Best water cooling systems for CPU

ID-Cooling FX120 ARGB is a compact water cooling system, or rather liquid cooling, because it is not water that circulates inside, but a special refrigerant liquid, which is a dielectric. That is, even in the event of an emergency leak, it will not lead to a short circuit inside the PC. But ID-Cooling will definitely not leak, because its hoses are made of two layers.

The inside of the tubes is soft rubber, and the outside is made of durable nylon weave. This combination of materials makes the hoses flexible enough to fit neatly into even the tightest PC case. The 120 mm droplet format is designed specifically for assembling mini-computers where a high air tower does not fit.

Despite its small area, the radiator has as many as twelve channels for liquid. It is blown by a 12-centimeter fan with a hydraulic bearing and soft corners that eliminate vibration. The fan speed is controlled using PWM technology from 500 to 1800 rpm, and the pump operates at 2500 rpm. The pump cover and fan blades are decorated with ARGB lighting.

PCCooler PD240 is a two-piece liquid cooling system with a conservative, strict design. Only the pump cover lights up, not the fans. The propellers are built on an FDB hydrodynamic bearing with a copper shaft, which makes them even more durable. The blades are angled to provide high static air pressure to blow through the radiator.

The thickness of the water block is only 27 millimeters, thanks to which it dissipates heat well even at minimum fan speeds. And at maximum rotation speed the noise level does not exceed a moderate 34 decibels. The manufacturer claims a TDP level of up to 250 W, but testing has shown even higher efficiency - 270 W on Intel Core i9.

Contacts the processor through a pure copper plate containing a large number of very thin 0.06 mm microchannels through which the coolant circulates. The pump speed is fixed at 2600 rpm. The kit includes a tube of proprietary thermal paste PCCooler EX90 with a thermal conductivity of almost 15 Wmk.

Xilence LiQuRizer 360 PRO ARGB (model code XC987) is a three-section dropsy, in which both the pump cover and fans glow brightly with all the colors of the ARGB rainbow. Moreover, the pump has an unusual cubic rather than cylindrical shape. Inside the pump there is an electric motor with a ceramic bearing that is not afraid of corrosion.

The motor is slower than its competitors - only 2100 rpm, which results in a quiet 25 dB. The pump is connected to the radiator with hoses 40 cm long. A water block with a standard size of 360 millimeters is already undeniably more efficient than any air cooler, even a double-tower air cooler. In addition, it fits into most computer cases, if on the top panel, then certainly on the front.

The kit includes mounts for all current Intel and AMD sockets: LGA1200, LGA1700, AM4, AM5. Looking ahead, we inform you about compatibility with future Intel Arrow Lake LGA1851 processors. The TDP level is stated to be up to 350 W, which is enough for any processor not only in Turbo or Precision Boost auto-overclocking mode, but also in subsequent manual overclocking.

EKWB EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB is a famous brand of custom life-support systems from Slovenia, where the user can personally assemble a water circuit from parts purchased separately. But there is a series of ready-made All-in-One solutions, charged with refrigerant directly at the factory. There are black and white models to choose from, and the radiator frame is made of unbrushed aluminum.

The pump is made at a fairly high speed of 3100 RPM, as is the trio of branded EK-Loop FPT fans - 2300 RPM. The propellers are decorated with D-RGB backlighting and are connected in a chain to each other using the EK-OmniLink connector, which combines PWM and ARGB functions. This significantly reduces the number of wires inside the PC case.

The backlight is synchronized with motherboards of all major brands: ASUS Aura, MSI Mystic, Gigabyte Fusion, ASRock Polychrome. Support for Biostar Vivid has not been officially announced, but it will probably work too. You can only scold the EKWB EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 for a slightly inflated price - for this money you can already buy a 420-mm dropsy.

SilverStone IceMyst 420 is a liquid cooler in the largest existing size of 420 mm. The radiator is blown by three fans with an increased diameter of 14 centimeters. The propellers are connected to each other via a chain and then to the included ARGB hub with ten lighting modes. Of course, you can synchronize with your PC motherboard.

The pump is based on an electric motor with three phases and six poles, which increases torque and improves centering. The pump cover can be removed and replaced with one or more small SilverStone IMF70 fans. They will blow air over the upper and lower arms of the VRM power subsystem and RAM, depending on what is needed.

The disadvantage of the 420 mm life support system is the complexity of its installation. Compatible computer cases can literally be counted on the fingers of one hand. But nothing else can cool a manually overclocked Intel Core i9 processor with the KS index, the heat dissipation of which can exceed 400 W. So IceMyst 420 will definitely find its buyer.