Slim was very easy. First, press the backplate onto the motherboard and screw in the standoffs to secure it. Then apply the included thermal paste from the syringe onto the CPU, install the CPU block and secure it with the included screws.
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Features of VIDA 240 Slim
Hardware ARGB controller
The VIDA 240 Slim includes a hardware ARGB controller that allows you to change lighting settings on the fan and CPU block on the cooler with the click of a button. No need to download and install potentially buggy or bloated software.
Slim profile for SFF systems
The VIDA 240 Slim features a 22mm thick radiator and a 16mm thick 120mm fan for a total thickness of 38mm. The cooler is designed for maximum cooling performance in space constrained systems.
Integrated radiator pump, user refillable design
Most liquid coolers today are based on the Asetek design with the pump built into the CPU block. However, his AIO from Silverstone features a proprietary three-phase, six-pole pump motor integrated within the radiator. Theoretically, this design reduces the overall noise level.
There is a refill port next to the pump, below the radiator tube. This allows the user to service and restock her AIO without having to send it to the manufacturer for repair. In most cases you won’t need to do this unless you keep this cooler for several years with multiple builds, but it’s nice to have the option.
Rotatable ARGB CPU block
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The CPU block can be rotated, so the orientation can be adapted to the user’s preference.
VIDA series fans
Coolers are more than just heatsinks and radiators. Bundled fans have a big impact on both cooling and noise levels. It includes two slim 120mm fans and is designed with nine pressure-optimized blades for high static pressure and maximum airflow.
| size | 120×120×16mm |
| fan rotation speed | 300-1800RPM |
| air flow | Up to 66.83 CFM |
| air pressure | 2.59mm H20 |
| lighting | ARGB |
test method
With previous generation CPUs for coolers, it was fairly easy to keep the flagship i9 processor well below TJ max (the maximum temperature the CPU can sustain without throttling) under demanding workloads, but with the Core i9-13900K This is no longer realistically possible. Extreme cooling (or enabling power capping).
The latest AMD and Intel CPUs are designed to run fairly hot without problems, up to 95C for AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs and up to 100C for Intel’s Core i9-13900K. Similar behavior has been standard in laptops for years, due to the cooling limitations of cramped chassis.
Additionally, Intel’s i9-13900K supports Adaptive Boost Technology (ABT), allowing the CPU to dynamically boost to higher all-core frequencies based on available thermal headroom and electrical conditions. . This allows multi-core loads to run up to 5.5Ghz with the required amount of heat dissipation. This feature works in an aggressive hot-seeking manner. If the chip detects that it is operating below the 100°C threshold, it will increase performance and power consumption until it hits the safe 100°C limit, maintaining higher clocks (and providing better performance). increase).
The increased cooling challenges with Raptor Lake meant that we had to change some of the ways we test coolers. Some coolers were able to pass the Cinebench R23 multi-core test with Intel’s 12th Gen i9-12900K when the power cap was lifted (although only the most powerful models were able to pass that test ).
The Raptor Lake 13900K looks for the best safe temperature, so instead we look at total benchmark scores and sustained clock speeds to compare performance.
Asus’ TUF Gaming Z690 Gaming Plus WIFI motherboard and Cooler Master’s HAF 700 Berserker computer case are used to test Intel’s i9-13900K CPU. Case fans are limited to 35% speed. The motherboard’s default fan curve is used for the CPU cooler fan.
In addition to testing Cinebench with no power cap applied, we also show the results of limiting the CPU power consumption to a more reasonable 200W. We also show the results at 125W for those who prefer very quiet cooling at the expense of some performance. For both of these results, we show the traditional delta result versus ambient temperature.
Additionally, we provide sound level measurements recorded using a PSPL25 sound meter for all three power levels tested to compare the noise produced by each cooler in different scenarios. We expect most coolers to run effectively and quietly at 125W.
You will notice that the noise level graph starts at 36 dBA. This is due to the noise floor of the test environment. Note that noise measurements are logarithmic. In other words, the difference in cooler noise levels is greater than these graphs suggest.
LGA1700 socket bend
Keep in mind that besides the CPU cooler, there are many other factors that affect cooling performance, such as the case you use and the fans attached to the case. Your system’s motherboard can also affect this. Especially if the motherboard is bent, the cooler will have poor contact with the CPU.
To prevent bending from affecting the cooling results, Thermalright’s LGA 1700 contact frame was attached to the test rig. If the motherboard is subject to bending, the thermal results will be worse than those shown below. Not all motherboards are affected by this issue. We tested the Raptor Lake CPUs on two motherboards. One of them showed significant thermal improvement after installing his Thermalright’s LGA1700 contact frame, while the other motherboard showed no difference in temperature at all. For more information, check out this contact frame review.
test configuration
| CPU | Intel i9-13900K |
| Tested comparison air cooler | cougar forza 50 |
| Deep Cool AG400 | |
| Deep Cool AG620 | |
| Iceberg Thermal IceSLEET G6 Stealth | |
| SilverStone Hydrogon D120 ARGB | |
| Thermal Light Assassin X 120 R SE | |
| Thermal light AXP120-X67 | |
| Compare tested AIO coolers | Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 |
| Deep Cool LT720 | |
| Enermax Aquafusion ADV 360 | |
| Fractal Celsius + S36 Prisma | |
| MSI MAG Core Liquid P360 | |
| SilverStone VIDA 240 Slim | |
| motherboard | Asus TUF Gaming Z690 Plus Wi-Fi DDR5 |
| sheep | Important DDR5-4800 |
| GPUs | Intel ARC A770 LE |
| case | Cooler Master HAF 700 Berserker |
| PSUs | Cooler Master XG Plus 850 Platinum PSU |
