Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central) Who it's for After installing and testing it, I found Cooler Master’s new MasterLiquid 240 Atmos especially impressive. It’s clear the company has improved its flagship AIO in several key areas. Noise levels are low in most common workloads, and despite its smaller 240mm profile, the 240 Atmos is one of only a handful of AIOs I’ve tested that's capable of keeping Intel’s i7-13700K under its peak temperature, even in the hottest of workloads.

AIO coolers are way more convenient and affordable than custom liquid cooling loops. And, traditionally at least, they've been able to deliver lower CPU temperatures with less fan noise than air coolers – although that’s not always the case these days, as air coolers have gotten better and, in some cases, bigger. NZXT Devices using Micro USB: Kraken X3 series, Kraken Z3 series, Hue+ Controller, Hue 2, Hue 2 Ambient, Grid V2, and Grid V3. In the Control Panel, select “View devices and printers” or if you are in Icon view, “Devices and Printers”. Are you looking to keep up on all things NZXT? Go ahead and join the Official NZXT Community Discord to keep up to date on our latest products, upcoming sales, and join in on discussions on everything from PC hardware to gaming.If there are any devices listed as “Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)”, this could indicate a power state issue with the device itself. If you see any devices listed this way, see the following section for power cycling your device. Normally I would consider this a mark against the product, but Lian Li wisely included a built-in low-noise/high-performance toggle switch, allowing you to reduce maximum fan speeds and noise levels with the flip of a switch. Most coolers that support low-noise modes have reduced thermal performance when engaged. But I didn’t observe any difference in thermals between the two modes when tested on my i7-13700K. When set to the low noise mode, total noise output is reduced to 49.2 dBA, which is on par with MSI’s and DeepCool’s competing 360mm AIOs. There are three new RGB Kraken X-series AIO coolers from NZXT and the entry-level X53 with its small and compact 240mm radiator is able to keep up with an AMD Ryzen 3900X. I was able to run this CPU inside the NZXT H1 case with but a 140mm radiator, so it's certainly incredible what you can do with the CPU and a decent AIO. While configuring the Kraken 120 with third party software you may need to manually set the number of LEDs in the Kraken itself. The Kraken 120 includes 9 LEDs with 8 of them making up the ring and the 9th being for illuminating the NZXT Logo. Controlling the Kraken 120’s RGB in NZXT CAM (NZXT RGB Header) Hold the Power button on the PC for 30 seconds to drain any residual power. It is recommended to also allow the PC to sit for 5-10 minutes with the power cable disconnected to ensure any residual power is drained.

While cooling performance is absolutely amazing, thermals are only one part of the picture. How loudly the cooler runs is very important as well. In its default configuration, Lian Li’s GA II Trinity Performance runs loudly at 55.2 dBA. I’ve only tested a handful of coolers that reach this level of noise. If the device does not detect using an alternative cable or if the device does not have a removable USB cable (i.e. RGB & Fan Controller, Kraken X61, etc.), then this may indicate that the device itself may be defective and need to be replaced. Kraken X Chipset Drivers Corsair’s iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT AIO offers the best cooling performance we’ve tested yet with Intel’s i9-13900K, handling over 325W in our most intensive thermal tests. And unlike other coolers, the noise level of the H170i Elite is tied to the CPU coolant temp, resulting in quieter operation during most common tasks and the elimination of bursty fan behavior. The tradeoff is that we saw noisier operation under the kinds of sustained loads that we use for testing. RGB and Fan Controllers (including those integrated with NZXT motherboards), USB connected Kraken coolers (X and Z series, M22), and other devices will be listed under the “Unspecified” section.Unfortunately there are times where the CAM software may stop recognizing your CAM-powered hardware. This can happen for a number of reasons including but not limited to changes in your system software, a hardware interruption, or a power state issue. Thankfully with a few simple steps, we can get the hardware recognized properly. Is Your NZXT Device Recognized by Windows? If the NZXT device still does not detect while connected to the motherboard then there may be an issue with the USB cable. If the device has a detachable USB cable, such as with the Kraken X2, X3, and Z series coolers then you can use a standard Mini USB or Micro USB cable (see the list below) to connect the device to an open USB Type-A port on the motherboard or with an external PC such as a laptop. In some cases you may run into a situation where the Kraken is being detected as an “Unknown Device” in the Windows device manager or the device driver does not load properly. If you encounter this issue, you may need to manually install the chipset driver .

For systems using an NZXT N7 series motherboard, RGB & Fan Controller, or Hue 2 controller it is recommended to have the Kraken 120 attached to an available NZXT RGB header. Once connected to an NZXT RGB Header, you'll be able to control the Kraken and any daisy chained devices via the NZXT CAM software.

Mice, Keyboards, Capture Devices, and Audio Devices will be listed under the top “Devices” section.