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PBO Performance
While some of y’all prefer to run coolers at low noise levels, I know a lot of you just want maximum performance. This test lets the fans run at their full speeds, to test the full potential of the AIOs cooling capabilities. Turning on PBO allows AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D to stretch its legs to an extent. With the Ryzen 9 9950X (non-3D), the CPU will guzzle as much power as possible and hit TJMax no matter what cooler is paired with. However, at least with MSI’s X870E Carbon Wifi motherboard, power consumption averages ~250W with peaks of up to ~265W.
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At first glance, the result of 89.4 degrees Celsius might seem poor – but you need to keep in mind that all four of the AIOs shown here are among the best performers on the market. While the temperature shown here is higher than the competitors I tested it against, it is strong enough to keep the CPU under its maximum temperature for the duration of testing – a feat which many weaker liquid coolers are incapable of passing.
200W thermal benchmarks
For the next thermal test, I leave motherboard settings at their defaults, resulting in a power limit of 200W when running Cinebench R23. CPU temperatures averaged 73 degrees Celsius, which again shows very good thermal performance.
Our next test runs Cinebench on the CPU with a 150W power limit, while also running Furmark on MSI’s RTX 4070 Ti Super Ventus 3x OC, which causes the GPU to consume ~295W.
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Noise-normalized testing
Most testing is performed with the cooler tied to the default fan curve of my MSI X870E Carbon motherboard, but some of you prefer to see tests when the noise levels of coolers are equalized. This is especially important to those of you who prefer silent computers.
Let’s first look at noise-normalized results with PBO enabled, in terms of CPU temperature.
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You’ll notice that the MSI prototype AIO and Silverstone’s IceMyst Pro are rendered in blue, indicating the Ryzen 9 9950X3D stayed under its peak temperature (TJ Max) of 95 degrees Celsius! The Tryx AIO, however, is rendered in red – indicating that the CPU reached its maximum temperature. This means it failed testing, right? Well… yes and no.
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When comparing the power consumption levels of Tryx Stage 360 to MSI’s prototype AIO, they’re basically the same measurement, with only 0.2 watts of difference between the two results. That’s a margin-of-error difference, which means performance should also be more or less the same.
Noise levels
In terms of maximum noise levels, the Tryx Stage 360 AIO is about typical for liquid coolers on the market. What this chart can’t show you, however, is the pitch of the fans. The noise frequency of the fans here is pleasant, making the cooler “feel” quieter than the dBA measurement would indicate.
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I’ve also measured noise levels with a 150W CPU load. This should be similar to the noise levels you’d experience while running CPU-intensive games – and the result here was simply perfect.
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Tryx’s cooler measured 36.4 dBA, which is the lowest measurement my noise meter is capable of reading. This means it’s actually running quieter than this chart would indicate. We’re working on a new solution for measuring noise levels that will allow greater accuracy below 36 dBA, but it isn’t ready yet.
One last thing
One interesting thing about these liquid coolers that have detachable screens is… that they’re detachable. You don’t necessarily need to place them on top of the CPU block; you can place them in another spot in your computer’s case, or even outside of the case, as the cable for the display is approximately 1 meter (3 feet) long. This allows for non-traditional setups that could be more eye-catching than your standard configuration.
Conclusion
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The Tryx Stage 360 liquid cooler is a premium AIO with a unique display, and its software is designed well, allowing you to easily customize the screens’ looks. Noise levels in common scenarios are whisper-quiet, making it ideal for the most sound-sensitive of users. This is a great AIO for users who aren’t sensitive to budget constraints and want the best-looking, quietest-running AIO cooler.
