Final words and conclusion
Final words and conclusion
The Aquafusion was a bit more complicated to review than I expected. First off let me just say that the performance is definitely there. However, the high RPM fans do not sit well with me as they can quite fast increase acoustics to annoying levels, so it'll ned some manual tweaking. The only solution to this is to lower fan RPM, in a 400~700 RPM threshold the product will be silent. However, lowering RPM does come at the cost of cooling performance. Still, with a 360mm radiator and close to 380 Watts cooling capacity even at low RPM, you'll manage your temperatures really well, as cooling capacity itself is not an issue. We appreciate that Enermax added a free-to-use RGB controller as well. However, what matters most is performance, and here it did not disappoint either as the cooler closes in on Kraken's level performance without the hassle of a software suite. This 360mm model has plenty of reserve and capacity. With the CPU overclocked and 1.40v under load, we did not even hit 80 degrees C.
Acoustics
At defaults the acoustics are acceptable but not silent, once overclocked the fans become noisy. These are high static pressure fans that can spin and ramp up towards 2000 RPM, and that's just too high of a number for anything that imho needs to be silent. The fix is simple, lower fan RPM, create a fan profile in your motherboard BIOS, or have your fans fixed at an RPM level of your preference. You'll have plenty of cooling performance to play around with. The pump we could not hear. Again, the kit can be very silent if configured right.
Aesthetics
The overall looks are distinguished as far as I am concerned; the black design makes the rad/fans/pump look nice. All feels well balanced, however, I do mark my reservations on brand name logos being RGB lit, the Enermax logo sitting in the middle is a bit much TBH. The RGB effects overall bring a subtle look to the cooler but do add more wiring to deal with. The inclusion of the RGB controller was a good move to make. Of course, you can connect it to an aRGB 5V header on your motherboard as well and sync it all up. Thr fans all are aRGB lit as well, and that does look nice, however, the number of wires to hide away is just baffling.
Installation
Overall it is straightforward to install with the mounting system, prefilled... it's one of the easier and comfortable kits on the market to use and install. We find the kit to have a bit too many screws and whistles and bells though, which after unpacking can be a little overwhelming. For example; the backplate bracket needs four screws and four washers before you can even insert it. Then on the CPU side, you secure it with two screws but not before you mounted two brackets to the CPU block. It's all no biggy, but we do wonder if that process cannot be simplified. We do dislike all the cabling needed for aRGB though.
Pricing
Here's where things get really good for Enermax, if you look up street prices, then the unit as tested costs only 115 EUR/USD. That's this 360mm version with an included fan controller and RGB fans. That's pretty good value.
Final words
We started this review by writing about the stigma that Enermax has due to the issues with their 1st generation Liqtech coolers. And we do need to mention that, but also want to clear up that Enermax addressed that issue (dating back to 2018/2019). Of course, we understand that you might feel differently. But make no mistake, there are only a few OEM/ODM manufacturers on this globe fabbing these units. We're pretty certain that other brands have had this issue as well, however, Enermax ended up being the scapegoat. They said they fixed it, they extended the warranty in the USA from 2 to 5 years (EU should follow) and I do hope that problem can be put to rest. The cooler itself is good in cooling performance, the fans have high RPM values though, you'll need to limit your RPM to acceptable levels in order for this kit to become silent (which it certainly can be). The aesthetics are pretty decent, though all that RGB sure is a lot of wiring to deal with. The inclusion of a small RGB controller certainly is nice, especially considering the price of this product. So while not perfect, we do have to admit this is terrific value for your money and it'll do well for the vast majority of people.
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