INTRODUCTION

   All-in-one (AIO) liquid CPU coolers (also referred to as closed and/or self-contained loops) have been the "hottest" thing in PC cooling for many years now and although they still can't compete with regular air coolers in terms of price/performance it's a safe bet that this will not change any time soon. This is of course not only due to their somewhat impressive cooling efficiency levels and the fact that they are maintenance free (no filling required by the user) but also because of their relatively small size (compared always to complete water cooling loops/kits) and simplified installation. Antec has a long history with AIO liquid CPU coolers ever since they released their very first Kuhler H2O line many years ago and since they just unveiled their brand new Mercury line there's no way we'd pass an opportunity to get the tri-fan model in the lab.

   For 30 years, Antec, Inc. has been the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets, being the pioneer and market leader for quiet, efficient and innovative products such as the P280 and SOLO II enclosures as well as for their award-winning PSUs having the lowest returns in the industry. Antec continues to further the industry with performance-rich enclosures, efficient power supplies, reliable cooling components, the cutting-edge Antec Advance accessories line, and the Antec Mobile Products (A.M.P). Founded in 1986, Antec is headquartered in Fremont, California, with additional offices in The Netherlands, Germany, China and Taiwan.

   The new Mercury 360 Liquid CPU Cooler by Antec sits at the top of their new Mercury line (120mm/240mm models are also available) and consists by three silent 120mm blue LED PWM fans (feature a maximum speed of 1800RPM with 73.31CFM airflow, 2.25mm H2O static pressure and 30dBA noise), 394mm long and 27mm thick aluminum radiator (with an FPI count of 16), Teflon coated tubings, three-phase motor pump (carbon metal body featuring a ceramic axis with graphite bearings to produce water pressure of 2.3 meters with a flow rate of 3.5 liters per minute), 3 temperature controlled LED lights and a copper base waterblock. Antec also released a Mercury liquid CPU cooler line with RGB fans instead of single blue LED ones but chances are both lines are identical minus the color of the LEDs that is.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

A large product picture is placed at the front of the box right over several drawings of the main product features.

Another product picture is placed at the bottom of the box right next to contact information about Antec.

The specifications table is placed at the top of the box in 8 languages.

Every piece of the bundle is placed inside plastic bags and a formed piece of cardboard.

Inside the box Antec has placed the Mercury 360 radiator with its three 120mm blue LED PWM fans and their mounting screws, eSATA to mini USB power connector, 3pin to triple 4pin fan adapter, tube of thermal conductive material, installation instructions, warranty guide and all the necessary mounting hardware for Intel LGA775/1150/1151/1155/1156/1366/2011/2011-3/2066 and AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+/AM4/FM1/FM2/FM2+ mainboards.

THE MERCURY 360

Leaving out the somewhat thick white pump of the Mercury 360 the rest is something we've seen numerous times already.

Antec has used a 394mm long radiator which is 27mm thick just like most of its class.

According to the specs sheet by Antec the radiator used in the Mercury series has an FPI (fins per inch) count of 16 but we actually counted 17 as you can see from the above picture.

The 330mm long fluorinated ethylene propylene tubes used with the Mercury series are also Teflon coated for increased durability.

The carbon metal pump features three LEDs at the top which change color according to the temperature of the CPU (blue up to 35 degrees Celsius, yellow up to 40 and red over 41).

Much like many other AIO models in the market the tubes can rotate up to roughly 90 degrees to make installation even easier.

The mini USB port is placed on the right side of the pump as seen above.

Unfortunately the sticker placed on the copper base didn't come off entirely so we had to use alcohol to remove it (thus the liquid on the sides).

The black and white color combination may not be my favorite but i think most users will like it.

With the fans mounted on the radiator the main body now measures 50.28mm in thickness.

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

   Antec was among the very first manufacturers to introduce an AIO line of liquid CPU coolers and since we’ve tested every line since then we were quite curious to see what their Mercury line was all about. Now I’ve said it many times in the past and I will say it again, the one thing required for a high-performance AIO liquid CPU cooler is for any manufacturer to pair a high density radiator with one or more high-speed fans (well over 2200RPM). That’s not to say that a high-performance pump is not crucial but after testing numerous AIO models over the years we’ve seen that the fans matter more than the pump used (that of course doesn’t apply for custom loops and expandable AIO models). So although Antec used a pretty fast and durable pump with the Mercury 360 (50.000 hours lifespan) at the end of the day using somewhat silent fans reduced its potential. Of course it quite evident that Antec placed noise levels above raw performance (unlike Corsair and the fans of their H115i in performance mode) but just like Corsair it would be nice if consumers were able to choose between low noise levels and high cooling efficiency.
   Antec has always p

laced quite a bit of weight in the pricing department so their products have for the most part been quite affordable over the years and the same applies for the Mercury 360 AIO Liquid CPU Cooler since currently you can find it for just 117Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). Unfortunately due to several reasons Antec doesn't make the Mercury line available in the US so that's perhaps the largest drawback of this specific line. It goes without saying really that you can find higher performance AIO models at around the same price point but in all likelihood they will not be as “silent” nor as good looking as the Mercury 360 (not only because of its LED fans but also because of its temperature controlled LED). Still it all comes down to what you’re looking for so if you want very good cooling efficiency combined with silence and looks then the Mercury 360 AIO Liquid CPU Cooler by Antec is for you and that’s also why it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Good Build Quality
- Very Good Cooling Efficiency
- Almost Inaudible At Load
- 120mm Blue LED Fans
- Thin Radiator (27mm)
- Up To Six 120mm Fans In Push & Pull
- Temperature Controlled LEDs
- Easy Installation
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- No Control Software
- Long Radiator
- Not Available In The USA