INTRODUCTION

   Almost every single time we finish and upload a review about an AIO (all in one) liquid CPU cooler there are quite a few who message us in Facebook (some even via email) just to point out to us that CPU air coolers are just as good or even better. Well this is partially true if we're talking about models with massive heatsinks like for example the NH-D15/S by Noctua but for the most part dual and tri fan AIO liquid CPU coolers have almost no competition at all and since this has become obvious to every manufacturer out there it's no surprise that most have already jumped on the AIO wagon. Fractal Design is of course among them and today we'll be testing their latest Celsius S36 Pre-Filled CPU Water Cooling System.

   Without a doubt, computers are more than just technology - they have become an integral part of our lives. Computers do more than make living easier, they often define the functionality and design of our homes, our offices and ourselves. The products we choose represent how we want to describe the world around us and how we want others to perceive us. Many of us are drawn to designs from Scandinavia, which are organized, clean and functional while remaining stylish, sleek and elegant. We like these designs because they harmonize with our surroundings and become nearly transparent. Brands like Georg Jensen, Bang Olufsen, Skagen Watches and Ikea are just a few that represent this Scandinavian style and efficiency. In the world of computer components, there is only one name you should know, Fractal Design.

   Just like most AIO liquid CPU coolers in the market currently the Celsius S36 model by Fractal Design is actually manufactured by no other than Asetek so right from the get go we have a pretty good idea of what to expect not only in terms of build quality but also performance. The Celsius S36 consists by a tri-fan aluminum radiator (403mm long, 123mm wide and 30mm thick) with an integrated three-way fan hub, two 400mm long sleeved rubber tubes, high-performance ceramic bearing pump (3150RPM/ 20dBA/ 1m H2O/ 50.000 MTTF) and copper coldplate waterblock combo and three high performance X2-GP12 120mm LLS bearing PWM fans (2000RPM/ 32.2dBA/ 87.6CFM/ 2.30mm H2O). Finally the Celsius S26 features removable aluminum fittings (expandable loop) and a somewhat unique dual speed mode for both its pump and fans so the cooler can be configured to use either the typical PWM signal from the mainboard or an intelligent temperature controlled automatic mode.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The Celsius S36 is packed in a long black and blue box that has a large product picture at the front along with the company name and 5 year warranty logo.

On the left side of the box we see a drawing of the radiator and the mainboard compatibility list.

Both the serial numbers and countries of design and manufacturing are placed on the right side.

The dual-mode feature and a picture of the pump/ waterblock combo are placed at the rear of the box.

Listed at the base and top of the box are three of the main product features.

Typically the cooler and its bundle are placed inside a thick piece of cardboard.

Leaving out the main body of the Celsius S36 also contained inside the box are the three X2-GP12 120mm PWM fans, a small plastic bag with the fan and radiator mounting screws, user guide, warranty/support information paper and all the required hardware to mount the cooler onto Intel LGA1150/1151/1155/1156/1366/2011/2011-3/2066 and AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+/AM4/FM1/FM2/FM2+ compatible mainboards (the cooler also supports mounting on sTR4 mainboards via the included bracket found in the CPU bundle - also made by Asetek).

THE CELSIUS S36

As with all AIO models in the market appearance-wise the Celsius S36 is not really something we haven't seen in the past.

The 403mm long radiator is roughly 30mm thick again just like most of the recent AIO manufactured by Asetek.

With an FPI (fins per inch) count of 21 the Celsius 36 probably uses the same radiator used in the H150i Pro RGB by Corsair.

Fractal Design has placed a 3-way fan hub between the two water ports (the fittings are removable but by doing so you are voiding your warranty) on the radiator and if there was a speed selection switch/knob this would be perfect.

Also worth pointing out is that the radiator has protective plates right over the fins so you don't have to worry about damaging them while mounting the cooler and/or its fans.

The 400mm long rubber tubes are sleeved for increased durability.

Just like with the majority of pumps the one used in the Celsius S36 is a low profile one.

You can choose between the PWM and Auto modes by rotating the round rubber ring located around the pump.

Both tubes may be fixed onto the pump but thanks to the removable fittings you can expand the loop as you see fit.

The copper coldplate base has a thin layer of thermal conductive material pre applied onto it.

Thanks to their blade design the three X2-GP12 120mm PWM fans can provide up to 87.6CFM of airflow with 2.30mm H2O of air pressure with just 32.2dBA of noise.

With the fans installed the thickness of the Celsius S36 jumps to almost 55mm.

If you want you can route the cables of the fans on either the left or right side however to do that you need to pay extra attention on the length of the cables (if you don't care about the cables showing you can connect them regularly like we did).

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

   Just like the Corsair H150i Pro RGB which we reviewed a couple of weeks ago the Fractal Design Celsius S36 is a high-end AIO liquid CPU cooler aimed towards people who are after top cooling efficiency. Sure it may not have RGB color illumination for its pump and/or fans (no illumination at all actually) but it has nothing to be jealous of in terms of performance (not even when compared to the H150i Pro RGB) and ontop of that it’s one of the very few expandable tri-fan models currently in the market. Of course we’d all like to see Fractal Design provide control software for the pump and fans (like the LINK used by Corsair) but the PWM/Auto mode selection knob is a rather easy way to choose between high-performance and a good balance between performance and noise. As for the intergrated fan hub we think it was a good idea but its implementation quite frankly could be better (either that or the fan cables could be longer). Finally the fans are a bit louder than we were expecting and ontop of that as you’ve seen in our product pictures they were mounted exactly as Fractal Design showcases on their box (sucking cold air from the outside) something which may have given the Celsius S36 a tiny performance boost.

   The Fractal Design Celsius S36 Pre-Filled CPU Water Cooling System currently retails for USD147.14 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 139Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) a price tag which is roughly 15-25% beneath what Corsair asks for their H150i Pro RGB model. Granted the H150i Pro RGB with its slimmer radiator, lower-noise fans, RGB illumination for its pump and LINK control software is a more “complete” solution but in terms of price/performance ratio the Celsius S36 finishes first and for that it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Very Good Cooling Efficiency (PWM Mode)
- Expandable Loop (Aluminum Fittings)
- Up To Six 120mm Fans In Push & Pull
- PWM & Auto Mode
- Integrated Fan Hub
- 400mm Long Sleeved Tubes
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Long Radiator
- Fan Hub Location / Fan Cable Length
- Noise Levels (PWM Mode)
- No Illumination (For Some)