DeepCool AK400 WH Performance CPU Cooler Review

How Much Does it Cost?

At the time of writing, we were unable to confirm any live prices for the DeepCool AK400 WH (we can find it on various sites, but with either none in stock or no price currently listed). – Based on known costs for its original ‘black’ AK400 variant, however, it would appear that this is currently in the region of around £35. – With this in mind, therefore, we are clearly very much in entry-level pricing here for those looking to upgrade, at a budget, from stock solutions.

Overview

It’s hard to deny that despite a lot of really nice aesthetic features, the DeepCool AK400 WH is ultimately a CPU cooler that has been designed for a very particular budget. There’s nothing wrong with it per se, but clearly, there have been cost-effective moves made here, wherever possible, to bring this to the market at a highly competitive price point.

Now, at this point, you might think I’m criticising it, but in truth, I’m not. For a price in the region of £35, you’re getting a lot for your money here. Not only are you getting a CPU cooler that genuinely offers upgraded entry-level performance over stock solutions (many of which in current-gen CPUs, by the way, can cost as much as this if purchased individually) but you’re getting one with a genuinely attractive aesthetic that makes this perform at least as well as everything else at this price point while looking monumentally better!

Should I Buy One?

The answer to this question honestly depends on exactly what you have now. In truth, the DeepCool AK400 WH shouldn’t really be viewed as anything more than an aesthetic and performance upgrade to existing stock cooling solutions. As a replacement for an existing third-party cooler, while the DeepCool AK400 WH will almost certainly look massively better in comparison, the chances are that its performance will likely only be roughly on par with something with the relatively same (or slightly higher) price tag.

In other words, if you’re buying this to replace anything other than a stock cooler, your decision should only really be based upon the massively better aesthetics offered in the DeepCool AK400 WH rather than any expectations of a huge upgrade in performance. – With that being said though, the DeepCool AK400 WH is undoubtedly a solid entry-level option and for those of you looking for a big visual and performance step up from your existing stock Intel or AMD cooling solution, for what this costs, it’s definitely well worth its money!

Pros

• Strong performance for what is quite a small CPU cooler
• Excellent aesthetics. Easily one of the best looking air coolers I’ve seen in a while
• Good build quality
• Easy to install
• Decent temperature control with an impressive acoustic performance
• Excellent value for money
• An ideal upgrade from stock cooling solutions

Cons

• None

Neutral

• Installation methodology can get a little confusing due to a poorly detailed instruction manual
• Better CPU temperature results will undoubtedly be found by users willing to tweak the PWM settings to trade off a little of the excellent acoustic performance – We don’t think the generic BIOS PWN configuration settings provide the best balance for the DeepCool AK400 WH
• Aside from the fantastic, clean, and bright aesthetics, swapping to this from most similarly priced air coolers (albeit, probably larger ones) would likely not provide a notably huge improvement in temperature control if any at all – It does basically limit this to only really being viable as a stock upgrade/alternative