Introduction

A big thank you to ID-Cooling for supplying the review sample.

ID-Cooling is no longer the same company it was when it was established in 2013. Since their formation, they have rapidly expanded their market presence, while also improving with each product release. With the ability to quickly adapt to various industry trends and advancements while systematically improving performance, it's no wonder they have become a major player in the DIY PC market. Delivering effective and affordable solutions tends to be a surefire way to gain a following, and ID-Cooling has certainly done that, especially with the SE-224-XT series, which proved to be one of the best entry-level air coolers on the market.



Today's review will focus on both the SE-224-XTS Black and SE-224-XTS Basic; while functionally the same, one has an all-black coating, for those concerned with aesthetics. While these coolers do use a tried and true single tower design, ID-Cooling had managed to surprise us before, with these coolers' predecessor, the SE-224-XT Basic, which performed far better than you may expect. As such, I am quite interested to see how this latest generation compares considering a black coating on the fins could limit performance, it will be interesting to see if there is a difference between the two.

Packaging

Both coolers have essentially the same packaging. ID-Cooling uses the black and orange theme that has been their staple for years. On the front, you get a clear look at both the SE-224-XTS Black and Basic, while the left-hand side details features such as the Hydro bearing fans, universal mounting system, PWM support, etc. Meanwhile, the back lists the general specifications, such as the fan RPM range, overall dimensions, and essentially the more mundane but useful information you would expect.


The right side details the supported CPU sockets for both Intel and AMD, while the top just has the product name. Overall the packaging is simple but clear, which is all it needs to be.

Contents

I am happy to report that ID-Cooling is aware of my weakness and has the coolers safely packed in foam, which surrounds the cooler on all sides. While it may not be as eco-friendly as just cardboard, the fact is even with a slight ding in the box; the cooler was safe and sound with no harm done. Something I am always delighted to see.


Socket support is a bit more limited. However, I do not see any issue with that. ID-Cooling has opted to support only AMD's AM4 and AM5 sockets, along with Intel's LGA115x, LGA1200, and LGA1700. Considering the cooler's target market, the lack of support for older or HEDT sockets makes sense.

Common parts supplied for mounting include:

• 4x Fan clips
• 4x AMD screws
• 4x Intel LGA115x / LGA1200 spacers
• 4x Intel LGA1700 spacers
• 4x AMD spacers
• 2x Intel mounting brackets
• 2x AMD mounting brackets
• 1x 120 mm fan
• 1x Intel backplate
• 1x Heatsink
• 1x Tube thermal paste
• 1x Installation manual