INTRODUCTION

   Despite what many people think although summer is indeed the "hardest" season for any computer system due to the high temperatures having a good CPU cooler is the ideal scenario all year long even during the winter. Now although CPU air coolers still hold the largest market share/percentage water cooling is no longer ment just for enthusiasts and professionals willing to spend a good portion of their monthly wages. Of course due to the somewhat high price tags attached to water cooling kits with a few exceptions (mainly enthusiasts who want to "admire" their very own custom loop through the side panel of their towers) most people i know are turning towards all-in-one liquid coolers not only for their brand new but also for their older systems. This is actually not only due to their competitive prices compared to complete water cooling kits but also because they are easier to install, take less space and offer very good cooling efficiency levels. With us today we have the latest Eisbaer 360 Liquid CPU Cooler by our friends over at Alphacool.

   Alphacool are based in Germany and are one of the biggest producers of watercooling components for the PC market. Their products are sold worldwide which is testament to the quality of products they sell and are renowned for being very high performing.

   Just like the 240mm version which we reviewed a few months back the 360mm of the Eisbaer (polar bear) AIO liquid CPU cooler by Alphacool also features the same quick-lock mechanism which can be used to quickly add extra components like a second radiator and/or even an GPU waterblock in the loop (it's also fully compatible with the GPX-Pro AIO liquid GPU cooler), the same ceramic pump that runs at 2600RPM and can push up to 70 liters of liquid per hour up to 0.85 meters and the same PVC tubings with anti-kink coils. However unlike the 240 model which featured the NexXxos ST30 240mm radiator (279mm long and 30mm thick) the new 360 model features the longer NexXxos ST30 360 radiator (397mm long and 30mm thick) which Alphacool has paired with three 120mm high-static pressure sleeve-bearing Eiswind fans (1700RPM speed/63.85CFM airflow/29dBA noise/1.66mm H2O air pressure). So let's check the Eisbaer 360 out and see if it's the ideal AIO liquid cooling system for people with enough room in their PC cases.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

A picture of the pump/water block combo is placed at the front of the black box right next to the supported sockets.

Moving at the rear we see a picture of one of the fans and part of the radiator.

Typically the entire bundle is placed inside a formed piece of cardboard.

Contained inside the box is the radiator/tubings/pump combo, three 120mm Eiswind fans, 3pin to triple 3pin fan cable, pouch with the XPX Xtreme thermal paste by Gelid, backplate and all the necessary screws and mounts to install the Eisbaer onto Intel LGA 775/1150/1151/1155/1156/1366/2011/2011-3 and AMD 771/604/C32/G34/AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+/FM1 compatible mainboards.

THE EISBAER 360

Leaving out the long NexXxoS ST30 360 radiator everything else is identical to the Eisbaer 240 model.

The radiator has the same thickness as all the other models used in the Eisbaer line.

The same goes for the FPI (fins per inch) count since it's again 16.

One of the unique features the Eisbaer line has (as did the Eisberg line) is the anti-kink coils used on the PVC tubings.

The quick-lock mechanism allows easy connection to another radiator or a graphics card water block.

The large pump/water block combo has but one "weakness", the tubings can't rotate.

Once again the fill port is located at the top of the pump right next to the company logo.

This small plastic window placed on the side of the pump is not just for show since it allows you to check the coolant level and add more if needed.

Just like with the 240 model the Eisbaer 360 features an all-copper polished base.

The three Eiswind sleeve-bearing fans may not be the best looking ones out there but thanks to their high-static pressure numbers they work extremely well.

 
With the fans mounted the NexXxos ST30 360 radiator now measures 55mm in thickness.

Using a LED beneath the company logo placed on top of the pump was a good move.

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. When testing complete water cooling kits we use the Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste. 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

   When we reviewed both the Eisberg and Eisbaer 240 models we all felt that they delivered exactly what was expected of them but they left us with wanting more and in a market with radiators as long as 884mm it’s not hard to understand that a 279mm one leaves much room for improvement. Of course we have a long way before AIO models expand to include 420mm or longer radiators (that is if they do) but the 360mm long radiator of the Eisbaer does a very good job in keeping up with models much more expensive and without producing higher noise levels (actually just the opposite). Where the Eisbaer 360 shines however is its compatibility with virtually all CPU sockets out there something which will probably attract many potential buyers with older systems. Finally the quick-lock mechanism makes it very easy to expand the loop with an extra radiator and/or a GPU water block so for enthusiasts and perhaps even professionals this is a valuable addition.

   So how much must one spend for the Alphacool Eisbaer 360 AIO Liquid CPU Cooling System? Well this is actually good news since currently you can find it for just USD162.49 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 147Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). In case you’re wondering this price tag places the Alphacool Eisbaer 360 on the lower price segment of similar AIO models and with the kind of performance you’re getting (even more with such low noise levels) and the quick-lock mechanism it’s well worth our Platinum Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Top Of The Line Cooling Efficiency
- Expandable (Can Add Extra Radiators, GPU waterblocks, CPU waterblocks, Pumps)
- Quick-Lock Mechanism
- Noise Levels (Compared To Its Competition)
- CPU Compatibility
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- 397mm Long Radiator (Case Compatibility)