Introduction

Fractal Design is a leading designer and manufacturer of premium PC hardware including cases, cooling, power supplies, and accessories. Fractal Design was established in 2007 and ever since they have come out being among the major manufacturers of high-end PC components. They are based in Gothenburg and with offices in the US as well as Taiwan, Fractal Design has gained a global reputation for innovative design, elegant aesthetics, and solid build quality. Fractal Design products are available in over 45 countries worldwide and are still growing. The Define R2 was the turning point for the manufacturer as that chassis gained the reputation and trust that is now a hallmark of the Fractal Design.

Fractal Design has recently launched its new series of AIO coolers named Lumen. This time around, they have switched to APALTEK as the OEM of the Lumen series coolers. This will be our back-to-back content of two 360mm AIOs with the same OEM. First, one was be quiet! Silent Loop 2 360. Fractal Design has sent us Lumen S24 RGB and Lumen S36 RGB coolers for testing. These coolers are available in RGB as well as non-RGB versions though do note that the non-RGB versions still has A-RGB lighting on the block. The salient features are:

  • Integrated ARGB effects with full motherboard control
  • Removable pump face can be turned at 90-degree intervals to maintain a horizontal logotype in
  • any mounting orientation
  • Asus AURA, Gigabyte Fusion, MSI Mystic Light, Razer Chroma and ASRock Polychrome support
  • Pre-applied thermal paste for optimal application with even coverage
  • Supports the most common sockets for both Intel and AMD
  • Durable low-permeability rubber tubing with nylon braided sleeves
  • Articulating elbow fittings make tubes easier to route and reduce tension on the pump
  • Low turbulence Fractal Design Aspect fans with chainable power and ARGB connectors
  • Backed by a 5-year warranty

Item:                                     Lumen S36 RGB

Manufacturer:                    Fractal Design

Price:                                     $129.99 MSRP

Amazon UK:                        £133.49

 

Specifications

Specs 1

Packaging and Unboxing

The cooler is shipped inside black and white colors cardboard packing box.

Lumen S36 RGB box front

The RGB Lighting is compatible with:

  • ASUS AURA SYNC
  • GIGABYTE FUSION 2.0
  • MSI MYSTIC LIGHT SYNC
  • ASRock POLYCHROME SYNC
  • RAZER CHROMA RGB

Lumen S36 RGB box rear

The Fractal Design Lumen S36 RGB comes with 5-year warranty which is too good to have on a premium cooling solution and it shows the trust of the manufacturer in their product. The salient highlights of the cooling unit are:

  • Duality Design
  • Six A-RGB LEDs
  • The Removable Top
  • Pre-Applied Thermal Paste
  • Aspect Fans

20210920 141506 Copy

The dimension of the radiator is provided on the block diagram. The socket compatibility information is provided as well.

20210920 141539 Copy

There is a Styrofoam pad on the top along with the user guide.

Lumen S36 RGB box open

There is an egged carton inside the main packing box. Contents are placed in that carton.

Contents

Let’s take a look at what is provided in the box.

20210919 224300 Copy

  • 1x Comprehensive User Manual
  • 1x Brochure on how to contact the manufacturer in case of receiving faulty product.

20210919 224341 Copy

  • 1x Intel Backplate
  • 1x AMD Ring Bracket
  • 1x Intel Ring Bracket [Comes pre-installed on the block]

Lumen S36 RGB screws

  • 4x Thumb Nuts
  • 4x Black Spacers
  • 4x Intel LGA20xx Standoffs
  • 4x Intel other sockets Standoffs
  • 5x Washers
  • 2x AMD Mounting Brackets (Pins)

20210920 141624 Copy

  • 12x Philips 6-32 Long Screws
  • 12x Philips 6-32 Short Screws

20210920 135015 Copy

1x Cable is provided which connects the block of the cooler with the standard 3-pin A-RGB header (5V) header on the motherboard.

 

Closer Look

It is time to take a closer look at the components. Before that here is what Fractal Design is saying about the cooler. “The new Lumen series of AIO CPU coolers from Fractal Design delivers high-end cooling performance and premium ARGB effects at an attractive price. Lumen features Fractal Design’s newly released Aspect PWM fans with daisy-chainable power/ARGB connectors and comes pre-applied with optimal thermal paste coverage, making it an attractive AIO solution for both starting and seasoned builders. Options for controlling the pump’s integrated ARGB effects include Asus AURA, Gigabyte Fusion, MSI Mystic Light, Razer Chroma, and ASRock Polychrome support. 240mm, 280mm, and 360mm radiator sizes are available with a choice of ARGB or all-black Aspect fans, and all versions include mounting hardware for all the most common AMD and Intel CPUs as well as a 5-year limited warranty.”

The cooler is compatible with Intel LGA20xx/1366/1200/115x sockets and AMD AM4/AM3+/AM3/AM2+/AM2/FM2+/FM2/FM1 sockets.

RADIATOR

The Fractal Design Lumen S36 RGB is a 360mm CLC cooling solution. It has a 360mm radiator with 3x Aspect 12 RGB PWM fans.

20210920 142238 Copy

The dimension of the radiator is 392 x 120 x 27mm with 27mm being the thickness of the radiator. With 25mm fans, the overall thickness would be 52~53mm. The radiator has 20 fins per inch (FPI). There is a gap of 105mm between any two fan mounting holes on the radiator. The distance between the middle two mounting holes is 15mm and the distance from the outermost mounting hole to the far head is 20mm. Similarly, the distance between the uttermost mounting holes to the near head is 27mm. Fin stack is dense and taking into account the left and right side channels, it has a total of 12 channels for water flow. The fan screw threads rating is 6-32.

20210920 142304 Copy

The radiator is made of aluminum hence it is lightweight. This is an APALTEK design. The blocks on both ends of the radiator are not rectangular and have rounded edges.

20210920 135332 Copy

We have a nice and clean fins stack.

20210920 142530 Copy

Unlike the Celcius+ series, the Lumen series radiators don’t have protective plating under the fin stack which would prevent the screws from damaging the fins.

Lumen S36 RGB rad

There is a Fractal Design branding the sides of the radiator housing.

20210920 142327 Copy

The build quality of the cooler is top-notch all around. Fractal Design is using barbed fittings on the radiator with large size couplings. There is a sticker pasted here showing the serial no of the unit. There is what seems to be the drain port or something. It is reserved for factory use only and opening it might lose the vacuum pressure in the loop.

20210920 142911 Copy

The Fractal Design is using low-permeability rubber tubes. These tubes run to approximately 400mm in length and have a braided nylon sleeves on them.

20210920 142417 Copy

Unlike the Celcius+ series coolers, the Lumen coolers don’t have a PWM/ARGB hub on the radiator. But there is one key difference here. The Pump is installed on the radiator instead. I think NZXT was the one who launched a similar design back in time. Here is some data pertaining to the pump:

Rotational Speed 4000 ±10% RPM
Bearing Ceramic
PWM Control No
Noise at full speed 22 dBA
Maximum pressure, 50°C 2.5 PSI
Rated Voltage 12VDC
Rated Input Current 0.34A
Rated Input Power 4.08W
MTTF 50,000 Hours
ARGB Cable Length 500mm

20210920 142547 Copy

There is a 3-pin cable coming out of the pump. It has a length of 775mm which is plentiful to reach the desired control source even if the radiator is mounted on the front of the PC case.

20210920 142401 Copy

The routing of the pump power cable has been done wisely. There are two cutouts on the sides of the housing of the radiator. The cable can either be routed through these cutouts for neat cable management.

BLOCK

20210919 222549 Copy

The block of the cooler is lightweight which makes sense as we only have the cold plate, chambers for the coolant flow, and top cover with 6 A-RGB LEDs under it. The dimension of the block is 79x67x43mm where 43mm is the height of the block and 67mm is the diameter. The dimension is inclusive of the tube fittings.

20210920 142645 Copy

The top cover is not in a solid color and there is a reason for that. It is translucent with supported PCB and A-RGB LEDs on the PCB. The top cover is removable and can be placed in 90° rotations which make the installation of the block irrespective of the logo.

The above pictures show the top cover placed in three angles besides the default location.

The main housing of the block is in matte black. Notice the spacing below the housing and above the base. This is where the Intel/AMD mounting rings are slided in.

20210920 142805 Copy

Fractal Design is using articulating 90° elbow fittings on the block. This makes the rotation of the tubes easier and reduces the tension on the pump. The machining and milling are right on the money.

20210920 142821 Copy

There is a 3-pin header on the side of the main housing. This is where the provided 3-pin ARGB cable is connected to power the ARGB LEDs.

20210920 142837 Copy

 

We have a copper base with pre-applied thermal paste. We are not testing the cooling solution on stock paste as our standard thermal paste is Noctua NT-H1.

20211007 205652 Copy

The above picture shows the complete copper base with thermal paste removed.

FAN

20210920 135935 Copy

The RGB version of the S36 carries the Aspect 12 PWM RGB fans. These are high airflow and static pressure fans. Each fan has 7 semi-opaque white color blades with optimized fan geometry balancing the airflow with extra emphasis on static pressure. Here are key features of the fans:

  • Efficient rifle bearings with 90,000 hour MTTF
  • 6 individually addressable hub-mounted RGB LEDs (RGB versions)
  • Supports ASUS AURA, Gigabytes Fusion, MSI Mystic Light and ASRock Polychrome (RGB versions)
  • Aerodynamic stator with embedded wiring reduces turbulence
  • Trip Wire technology introduces a micro-turbulent layer for enhanced blade efficiency
  • Daisy chainable power and RGB wires for easy hookup
  • PWM control with a wide speed range
  • High static pressure ideal for radiators and airflow-restrictive applications

20210920 140010 Copy

The mounting corner’s inner side has an arrow symbol showing the direction of the airflow.

20210920 140027 Copy

There is Fractal Design branding on one side.

20210920 135951 Copy

The backside of the fan shows the 4-arms assembly on the mainframe with one arm having an inset. The wires are routed on this arm towards the exterior of the fan. There is a Fractal Design branding on the sticker in the center.

The fans have a 4-pin PWM connector and header/socket. They also have a 3-pin 5V ARGB connector and header/socket for easy daisy-chaining. The cables are flat in design.

The specification of the fans are:

Dimension 120x120x25mm
Type 4-pin PWM Connector
Speed 500-2000 RPM
Airflow 13~56 CFM
Air Pressure 0.23~2.34 mmH₂O
Noise Up to 32.2 dB(A)
Bearing Type Rifle
Lifespan 90000 hours
Input Voltage 12VDC
Input Current 0.37A
Starting Voltage 7V
LED Input Power 1.50W
LED Input Current 0.30A
LED Input Voltage 5V
Cables Length 500mm

Installation

We have tested the cooler on our recently upgrade test bench using Intel Z490 chipset with an LGA1200 socket. Installation is as under:

Prepare the backplate by passing the Intel LGA1200 standoffs through the designated holes. Use the washers to secure the standoffs.

20211007 181355 Copy

Place the backplate on the motherboard’s socket area.

20211007 181456 Copy

Place the black color spacers on the standoffs. You should feel the mounting pressure of these spacers otherwise you are doing it wrong.

20211007 210003 Copy

Connect the ARGB cable to the housing of the block.

20211007 181935 Copy

Place the block on the CPU by aligning the holes on the mounting bracket with the threaded sides of the standoffs.

20211007 182152 Copy

Use the thumb nuts to secure the installation. Please note that Intel mounting ring is pre-installed on the block.

Lumen S36 RGB with fans installed

Install the fans on the radiator.

Connect the 3-pin pump connector to the pump header on the motherboard. Daisy chain the 4-pin PWM connectors and connect the chained solution to a CPU Fan Header on the motherboard. Repeat the same for the ARGB connectors and connect on the ARGB 5V header on the motherboard which in our case is JRAINBOW2 on the MSI MAG Z40 TOMAHAWK.

Install the radiator in the PC Case. This would complete the installation.

There is no clearance issue with respect to the DIMM slots and first PCIe slot. Make sure your chassis has clearance for a 360mm radiator.

RGB Lighting

The Lumen S36 RGB features stunning visuals with strong ARGB lighting. Here are few pictures:

Testing

Following test bench is used: –

  • Intel i7 10700k
  • MSI MAG Z490 TOMAHWAK
  • T-Force NightHawk RGB 16GB @ 3200MHz
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 FE
  • addlink S70 256GB NVMe SSD
  • Fractal Design ION+ 860P PSU
  • Open-air test bench

Here is the settings table for testing:

Clock (MHz) 3800 All Cores
Voltage (V) 1.025
Clock (MHz) 4700 All Cores
Voltage (V) 1.255
Clock (MHz) 5100 All Cores
Voltage (V) 1.345
Turbo Boost Disabled
C-States Disabled
Speed Step Disabled
Thermal Paste Noctua NT-H1
Thermal Paste Application Dot Method in the center.
Test Run Time 30 minutes
Idling Time 10 minutes
Fan Speed 100% PWM Duty Cycle and Auto PWM
Pump Speed Connected to the AIO Pump header to run at 100% speed
Header CPU_Fan header for the fans and Pump_Header for the pump
Software AIDA64 6.3 Extreme [FPU]

 

We are using Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste for cooler testing. Using the same thermal paste for all coolers would ensure standardization. Delta temperatures are reported on the graphs. 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.

Not every run of the stress test may yield the same result. This could well be due to many factors like mounting pressure, thermal paste application, varying ambient temperature. Not to mention the silicon differences even among the same category of the chips. Hence, it is pertinent to mention the testing methodology along with the specifics.

Auto PWM

The coolers are also tested using the Auto PWM function. MSI is using Smart Fan mode in the UEFI/BIOS which is not pure Auto PWM but it is what is available to us. The above picture shows the MSI default fan curve for the Smart Fan mode. Since all the coolers will be tested using the same configuration and settings, the same margin of error applies to all.

Let’s take a look at the results.

3.8GHz All Cores

Lumen S36 RGB i7 10700k 3.8GHZ

4.7GHz All Cores

Lumen S36 RGB i7 10700k 4.7GHz

4.7GHz All Cores [Auto PWM]

Lumen S36 RGB i7 10700k 4.7GHz Auto PWM

Fans’ Speed on Auto PWM

Fans Auto PWM Speed

The above graph shows the maximum speed attained by the fans on the Auto PWM. For comparison, we have included the rated speed of the fans to have a reference in determining the Auto PWM range. The Aspect 12 RGB PWM is rated for 2000 RPM. On Auto PWM, they attained the maximum speed of 1900 RPM.

Lumen S36 RGB i7 10700k 5.1GHz

We have a comparable performance from the Fractal Design Lumen S36 RGB.

Noise

The sound meter was showing the noise level to be 52 dB(A) with an ambient sound level of 32 dB(A). The user can reduce the noise level by using the custom fan curve or using Auto PWM settings.

 

Conclusion

Lumen is the new series of AIO coolers from the Fractal Design using APALTEK as OEM. The new series has two categories of coolers. One is RGB and the other is non-RGB. These coolers are available in 240mm, 280mm, and 360mm sizes in both categories. Another keynote is the launch of new Aspect series fans from the Fractal Design in 120mm and 140mm size in black and white colors. The Lumen coolers take full advantage of Aspect fans as they feature Aspect 12/14 RGB PWM fans in Lumen S RGB coolers and non-RGB Aspect fans in the Lumen S RGB coolers.

Fractal Design has sent us Lumen S24 RGB and Lumen S36 RGB. We have taken a spin on the Lumen S36 RGB cooler in this content which is our back-to-back take on two APALTEK based AIOs where the other one was Silent Loop 2 360 from be quiet! The Lumen S36 RGB is compatible with Intel LGA/1366/115x/1200/20xx sockets and AMD AM4/AM3+/AM3/AM2+/AM2/FM2+/FM2/FM1 sockets. This cooler is not compatible with the AMD TR4 socket, unlike the Celcius+ S36 Dynamic cooler which we have tested earlier.

The unit has an aluminum radiator measuring 392 x 120 x 27mm. The thickness of the radiator is 27mm. The overall thickness would be 52~53mm after installing the fans. The radiator has 20 FPI. The Fractal Design is using low-permeability rubber tubes running to approximately 400mm in length and has a braided nylon sleeve on them. The radiator does not have a protective plating under each mounting hole for safety measures. We have seen this feature in their Celcius+ series coolers.

Another keynote here is that this cooler does not have an integrated PWM fan hub on the radiator unlike the Celcius+ coolers but the pump has been integrated on the radiator in the Lumen series cooler. Fractal Design was paying close attention as they have provided purpose-built cutouts on the housing of the radiator on both sides through which the user can route the power cable coming from the pump. The pump takes power from a 3-pin connector. The pump has a ceramic shaft and bearing with a pressure rating of 2.5 PSI at 50°C. It has a life expectancy of 50,000 hours which is permeation dependent.

The block has a circular shape and is quite lightweight. The top cover serves the Duality design. We have an almost brown-colored top cover which is in fact translucent. There are 6 ARGB LEDs underneath which illuminates the complete top in one heck of an AURA show. The top cover is also removable and can be placed at 90° angles. This makes the placement of the block independent of the brand logo’s orientation. There is a detachable ARGB cable provided in the box which the user can connect to the block and the other end to the 5V, 3-pin header on the motherboard.

The Lumen S36 RGB comes with three Aspect 12 RGB PWM fans. These are high airflow and static pressure optimized fans for optimal cooling performance out of the box. These fans feature A-RGB lighting. They are rated for up to 2000 RPM with an airflow rating of 56 CFM and 2.34 mmH₂O pressure rating. They have a life expectancy of 90,000 hours using Rifle bearings.

The coolers based on Asektek’s design have a convenient installation. With APALTEK as OEM, we were dealing with some 18 mounting hardware pieces with roughly 6 steps to install the block on the CPU. Still, the installation was not tough at all and we were able to install the cooler in a few minutes. Since the Lumen S36 RGB cooler is using standard 3-pin, 5V connectors for the ARGB lighting and the provision of sockets on the cable allows the user to easily chain the fans the block so that the lighting effects and speed of the fans can be controlled from a single source i.e 4-pin PWM header and 3-pin 5V header on the motherboard.

The Fractal Design Lumen S36 RGB is listed at $129.99 MSRP at the time of the review. Fractal Design is offering a 5-year warranty. The cooler offers substantial cooling performance and can be employed on any high-end PC. The only con was a bit of elevated noise which can easily be tamed using a custom fan curve or Auto PWM setting. The pricing, warranty, thermal performance are bringing a new value proposal which is further augmented by the stunning visuals from the ARGB lighting. The 5-year warranty completes the equation and makes this cooling solution a perfect choice for any high-end PC cooling.

Thanks to Fractal Design for the sample provision of Lumen S36 RGB. Stay tuned for the Lumen S24 RGB review.

Enos Tech Performance Award