CONCLUSION

   After wrapping up all our tests it’s quite evident that the brand new Water 3.0 Riing RGB 360 Edition AIO Liquid CPU Cooler by Thermaltake falls back in terms of cooling efficiency when compared to its predecessor the excellent Water 3.0 Ultimate. Of course with a difference of 2 degrees Celsius at load this is by no means a game changer but had Thermaltake used slightly faster fans this wouldn’t be the case. The good news however is that the 120mm Riing RGB fans are not only immensely better compared to the regular ones Thermaltake used with the Water 3.0 Ultimate but they are also much less audible. As a matter of fact the Water 3.0 Riing RGB 360 Edition is the most silent AIO liquid CPU cooler to ever pass from our test bench and I think that’s one of its strong selling points right after the looks of the Riing RGB fans. We also liked the sleeved tubes since flexibility seems to be unaffected and at the same time endurance has jumped to a whole different level (not that we’ve encountered any problems without them). The smart fan controller is also a nice touch although personally I think that using control software just like with the DPS G power supply units would be a better choice overall (still this is more direct and thus faster). We were also hoping to see an RGB illuminated base since this entire product was released with that in mind but unfortunately that wasn’t the case (hopefully Thermaltake will do so in the near future).

With a current price tag set at USD168.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 166Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) you really can’t go wrong with the Water 3.0 Riing RGB 360 Edition by Thermaltake. There are certainly higher cooling efficiency models currently in the market like the Water 3.0 Ultimate or the Eisbaer 360 but on one hand we’re not talking about massive gaps in performance and on the other the Water 3.0 Riing RGB 360 Edition is not only better looking but it’s also almost inaudible even at load. Once again you will need to weigh the pros and the cons solely based on your needs, as for us we think that the Water 3.0 Riing RGB 360 Edition is a one way for people who like RGB illumination (especially for all of you who already own at least one peripheral with RGB LEDs) and that’s why it gets our Platinum Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Very Good Cooling Efficiency
- Almost Inaudible At Load
- 120mm Riing RGB Fans
- Thin Radiator (27mm)
- Up To Six 120mm Fans In Push & Pull
- Smart Fan Controller
- Sleeved Tubes
- Easy Installation

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- No Control Software
- Long Radiator