Introduction
TeamGroup’s effort in the gaming space via their T-Force brand has been mainly focused on RAM and SSDs amongst others but today we’re testing out their first jab at the cooling market with the SIREN GD240E. Later joined by a 360mm model, the 240mm Siren cooler from T-Force is their pilot CPU cooler. Its a distant product from what they’re used to but given their XTREEM ARGB DDR4 DIMMs proving to be an aesthetic winner, T-Force seems to be betting on the appeal of RGB.
Utilizing an Alpatek design, the Siren GD240E offers a more accessible AIO cooling solution offering better price-to-performance ratio while also allowing a bit of design freedom for the brands to create a stylistic block cover. The T-Force Siren GD240E has a familar ARGB cover based of their XTREEM memory heatspreaders and its a good aesthetic match for their existing products. But will it perform enough for today’s high-end systems? Find out more in this review of the T-Force SIREN GD240E AIO CPU cooler.
Features & Specification
- Mirror ARGB
- Separated Pump and CPU Water Block for Best Thermal
- 4000RPM Pump
- Ultimate Cooling
- Dual Protection
CPU Socket | INTEL: 1150/1151/1155/1156/1200/1366/2011/2011-3/2066/LGA 1700(GD240E) AMD: AM4/FM2+/FM2/FM1/AM3+/AM3/AM2+/AM2/AM5(GD240E) |
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Water Block | Dimension | ฮฆ65.5*49 mm |
Block Plate | Copper | |
Block | Aluminum | |
Radiator | Dimension | 276 x 120 x 27 mm |
Material | Aluminum | |
Pump | Speed | 4000ยฑ10% RPM |
Rated Current | 0.34 A (0.45 A MAX) | |
Power Consumption | 4.08 W (5.4 W MAX) | |
Noise | 22 dBA | |
Flow | 850 ml/min | |
Operating Temperature | -20โ~+60โ | |
Storage Temperature | -20โ~+70โ | |
Fan | Dimension | 120 x 120 x 25 mm |
Rated Voltage | 12 V | |
Control Method | 4-pin PWM | |
Power Consumption | 1.68-3.84 W (LED 3.12 W) | |
Speed | 600-2200 RPM | |
Noise | 14.3-35.6 dBA | |
Air Flow | 25.62-93.97 CFM | |
Air Pressure | 0.26-3.53 mm-H2O | |
Tube | Length | 400 mm |
Accessories | 1 to 3 ARGB Splitter Cable x1 | |
Warranty | 2-year limited warranty |
Closer Look
Team Group packages the T-Force Siren GD240E in their T-Force style packaging with signature box art: hero product in glorious RGB at the front with many similar design cues around the front. The back highlights some of the details of the product including some technical details regarding the parts of the AIO.
Inside the packaging is the complete kit for using the T-Force Siren GD240E from the cooler assembly to the necessary mounting accessories needed to use this for supported sockets. As of this writing, the T-Force GD240E supports LGA1700 with the included bracket as well as socket AM5.
The main AIO assembly is an Alpatek design. The main characteristic of this model is that the pump module is not located on the block itself but rather the radiator. This allows brands to utilize the space on the block for other featurese like RGB lighting.
The photo above shows us a closer look at the in-line pump of the GD240E located in the radiator. This design is quite practical as it cools the radiator actively while also removing possible vibrations on the CPU block itself.
Installation
Installing the T-Force GD240E is a simple process: you only needed to line up the backplate with the necessary screws and then mount the radiators and you’re good to go.
Here’s our sample build powered on with the radiator mounted on top.
Again the main highlight of this AIO cooler is its distinct T-Force design. Team Group has successfully replicated their XTREEM lighting on their DRAM and uses it to adorn the GD240E.
A word about cabling though, its highly recommended to plan your cabling before locking down your panel. As you can see above, there’s a bit of cable mess you need to work with with the Siren GD240E’s fan cables. Just imagine them if it was a 360mm.
Performance Testing
Reviewing coolers is a very divided topic so its best to always serve with as much context as possible. In our 2021 revision for our cooler testing, we will be using an open test bench to test coolers. We’ll detail this in another article as this will serve as the first test out of this revision but due to the incredible number varying cases, how they’re design and oriented as well as the stock fans that come with today’s modern chassis, there proves to be more variation in a case situation than in a test bench. That being said, much like many of our testing where we look at performance primarily, my test methodology looks at these coolers when used in the best possible scenario.
The other variable is overclocking. We previously tested coolers on fixed-voltage and fixed-frequency setups. In today’s setup, that proves to add another variable as the large array of motherboards or even the actual applications thereof will heavily vary.
Back2Gaming is proud to work with OCCT to be our partner for this test. Which allows us to set various stress loads without using mixed-load benches like AIDA64. OCCT allows granular control on the testing.
It also features monitoring and logging for troubleshooting problems and performance analysis as well. OCCT is available as a free download for all users with a paid version for power users and businesses.
Test Systems
Test System Configuration (Intel 12th-gen) | |
CPU | Intel Core i9-12900K |
Motherboard | ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 EXTREME |
Cooling | As listed |
Graphics Card | NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3050 |
Storage | Kingston FURY Renegade SSD 2TB |
Power Supply | FSP Hydro G Pro 1000W |
Case | OpenBench Table Community Edition |
As a 240mm radiator design, we’re coming into this test knowing that the Siren GD240E may prove a bit lacking and relative to our 360mm models, we know it will definitely be behind in some tests. Still, can definitely hold up sub-100W CPUs at very decent temps but high-end CPUs especially Intel will work but the noise levels at load is definitely offputting.
User Experience & Conclusion
As its first stab for AIO CPU cooling, Team Group went safe and used a somewhat tested appraoch for their cooler. The Siren GD240E will fit most upper-entry to mainstream gaming CPUs and at around $100, its definitely a good starting price for a simple, straight-up cooler with some RGB. There are trade-offs though like the audible fans at heavy lords or the rather firm tubing that wants to kink itself to a weird bend on installation.
But barring these small nitpicks, buyers who may be looking to budget cooling from knock-off brands may want to consider the T-Force Siren GD240E for their AIO CPU cooling needs. With RGB becoming a staple for even the most entry-level, no-name coolers in the market, we can’t judge TeamGroup for choosing to prioritize this over other potential features but there is that certain allure unique to TeamGroup’s XTREEM-style ARGB application that is certainly appealing. That appeal is perfectly captured by the Siren GD240E.
TeamGroup backs the T-Force Siren GD240E AIO Liquid CPU cooler with a 2-year warranty.