Corsair is readying up for Intel's Alder Lake CPUs with a new Retrofit Kit, a way to convert its range of liquid coolers to Alder Lake's new LGA 1700 socket and mount.
The kit will cost you $2.99/€2.99/£1.99 from Corsair's website, with free delivery anywhere in the US or Europe. That does contrast to the free kits which Noctua is releasing for its air coolers, but it's at least cheaper than buying a whole new cooler by quite some margin.
The new standoffs (and the kit does appear to just be new standoffs) adapt the 115x/1200 bracket, compatible with most Intel Core CPUs for the past few years, for use with the LGA 1700 socket. This new socket is notably different to Intel's current design, with a longer, rectangular footprint.
Check your cooler against this list to ensure it'll work with the new Retrofit kit:
- iCUE H170i ELITE CAPELLIX Liquid CPU Cooler
- iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX Liquid CPU Cooler
- iCUE H115i ELITE CAPELLIX Liquid CPU Cooler
- iCUE H100i ELITE CAPELLIX Liquid CPU Cooler
- iCUE H150i RGB PRO XT Liquid CPU Cooler
- iCUE H115i RGB PRO XT Liquid CPU Cooler
- iCUE H100i RGB PRO XT Liquid CPU Cooler
- iCUE H60i RGB PRO XT Liquid CPU Cooler
- Hydro Series H115i RGB PLATINUM 280mm Liquid CPU Cooler
- Hydro Series H100i RGB PLATINUM 240mm Liquid CPU Cooler
- Hydro Series H100i RGB PLATINUM SE 240mm Liquid CPU Cooler
- Hydro Series H100i RGB PLATINUM SE 240mm Liquid CPU Cooler
- Hydro Series H100x High Performance Liquid CPU Cooler
- Hydro Series H60 (2018) 120mm Liquid CPU Cooler
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What we don't yet know are the exact TDP specifications for Intel's Alder Lake CPUs, so you might still want to wait and see what your cooler will need to be capable of before rushing out to purchase.
If you have no intention of reusing an older cooler, Corsair has confirmed that new coolers with out-of-the-box compatibility for Alder Lake will be arriving later this year. That should put them roughly in step with the expected release window for Intel Alder Lake, which are expected around the end of November.
