Arctic Liquid Freezer III PRO – 360 ARGB White Review
Arctic has recently released a new iteration of popular Liquid Freezer III coolers. This generation or iteration is called Liquid Freezer III Pro series and the major change here is the new P12 Pro series fans and increased fins over the cold plate compared to regular Liquid Freezer III series coolers. I have got my hands on Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB White edition.
In my last take, I tested Liquid Freezer III 420 White A-RGB on newly established AMD test bench. The pro series features the same design concept more or less like pump design, dense fin layout, removable top pump cover and an option to regulate the speed of VRM fan, Pump, and radiator fans separately as well as jointly.
This cooler is only compatible with Intel LGA1700 and 1851 sockets due to the use of contact frame. It is also compatible with AMD AM4/AM5 sockets. The price of this cooler is Euro 152.99. With the price promo (deducted in the shopping cart automatically), it’s currently available for 99,49 Euros.
Specifications
Packing and Unboxing
Arctic has retained the same packaging box as on the previous series. White word on the base indicates that this is a white edition of the cooler.
The inside placement of the cooler and accessories is similar as well.
Let’s take a look at what is provided in the box. Arctic does not provide a printed user manual. You can access that on the website. ARCTIC has supplied:
- 1x Set of 2x AMD Mounting Brackets
- 1x Set of 4x AMD Black Spacers
- 1x Set of 4x AMD Screws
- 1x Set of 4x Intel Contact Frame Screws
- 1x Set of 8x Philips Screws and Washers for the Radiator
- 1x Allen Key
- 1x tube of MX-6 thermal paste
- 1x Intel Contact Frame
- 2x Cables
ARCTIC has provided 1x Intel LGA1700 Contact Frame. This is also compatible with LGA1851. Due to this contact frame, this cooler is not compatible with Intel LGA115x/1200 sockets. ARCTIC has released mounting hardware for these sockets separately. I am still of the opinion that Arctic should include that mounting kit in the box as well.
ARCTIC has provided two cables with this generation of coolers. You can use one cable to control all fans/pump using a single connector or you can use the other cable to control all fans/pump individually.
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Closer Look – RADIATOR
It is time to take a closer look at the components starting with the radiator itself.
You can see that three P12 Pro fans come pre-installed. This is Arctic’s standard of providing pre-installed fans with pre-routed cables for a better cable management.
All fans have short length cables. ARCTIC has done cable management from the factory. There is a single PWM extension that has 3 PWM sockets to which the fans’ PWM connectors are attached. Similarly there is a single 3-pin A-RGB extension cable. Two cables are routed towards the pump housing under the sleeve of the tube.
The radiator is made of aluminum material. The dimension of this radiator is 398x120x38mm (LxWxH). However, take a note that pre-installed fans would make the overall height to 63mm excluding the large heads of the screws. The FPI count on this radiator is 14.
There is a 23% more surface area on these new radiators as well. The complete assembly is white and we have a 105mm gap between any two opposite end fan mounting holes. The coolant flow channels count is 12. I have found many bend pins on the fin stack.
The tube connections are in the center and ARCTIC has used different clamps from regular ones that look pleasant. Two cables can be seen going from radiator assembly to a left tube under the sleeve.
The side of radiator housing has an ARCTIC branding in silver. The Reinforced EPDM tubing with braided sheathing have a length of 450mm and they have a black sleeve over them. The tube diameter is 12.4mm OD and 6mm ID.
Pump/Block
The block basic design is similar with that of the Liquid Freezer III series coolers.
This cooler comes with a removable pump cover that has embedded 60mm fan for VRM cooling. The fin design guided vanes over the top provide air inflow for the fan. The fan is rated for 400 to 2500 RPM using 0.05A at 12VDC. The 12x Gen2 ARGB LEDs are rated for 0.40A at 5VDC.
You can see contact pads to which the pins on the block make contact.
The main foot print is same in these coolers. The pump and propeller are on the vertical side whereas the cold plate is on the base. Speaking of cold plate, Arctic has increased the fin density on the cold plate and optimized the coolant flow channels. The pump is rated for 800 to 2800 RPM using 0.35A at 12VDC. The overall dimension of the pump block/cover is 108.5×68.5x91mm (LxHxW).
The white PCB can be seen in the picture. It has 7 contact pins over the top that connects to the pump cover. A soldered interface is visible towards the right for the integrated fan header.
I am showing the backside of the housing. This housing encapsulates the rotary fittings and tube connection. The tubes can be slided within this housing only.
Place the pump cover over the block by aligning the pillars on the cover with the magnetic tips of the silver pillars on the block. You should hear a click indicating that the cover is fitted properly. The above pictures showcase the pump cover installed on the block.
Arctic has used a copper base measuring 40x44mm.
A 3-pin, 5V A-RGB connector cable is attached to the block to power the 12x A-RGB Gen2 LEDs on the block.
FAN
The main driving force behind the new Pro series LF-III coolers is new P12 Pro A-RGB fans. These fans feature 7x translucent blades. The frame structure and design is different compared to the regular P12 fans. Each mounting corner has anti-vibration rubber pads on both sides.
The backside of the fan has slope design on the main frame which is not present on the front. The four arms disrupt the airflow coming out of the fan. Arctic branding is on the center.
The side of the frame has a different outlook compared to the regular P12 series fans. ARCTIC branding is visible on the center. The number 503 is same as on the pump block indicating that each cooler has a unique number. This could be done to identify the unit or show the total number of units produced so far.
Each fan is PWM regulated.
Each fan has standard 3-pin, 5V A-RGB connectors to regulate the 12 A-RGB Gen2 LEDs.
The specification of the fans is:
| Dimension | 120x120x25mm |
| Type | 4-pin PWM Connector |
| Speed | 600~3000 RPM |
| Airflow | 77 CFM |
| Air Pressure | 6.90 mmH₂O |
| Bearing Type | Fluid Dynamic Bearing |
| Input Voltage | 12VDC |
| Input Current | 0.33A |
Installation
I am not covering the installation steps/process. Please refer to the user manual. We only mention any observation during the installation. You would need to remove the Intel ILM to install contact frame on the supported Intel sockets.
I have tested this cooler on AMD AM5 platform on ASRock X870E NOVA WiFi motherboard. This board is compatible with this cooler since the top M.2 port is not obstructing the block.
You would need to put a somewhat pressure on the mounting sides to compress the block so that it can be installed on this socket. I made the same observation when I tested the Liquid Freezer III 420 ARGB White.
A-RGB Lighting
This cooler uses standard connectors making it compatible with A-RGB sync technology of motherboard manufacturers.
Testing
The following configuration is used for thermal testing:
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- ASRock X870E NOVA WiFi
- GSkill TridentZ NEO RGB 32GB 6400MHz CL30 DDR5 kit
- ASRock Phantom Gaming RX 7600 Graphics Card for Display
- WD SN850 500GB NVME SSD
- Be quiet! Straight Power 11 850W Platinum PSU
- Praxis Wetbench
Here is the settings table for testing:
| Settings | PBO Enabled for 243W |
| Clock (MHz) | Auto |
| Voltage (V) | Auto |
| Thermal Paste | Noctua NT-H2 |
| Thermal Paste Application | Dots Method |
| Test Run Time | 30 minutes |
| Idling Time | 10 minutes |
| All Fans Speed | 100% PWM Duty Cycle |
| Pump Speed | |
| Stress Software | CINEBENCH R23.2 |
| Monitoring Software | HWINFO64 |
I am reporting absolute temperature in the graph because room temperature was 22°C to 23°C throughout the day. The testing is done on an open air bench system. Once inside the chassis, the temperatures are expected to rise and would largely depend upon the optimal airflow inside the chassis.
Result
The competition is getting stiff as is apparent from the graph. Probably this is why, Arctic has released the Pro series liquid coolers to gain competitive edge. The Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB White packs a solid performance however this performance comes at elevated noise output. The regular series Liquid Freezer III series coolers have noise output in the range of 41~42 dB(A). But The Pro series cooler was recorded making 47 dB(A) with all fans at full speed. This, in my opinion, is not the Arctic way since their coolers are known to be good at low noise with good thermal performance.
I would suggest running fans independent of the pump and VRM fan and operate these either on Auto PWM or define a custom fan curve.
Conclusion
I have tested Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB White liquid cooler on AMD Ryzen 9 9900X after testing the Liquid Freezer III 420 A-RGB White earlier. This cooler comes with P12 Pro A-RGB fans which is the main difference between the Pro and regular series Liquid Freezer III coolers along with the increased fins on the cold plate.
This cooler has a same size aluminum radiator measuring 398x120x38mm (LxWxH). Three P12 Paro A-RGB White fans come pre-installed over the radiator making the overall height of 63mm. The FPI count is 14 and channels count is 12. The EPDM rubber tubes have White braided sleeves having a length of 450mm and ID/OD rating is 6.0/12.4mm.
This cooler retains the same foot print as the regular Liquid Freezer III cooler with almost same features. This cooler is packed with aura of A-RGB backlighting which looks beautiful in person. Each fan has two cables which have short length to neat cable management. The cooler comes with two cables. One controls all fans and pump using a single fan header while the other allows separate control for which you would need three fan/pump headers.
The P12 Pro A-RGB fans use Fluid Dynamic Bearings and are rated for up to whopping 3000 RPM. They are rated for a minimum of 600 RPM which is validated. The lowest these fans did was 603 RPM in my testing. They can produce a total airflow of 77 CFM with an impressive static pressure of 6.90mmH₂O (only at 12VDC or at full speed). These fans use standard connectors. The bundled fan cables use proprietary connector for the header located on the block.
The block and VRM fans have uplift. There is a removable pump cover that has 60mm embedded fan for the VRM cooling. The fan draws fresh air from the top where there are guided vanes and flows the air towards the near socket area of the motherboard. The VRM fan is rated for up to 2500RPM.
The block has a smart design which is in right angled layout. The PCB has 7-pin contact pins on the top that make contact with the pads on the pump cover. A fan header is integrated into the PCB to which the bundled fan cable(s) is to be connected. ARCTIC has improved the cold plate design and has provided dense fin stack with improved coolant flow channels. The pump is rated for up to 2800RPM.
Speaking of the installation, it is same as on the regular Liquid Freezer III series coolers hence I am not going into detail. This cooler has a price tag of €152.99. With the price promo (deducted in the shopping cart automatically), it’s currently available for 99,49 Euros. As usual, it comes with a 6-year warranty from Arctic.
The thermal performance of this cooler is excellent but keep in mind so is the competition. The main caveat of this thermal performance is high noise output which is definitely not an Arctic trademark. Arctic has established itself providing low noise cooling products offering good thermal performance but the Pro series coolers are half exemption to it. Let these fans run on Auto PWM or custom fan curve.
Pros:
- Excellent Thermal Performance
- 60mm VRM Fan
- Removable Top Cover
- Integrated Cable Management
- Ability to control all fans and pump individually
- Ability to control all fans and pump using a single cable
- Pre-Installed Fans
- Compatible with Intel LGA1700/1851 sockets
- Compatible with AMD AM4/AM5 sockets
- Improved Cold Plate and pump design
- Easy Installation
- 6-Year Warranty
- Price
Cons:
- Mounting Hardware for other Intel sockets should be included
- ARCTIC branding is fixed on the pump cover
- Motherboard Compatibility
- High Noise
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