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CPU Thermal results without power limits
Without power limits enforced on Intel’s i7-14700K, the CPU will hit its peak temperature (TJ Max) and thermally throttle with even the strongest air coolers. When the CPU reaches its peak temperature, I’ve measured the CPU package power to determine the maximum wattage cooled to best compare their performance.
The exception to this comes with the absolute strongest AIOs on the market, which can keep Intel’s i7-14700K under TJ Max. This is no small task. Testing Cinebench without power limits was hard on coolers when paired with the last generation i7-13700K, but the task is even more difficult using an i7-14700K, which has more e-cores and higher clock speeds. I fully expect most AIOs to “fail” this test and thermally throttle to a small extent.
As of this writing, only two liquid coolers that I have tested have been capable of keeping Intel’s i7-14700K under its maximum temperature of 100C (also known as TJ Max) during a 10-minute Cinebench test using MSI’s Z790 Project Zero motherboard with the power limits set to 4096. This test will cause peak CPU power consumption of up to 275W in this particular setup.
Of the seven AIOs I’ve tested thus far with Intel’s i7-14700K CPU, the Tryx Panorama 360 takes the crown for the best performance when power limits are removed.
The Panorama 360 AIO reached a noise level of 46.9 when its fans reached peak speeds. This isn’t exactly a quiet cooler, but it’s quieter than many others on the market – which can reach up to 55dBA.
Observant readers may notice that the graph starts at 35dBA, and might be worried that this starting point may cause graphs to be deceptive. But, noise level measurements are logarithmic. A person with typical hearing will perceive a doubling of noise for every 10 dBA increase, but the impact can vary from person to person.
Subjectively, I feel that a 5dBA increase feels like twice as loud – but I should add the disclaimer that I suffer from conditions that can make my ears more sensitive than others. 35dBA was chosen as the “zero” because it is the lowest level my noise meter can accurately measure.
Thermal results with noise normalized to 38.9 dBA
Finding the right balance between fan noise levels and cooling performance is important. While running fans at full speed can improve cooling capacity to some extent, the benefits are limited and many users prefer a quieter system. With this noise-normalized test, I’ve set noise levels to 38.9 dba. This level of noise is a low volume level, but slightly audible to most people.
Unfortunately, when testing this unique AIO, I wasn’t able to normalize noise levels below 41 dBA. I reported this issue to the manufacturer weeks before writing this review in case there was a potential defect with the unit. This is a flaw that the most sound-sensitive of users might find unappealing, but I think that most users looking at potentially buying this product won’t mind the higher minimum noise levels – if you’re looking at this AIO, you’re probably looking for the best performance, hands down.
165W CPU + 275W GPU results
I’ve recently updated my testing methodology to better represent the scenarios a user might actually encounter in real-life use. The first of these new tests is designed to emulate, though not perfectly, a CPU-intensive game with a full GPU load. The Panorama 360 AIO matched Montech’s Hyperflow ARGB 360 for the best performance I’ve seen in this particular test.
While the fans can get noisy at maximum speed, they’re not so loud in this moderately intense gaming scenario. The Panorama 360 actually runs a little quieter than Noctua’s NH-D15 here, only reaching 43.8 dBA.
110W CPU + 275W GPU results
Our second round of CPU + GPU testing is performed with a lower CPU power limit, and in theory should be similar to games that are moderately intensive for a CPU. The Panorama 360 ties with its Montech competition for the best performance, averaging only 56 degrees Celsius.
120W Cinebench results
With my previous testing methodology, I used to record the temperatures and noise measurements using a 125W CPU-only test and I would emphasize how temperatures do not matter in this scenario.
As such, for this section, I’m only going to report noise levels – because that’s the only information that really matters for this test. The temperature of the CPU in this scenario is largely irrelevant, but the results for liquid coolers is similar to those reported above in the 110W + GPU tests if you are particularly concerned about this information.
This noise test highlights the Panorama’s one flaw – it has high minimum noise levels. No matter what settings were used, I registered a minimum noise level of 41.4 dBA – even while the computer was idle. While this isn’t a loud noise, users looking for silent coolers will not be satisfied by this noise output.
Conclusion
With a one-of-a-kind wrap-around 6.5-inch 2280x1080 AMOLED display and industry-leading thermal performance, the Tryx Panorama 360 is the Ferrari of AIOs – with a price to match at $349.99 USD. If you have a large budget and want the best-performing and most eye-catching design on the market, the Tryx Panorama 360 is the AIO that you’re looking for.
