Cooler Master MasterLiquid PL Flux

Cooler Master kann mit der MasterLiquid PL240 Flux auf voller Linie überzeugen. Zusammen mit der geringen Lautstärke sowie der hervorragenden Kühlleistung liefert Cooler Master hier ein gelungenes Gesamtpaket ab. Allerdings lässt sich Cooler Master dieses Paket auch recht gut bezahlen.

The Cooler Master MasterLiquid PL240 Flux is the CPU cooler you really want, if you want to keep your RGB hidden below the surface. The black transparent lens not only looks great when the lights are off, but also looks great when the lights are on … the pump lets the light through without any issues!

With Intel’s new CPUs moving to the LGA1700 socket and the new larger socket requiring a wider mounting bracket after Intel sticking with the same sized mounting hole for a very long time it has had me looking at changing up the cooling in a few of my systems and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Not only that, there are a LOT of options on the market. Everyone and their mom is now getting into the AIO market. Cooler Master has been around going back near the beginning for AIO coolers and they are one of only a few who often make their own designs rather than going with a standard OEM design so I’m interested in seeing what their new MasterLiquid PL240 Flus is all about. I’m also curious to see how it will perform on our new 12900K based test bench so let’s dive in and see how it does.

Cooler Master's MasterLiquid PL240 Flux is a good performer outshone by the more affordable competition, like the Lian Li Galahad 240 offering better performance and a more attractive price. Meanwhile, the older Corsair H100i PRO RGB offers similar features, performs roughly the same, and is also more affordable. In these situations, exciting features or extra visual design elements can lessen the MSRP sting, if present, but the addressable Gen 2 RGB implementation of the PL240 Flux isn't quite enough. Sure, it allows users to customize each individual LED, but when you compare that to the MSI AIO, which has a built-in LCD display, it is not nearly as exciting. On the other hand, Fractal Design's Prisma series has a hub on the radiator to keep the ARGB and fan wiring mess to a minimum, which is a nice quality-of-life feature. These features can help justify a higher price tag and are easier to market. So while being able to use the MasterPlus+ software to control individual LEDs is nice, the use of standard ARGB plugs means most users will likely bypass the software and control hub altogether. Instead, they will probably use traditional motherboard software to handle ARGB lighting and PWM fan curves.

Anfang des Jahres hat Cooler Master mit der FLUX-Serie eine neue Reihe von AiO-Wasserkühlern vorgestellt, das Modell mit 240mm Radiator hatten wir auch bereits im Test. Nun möchte man hier auch nochmal die 360mm Variante getestet haben, allerdings gibt es dazu noch einen ersten Blick auf die Leistung der bald kommenden „30 Jahre Cooler Master“ Edition mit den neuen Mobius Lüftern. Und die speziellen neue Cryofuze Wärmeleitpaste kommt auch gleich mit zum Einsatz.

Mit der Cooler Master MasterLiquid PL360 Flux AIO hat Cooler Master wieder eine tolle AIO Wasserkühlung mit wirklich ausgezeichneten Lüftern zusammengestellt, die selbst bei sommerlichen Temperaturen einen kühlen Kopf behält.

Bei der Flux-Serie hat Cooler Master eine Reihe von Verbesserungen umgesetzt. Pumpe, Kühler, Radiator und Lüfter sollen verbessert worden sein. Mit dem Test der MasterLiquid PL360 Flux wollen wir klären, ob und wie sehr sich die Optimierungen auswirken.

Die Cooler Master MASTERLIQUID PL360 FLUX hat uns auf der ganzen Linie überzeugt. Mit der Neuentwicklung der Doppelkammer-Pumpe trifft Cooler Master genau ins schwarze, während des ganzen Betriebes war lediglich ein leichtes Surren zu vernehmen. Die Kombination von Pumpe und Radiator bringt eine hervorragende Kühlleistung, die noch deutlich Luft nach oben hat. Gepaart mit den speziell entwickelten Schaufeln der Lüfter der FLUX-Serie wird die entstandene Abwärme noch schneller durch den Radiator abgeführt.

Mit der Masterliquid PL360 Flux liefert Cooler Master eine wahrlich gelungene Vorstellung ab und überrascht zudem mit universellen Anschüssen, edlem Design und einer leisen und zudem einstellbaren Pumpe. Die Verarbeitung ist Top und zudem gibt es von Cooler Master fünf Jahre Garantie auf das Modell. Der umfangreicher Lieferumfang und die einfache Montage kommen als Bonuspunkte noch oben drauf.

Today we are testing two of Cooler Master's latest CPU coolers, and one of them is a bargain!

With the Cooler Master MasterLiquid PL360 Flux AIO, Cooler Master has once again put together an great AIO water cooler with really excellent fans that will keep you cool even in summer temperatures. The overall package is really coherent across all disciplines. Beyond that, one is also happy about cleverly solved little things like the fan screws with an additional thread in the screw head. The accessories are also beyond reproach. The Cooler Master Liquid Cooler is out of the box AMD AM5 compatible. If the Socket 1700 mounting material is missing, it can be reordered here for free.

Almost a perfect mix of what the market demands. The MasterLiquid PL360 FLUX is a top-tier performer with style and a ton of goodies. However, cost and noise may be enough to turn some away.

Performance-wise, the MasterLiquid PL360 Flux is one heck of a cooler that can easily handle a powerful CPU like the Intel Core i9-12900K without breaking a sweat and I have nothing to complain about the cooler after seeing what it’s actually capable of. Installation is fairly easy too and we have yet to bump into any compatibility issue so far, thanks to the compact but powerful pump. Since Cooler Master actually included two different backplates for Intel LGA115x/1200 and LGA1700 socket, we have no problem swapping between the two different sockets and performance is pretty consistent throughout the tests. So that’s a thumbs up for being pretty user-friendly as well.

Picking an AIO has always been a little bit difficult. They all look so similar, and promise similar things, that it's not that simple to choose the right one off the bat from pure aesthetics. Equally, as our testing over the years has shown, not all coolers are created equal. What this is all about then is giving you some information with which to make a shortlist and, perhaps, an informed choice. Let's get the clear and obvious things out of the way first.