Review: Corsair H150i Elite LCD XT is the ultimate AIO liquid cooler, but it'll cost you

Corsair is a dominant player in the liquid cooling segment, and its H series of products are consistently among the best you'll find in this category. What I like about Corsair is that it continually adds features to its marquee products, and in recent years, that meant introducing RGB lighting that ties into the iCUE ecosystem, LCD screens, larger radiator sizes, and white color options.

The H150i Elite LCD XT is the latest model in the series and retailing for $289, it is aimed at enthusiasts looking to get the most out of their cooling setup. A key highlight of the cooler is that it comes with Corsair's latest AF120 RGB Elite fans as standard, and you get a large 2.1-inch IPS LCD screen with extensive customizability. Clearly, there is a lot to like here, so let's take a look at what Corsair has to offer with the H150i Elite XT, and whether you should consider the AIO cooler for your gaming rig.

H150i Elite LCD XT: Pricing and availability

Corsair unveiled the H150i Elite LCD XT on February 2, and the AIO cooler is now available for sale in most global markets where Corsair has an official presence. The H150i is the 360mm variant in the series, and the white version of the cooler that I'm testing is available for $299 in the U.S., £319 ($385) in the U.K., €370 ($392) in Europe, and the equivalent of $299 in South Korea and other Southeast Asian countries.

Corsair sells a black version of the H150i Elite LCD XT for $289 in the U.S., and it costs the same as the white model in other regions. If you don't need a 360mm radiator, there's also a 240mm option called the H100i Elite XT, and that particular model sells for $259 in the U.S., £279 ($336) in the U.K., €324 ($343) in Europe, and $259 in South Korea and other Southeast Asian countries.

For larger gaming rigs, there's a 420mm variant called the H170i Elite LCD XT that features 140mm AF RGB Elite fans, and that model is listed for $309 in the U.S., £349 ($421) in the U.K., €405 ($428) in Europe, and $309 in South Korea and Southeast Asian markets. Unlike the H150i, the H100i and H170i are only available in a black color variant.

Like Corsair's other high-end coolers, the H150i Elite LCD XT has a five-year warranty as standard.

Corsair H150i Elite LCD XT Design

I got the white version of the H150i Elite LCD XT to go with the 5000T RGB chassis, and it complements the case very well. The radiator and tubing are in white, and while the pump block has the usual black design, the shroud that connects over it — containing the LCD screen — is decked out in white, and this is the part that's visible when the cooler is installed.

The pump shroud attaches magnetically, and the wiring isn't noticeable after the installation is finished. On that note, Corsair bundles everything you need to install the liquid cooler in the package, and that includes mounting brackets for most Intel and AMD sockets. You'll find brackets for Intel's LGA 115X, 1200, 1700, 2011, and 2066 sockets, along with AMD's AM4/AM5 and sTR4/sTRX4. You'll also find the requisite screws for mounting the radiators and fans, and Corsair labels everything clearly.

It's relatively easy to install the liquid cooler, but you don't get a manual in the box. You'll need to scan the QR code to get a digital version instead, and it would have made things a little easier if Corsair just threw in a physical manual in the box. Other than that, there are no issues with the installation. One thing I like here is the extended tubing; the 450mm length made it easy to install the cooler in the H5000T.

The H150i Elite LCD XT looks very elegant in white, and the color scheme highlights the LCD screen a little bit more. And while it costs a lot more than most liquid coolers, you are getting a lot of kit. The three AF RGB Elite fans that are bundled with the package retail for $119 on their own, and you get a Commander Core XT iCUE controller that costs $59.

Overall, Corsair did a magnificent job with the design of the H150i Elite LCD XT, and the white version is the ideal choice if you have a chassis of the same color or need a cooler that's distinctive.

Corsair H150i Elite LCD XT: Features

The AF RGB Elite fans are the highlight of the H150i Elite LCD XT, and like the rest of the cooler, they have an elegant design. They're decked out in white and have grey accents, with the model name etched on the side. They feature a zero RPM mode while idling, deliver 65.57 CFM of airflow at 2,100 RPM, and have eight individually addressable RGB LEDs.

But what you're paying a premium for is the LCD screen, and there is plenty to like in this area. There's a large 2.1-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 480 x 480, and you can customize it any way you want. Corsair has a set of presets for monitoring system thermals, and they're highly configurable.

The best part is that you can add your own photos or GIFs and that more than anything makes the H150i Elite LCD XT stand out. And if you're bored and don't want to use the Windows taskbar to see the time, you can have it show up on the cooler directly. Corsair's iCUE software has plenty of customization options for the screen, and you can similarly tailor RGB lighting for the RGB LED ring that encircles the shroud.

On that subject, you get vibrant RGB lighting with the fans and the pump shroud. Corsair is among the best in this particular area, and iCUE offers extensive customization that lets you get the best out of the RGB lighting effects. If you have other iCUE-enabled products, you have the ability to sync lighting effects across products. The Commander Core XT module lets you configure settings for up to six fans, but as I already have a 5000T that has its own controller, I didn't use the one that Corsair bundled with the cooler.

Corsair H150i Elite LCD XT: Thermal performance

I used all the AIO liquid coolers that Corsair has launched to date, and the H150i Elite XT is the best of the lot. A big part of that is down to the AF RGB Elite fans; they're not as loud as the ML fans at 1,500 RPM, and they deliver better airflow. That said, they are audible when running full-tilt at 2,100 RPM, but there isn't too much of a difference against the ML120 series.

The cold plate has Corsair's XTM70 thermal paste pre-installed, and there's a slight curve to the plate to maximize contact surface with the CPU. There's no pump noise in real-world use, and the cooler does a stellar job dissipating heat from the CPU. It definitely does a more effective job than the Elite version of the cooler I'd been using, and on average, there's a two-degree differential.

Corsair H150i Elite LCD XT: The competition

ASUS's Ryujin II is the closest that comes to the H150i Elite XT, and the 1.77-inch OLED screen has better colors and lets you customize it to your liking. The cooler does a great job in its own right, and at $309, it is marginally costlier than what Corsair is offering.

If you don't need the screen, there are plenty of great choices for the $150 mark. I'm partial to the 360mm version of the Arctic Liquid Freezer II; it costs $139 and has terrific cooling performance. There's an RGB version as well that retails for $169. 

Corsair H150i Elite LCD XT: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if:

• You need an AIO liquid cooler that looks elegant
• You're looking for a large screen that's highly configurable
• You want vibrant RGB lighting and extensive software customization
• You need the best warranty in this category

You shouldn't buy this if:

• You need a liquid cooler that has a good value

Overall, the H150i Elite LCD XT is one of the best AIO liquid coolers around — it's certainly the best that I've used so far. The clean design and elegant styling for the white version make it stand out, and Corsair did a phenomenal job with the AF RGB Elite fans and the large LCD screen. This is clearly the main selling point of the cooler, and to its credit, Corsair offers extensive customization.

There's vibrant RGB lighting along with a wide variety of lighting effects, and you can tailor fan profiles, change lighting effects, and a lot more with iCUE. The only issue here is the price; at $299, it is one of the costliest options in this category, and this isn't the product to get if you care about value.

But if you're looking for a high-end AIO cooler with terrific performance, the best RGB lighting, and a highly customizable LCD screen, you will not find a better product than the H150i Elite LCD XT.