Our Verdict
61%Niche appeal and limited cooling, but worth considering if space is tight.
While radiators for 120mm and 140mm fans occupy most liquid-cooled setups, they can’t fit in every case. Mini-ITX cases sometimes have 120mm fan mounts, but lack the clearance for actual radiators in them. Similarly, pump sections can be too large to squeeze into tight spaces, and long tubes can end up kinking. With these issues in mind, Alphacool has introduced the 92mm Eisbaer LT92.
Its low-profile Eisbaer LT pump is supremely quiet, and its tubes measure just 25cm, so they don’t trail through a small case. There are no cumbersome quick-release fittings either.
You can also expand the cooler, as the pump section fittings use standard G1/4in ports. The smaller radiator means it will fit into popular small cases such as the DAN A4 and save space in other cases too. No fans are included, but Alphacool sent us two 1,900rpm 92mm be quiet! Pure Wings fans, which cost £8 each.
As such, the cooler will cost close to £90 for the full setup, which is steep given that the cheaper Antec Neptune 240 has RGB lighting and two 120mm fans.
With one 92mm fan, the LT92 struggled with our overclocked Core i5-9600K, reaching a delta T of 69°C – higher than the far cheaper ARCTIC Freezer 7 X. Even with a second fan and a steady flow of warm air blasting out the rear fan, the delta T only fell to 65°C.
We didn’t dare use the LT92 on our overclocked Core i9-9980XE with a single fan, but it couldn’t cope with two fans either – the CPU temperature went over 100°C, resulting in a delta T of 80°C – you’ll only be able to use the LT92 on a stock speed LGA2066 CPU with fewer cores.
Our AMD Ryzen 7 1700 wasn’t as toasty, though, and its delta T of 65°C with both fans was a match for the ARCTIC Freezer 7X, but again, it performed poorly with one fan.
Conclusion
There are limited situations where the Eisbaer LT92 is useful, given that modest air coolers perform similarly for less money. The reduced radiator size limits cooling, even with a push-pull setup of reasonably powerful fans. It’s quieter than the competition, but should only be used as a last resort where larger liquid coolers aren’t an option, and there isn’t clearance for a decent small air cooler.
PRICE
£68 (without fans)
Scores
LGA115x
COOLING: 28/40 | FEATURES: 17/20 | DESIGN: 17/20 | VALUE: 11/20 | OVERALL 73% | FITTING: Easy
AM4
COOLING: 28/40 | FEATURES: 17/20 | DESIGN: 17/20 | VALUE: 11/20 | OVERALL: 73% | FITTING: Easy
LGA2066
COOLING: 10/40 | FEATURES: 17/20 | DESIGN: 14/20 | VALUE: 8/20 | OVERALL: 49% / FITTING: Easy
Pros
- Extremely compact
- Short tubes
- Low-profile quiet pump
Cons
- Average cooling
- No fans included
- Can’t handle overclocked LGA2066 CPUs
Alphacool Eisbaer LT92 specifications
- Compatibility: Intel: LGA115x, LGA1200, LGA2066, LGA2011; AMD: Socket AM4, AM3/+, AM2/+, FM2/+, FM1, TR4, TR4X
- Radiator size (mm): 134 x 92 x 30 (W x D x H)
- Fans: None