INTRODUCTION

   The rise in popularity of both RGB and Addressable RGB (A-RGB) lighting technologies in the consumers market has pretty much "forced" numerous manufacturers to re-released many of their award winning products just with the addition of those two. Personally, i never cared much about RGB/ARGB lighting but at the same time i can't really deny that everything (almost) looks a lot better with it so it makes perfect sense that this is happening. The latest example of this is no other than the Liquid Freezer II line of AIO (all-in-one) CPU coolers by ARCTIC which got both the RGB and A-RGB treatment a month or so ago and so today with me i have the Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB model.

   ARCTIC, a leading manufacturer of low-noise PC coolers and components, initiated and continues to shape the trend towards quiet cooling systems. In addition to an extensive range of CPU/GPU coolers and fans, ARCTIC produces high-quality monitor arms and wall brackets as well as practical tech equipment. The company, headed by founder Magnus Huber, has offices in Germany, Hong Kong and the USA. It has won over PC enthusiasts in more than 45 countries with innovative and user-friendly products that are high quality and sold at fair prices. For almost 20 years, ARCTIC has stood for comfortable computing, stellar service and personal support.

   Currently the newly announced Liquid Freezer II A-RGB line of AIO includes just 240mm and 360mm models both of which feature 38mm thick aluminum radiators paired with 120mm P12 A-RGB fans (1800RPM/48.8CFM/1.85mmH2O/22.5dBA/12 ARGB LEDs), 450mm long braided EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) tubes with integrated cable management (routing) and a PWM pump/waterblock combo (2000RPM/copper plate) equipped with a top 3000RPM VRM fan (again according to Artic this helps reduce VRM temperatures). Just like with the "regular" Liquid Freezer II line the A-RGB models are also powered by a single 4pin PWM motherboard connector (4.8W consumption for the entire AIO) and are covered by a somewhat unique 6-year limited warranty.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

A large product picture takes up most of the front of the box and sits just over the A-RGB motherboard technology compatibility list.

On the left side we find a 2D barcode which when scanned will redirect you to the product support page.

The product specifications are printed on the left side of the box just under another 2D barcode.

ARCTIC has also placed the same 2D barcode at the rear of the box.

The entire AIO is wrapped inside two plastic bags and placed in formed pieces of cardboard.

Along with the Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB and its 2 pre-mounted P12 A-RGB fans inside the box you'll also find a backplate, MX-5 thermal paste tube and all the necessary bits and pieces for installation on Intel LGA 1150/1151/1155/1156/1200/2011/2011-3/2066 and AMD AM3/AM3+/AM4 compatible motherboards.

THE LIQUID FREEZER II 240 A-RGB

Design-wise the Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB is nothing we haven't seen in the past (still looks better than most AIO models).

The 38mm thick radiator used is significantly thicker compared to the similar models we see by other manufacturers.

With the fans the thickness of the Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB increases to roughly 63mm.

This radiator sports an FPI (fins per inch) count of roughly 15 which is good for the bundled fans.

ARCTIC has also printed their brand name on both sides of the radiator.

Each of the two P12 A-RGB 120mm fans features a total of 12 ARGB LEDs and anti-vibration rubber pieces on all four corners.

The nickel/chrome plated fittings look very nice as do the 450mm long EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) coated tubes.

This is the 3d time I’ve seen a diagonal fan just over the pump and judging by previous models it does help with VRM temperatures.

Unfortunately, the tubes are not rotatable from the pump/waterblock, still thanks to their length installation is a breeze.

Just like with past models ARCTIC has equipped the Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB with a rather small copper coldplate which may not be "ideal" for all CPUs out there.

TEST BED

TESTING METHODOLOGY

   Testing complete water cooling kits or individual radiators is no different than testing CPU Coolers and since we want all of you to be able to compare similar products, we created new and separate charts (you can still cross-compare results however since we are using the same test rig). So once again single (120/140mm) watercooling solutions are tested with the radiator mounted at the rear of our test rig while dual/triple/quad (240/260/280/360/420/480/560mm) solutions with the radiator mounted at the top. For the dBA tests complete water cooling kits or radiators with bundled fans are measured both while on idle mode or with the fan controller in the minimum setting and while on extreme load or with the fan controller all the way to the highest possible setting (PWM fans do that on their own without our intervention). Every single test takes place in a temperature controlled room of 23 degrees Celsius Ambient Temp with the help of two AC units placed diagonally inside the room. Finally, much like when testing CPU Coolers, it's very important to point out that just because a water cooling kit outperforms another when tested with our test rig (when we test complete water cooling kits) that does not necessarily mean that the same performance differences will apply 100% for other CPU models and in other situations (such as different ambient temps and system configurations).

   To successfully record the load temperatures, we use the latest OCCT application for around 6-10 minutes to push the processor to its limits and after that is done and the temperatures are recorded, we wait for about 10-20 minutes for the CPU to cool down and record the idle temperatures. This is done to allow time for the thermal conductive material to achieve the optimal performance level. Same procedure is then repeated with the Passmark BurnIn Test as a failsafe just in case the OCCT results are wrong. This procedure takes a lot more time than the usual peltier/thermometer tests but this way not only can we deliver real world results to our readers based on real CPUs but we can also triple check the results using a variety of programs. Last but not least the temperatures were recorded using both the latest versions of AIDA64 and RealTemp while the noise level tests (when fans exist in the bundle) are performed using a high precision ExTech HD600 Decibel Meter placed about 10-15cm above the radiator. Still although the same testing procedure applies to all units do take into consideration that unlike the official numbers which are measured in special noise isolated labs with just the fans here, we also have both the rest of the cooler and the rest of the system (although all system fans are turned off when recording noise levels).

TEST RESULTS

CONCLUSION

   The Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB is a step down compared to the 420 non-ARGB model that I reviewed a while back (review here) in terms of cooling efficiency but it’s far more compatible with PC cases/towers, looks a lot better thank to its 2 ARGB fans with their 24 ARGB LEDs and produces slightly less noise at the same time. The small fan on top of the pump/block is also a nice addition, yes it may not work miracles but VRM temperatures drop quite a bit and that could even help with system stability. Also, ARCTIC has reduced overall costs (which translates to less retail price) by not including a user manual and/or a warranty information paper so I expect that to matter as well for many potential customers.

   With a price tag set at USD105.67 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and at just 91.74Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) the Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB by ARCTIC certainly retails as I had hoped. Granted it may not be the best 240mm dual-fan model in the market but it does combine very good cooling efficiency and looks and is covered by a 6-year limited warranty which is why it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Very Good Cooling Efficiency
- Low Noise Levels (Almost Inaudible)
- ARGB Lighting (24 ARGB LEDs)
- Single 4 Pin PWM Connector (Power)
- 450mm Long EPDM Braided Tubes
- VRM Fan
- Routed Fan Cables
- 6 Year Warranty)
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Small Copper Coldplate (For Some CPU Models)