INTRODUCTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   AIO liquid coolers may not offer the best cooling efficiency in the market currently but in most cases, they do hold an edge even against the best air coolers which combined with their zero clearance issues with motherboard components and RAM is why they've managed to become so popular among all segments of the market. The sole problem is that it's somewhat rare for AIO liquid coolers to really stand out and that's why the latest trend is models with small LCD screens onto their pumps (can't wait to see models with detachable screens which we can place anywhere in or out of a case). The SYN 360 AIO Liquid Cooling System by a brand new player called Valkyrie is one such model and for the past week or so it's also what I’ve got mounted onto my test bench.

   Valkyrie is a leading provider of performance-driven PC cooling solutions, components and gaming peripherals. Our team, a blend of seasoned PC industry veterans, is united by a shared passion for making gaming accessible to everyone. Guided by our '7 Pillars of Valkyrie', we advocate inclusivity and put gamers at the heart of everything we do. By delivering the necessary performance for a smooth gaming experience at reasonable pricing, we aren't just providing products but opening up a world of stylish, accessible gaming for all to enjoy. Our mission is to redefine the journey of gaming enthusiasts all over the world. We believe in empowering each gamer to carve their own path, fostering individuality and exploration. Our product lineup reflects this ethos, featuring a wide range of top-tier offerings from all-in-one liquid coolers, air coolers, chassis and gaming peripherals. We stand firm in our conviction that gaming isn't a luxury - it's your right. So, stand by us, as we champion your right to play and bring your gaming dreams to life.

   The Valkyrie SYN 360 may consist by the typical combination of a tri-fan 360 aluminum radiator (397mm in length), FEP braided tubes and a copper waterblock and pump (2800RPM) combo but thanks to the customizable 2.4" color display (320x240px) located on top of the pump it's certainly quite unique. The three 120mm X12 fans Valkyrie has used with the SYN 360 (2150RPM/80CFM/3.14mmH2O/29dBA) also feature ARGB LEDs which thanks to the bundled hub can be controlled from the Myth Cool PC software. Last but not least Valkyrie shows their confidence in their SYN 360 AIO Liquid Cooling System by covering it with a very generous 5-year limited warranty.

 

 

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valkyrie uses a long black box to ship their SYN 360 the front of which has the product name and a small clear plastic from where you can see the 2.4" color display.

 

 

A free keychain designed after the Valkyrie logo is attached on the main tray located on the left side of the box.

 

 

The main product features along with a drawing of the 2.4" display are placed on top of the box.

 

 

Moving at the rear we find 4 drawings used to showcase the SYN 360 size, product description in 6 languages and the technical details of all parts.

 

 

Valkyrie has placed quite a bit of weight on packaging and so the entire interior slides out to reveal the main body of the SYN 360.

 

 

A smaller tray is located underneath and in here Valkyrie has placed the three 120mm X12 fans.

 

 

Along with the main body of the SYN 360 (radiator/tubes/IPS display/pump/waterblock) inside the box you will also find the three 120mm X12 fans with their detachable cables, fan hub, ARGB extension cable, two small blue/green plastic pieces, backplate, USB-C to motherboard USB cable, thermal paste tube, 5 cable straps, quick start guide, warranty information paper and all the necessary screws and mounts for installation on Intel LGA 1150/1151/1155/1156/1200/1366/1700/2011/2011-3/2066 and AMD AM4/AM5 motherboards.

 

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THE SYN 360

 

 

 

 

 

 

In terms of looks the SYN 360 may not be that much different compared to other AIO models but the pump/waterblock/display logo does stand out.

 

 

The 397mm long aluminum radiator is almost 27mm thick.

 

 

As you can see from the above picture the FPI (fins per inch) count of the SYN 360 radiator is just shy of 21.

 

 

Valkyrie has used long fittings on the side of the radiator as seen above.

 

 

425mm long FEP braided tubes is certainly not something we see a lot with AIO models.

 

 

The 2.4" color display has two magnetically attached plastic pieces on the sides which by default are red.

 

 

You can replace these with the bundled blue/green ones which don't look particularly great however (works well with the white version of the SYN line however).

 

 

The USB-C port with which you need to connect your motherboard and an MicroSD card slot inside which you can store media to display on the screen are located on the left side.

 

 

Valkyrie ships the SYN 360 with an 16GB Netac Pro MicroSD card already mounted.

 

 

Even though there's a thermal paste tube bundled there's a thin layer already applied on the coldplate.

 

 

Removing the layer reveals no machine markings.

 

 

The three X12E 120mm fans can reach speeds of up to 2150RPM to produce up to 80CFM of airflow with 3.14mmH2O of air pressure at just 29dBA of noise.

 

 

Aside featuring RGB LEDs these fans also have rubber coated corners.

 

 

With all three fans attached the thickness of the SYN 360 increases to almost 53mm.

 

 

MYTH COOL SOFTWARE

 

 

 

 

 

 

For complete control over the SYN 360 you should download the Myth Cool software (at the time of this review the software was only available on the creator website and not the Valkyrie one).

The initial tab draws information on your system and of course the system temperatures.

 

 

Second tab detects compatible devices and lists them, in this case the Valkyrie AIO.

 

 

From here you can load custom graphics on the screen which as expected end up in the MicroSD card (quick view on the 2.4" display should be soon up on TikTok and YouTube).

 

 

In the final tab you'll find several applications you can also use.

 

 

Both the stress test and benchmark applications are quite useful.

 

 

The EasyFan app can also come in handy but for some reason it didn't detect the fan hub.

 

 

As expected, you can change the language and theme of the software from its settings.

 

 

TEST BED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TESTING METHODOLOGY

   Testing complete water cooling kits or individual radiators is no different than testing CPU Coolers and since i want all of you to be able to compare similar products, i 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 the 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 that said 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 my test rig (when i 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, I’ll be using 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, I’ll wait for about 10-20 minutes for the CPU to cool down and record 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 i deliver real world results to all of you based on real CPUs but i 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

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Valkyrie may be one of the newest players in the PC market but their SYN 360 was actually better than expected. Yes, cooling efficiency may not be the best I’ve recorded from a 360 AIO and noise levels are set quite high but if you take into account the customizable 2.4” color display, RGB fans, bundled fan hub, the 425mm long FEP braided tubes and the rough around the edges but still useful Myth Cool software the end result is quite good. What about price however?

   Unfortunately, current availability is very limited for the SYN 360 AIO by Valkyrie and so I was unable to find it listed anywhere online, at least no on any of the well-known western stores. Still, I was able to get it's MSRP which is set at 201.68Euros inside the EU (plus VAT) and thus is priced relatively well. All said and done the SYN 360 AIO liquid cooling system may not be perfect but it does tick several of the boxes most people look for in an AIO and for that it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Good Cooling Efficiency
- 2.4 Inch Color IPS Display
- ARGB Lighting
- Available In Black & White Colors
- 425mm Long Sleeved Tubes
- Easy Installation

CONS

- Noise Levels
- Current Availability