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Testing Results & Conclusion
Comparing thermal performance and noise levels of the Enermax LIQFusion 240 RGB against data collected from previous AIO cooler testing allows us to build charts for comparison. We will use data from Cooler Master’s MasterLiquid ML240L RGB, Rajintek’s Orcus 360 and NZXT’s Kraken M22 for an all-AIO roundup. At first glance, you might think the field is improperly stacked. However, you might be surprised by our findings--we were.
Our large air and liquid cooler test system lives within a Corsair Graphite 760T case and runs an Intel i7 5930k (pushed to 4.2 Ghz at 1.20v), and 16GB of Crucial Ballistix DDR4-2400 memory. All AIO coolers are set up to run with fans oriented to push air from within the Corsair case through their cooler’s respective radiator and out the top vent panel of the chassis.
The LIQFusion RGB 240 reports very respectable temperatures at both full- and half-speed fan settings, but what is even more impressive is how close both the Enermax and Cooler Master 240 coolers stick to the load temperatures of the Raijintek Orcus 360, which benefits from 33% more radiator volume.
Our PWM fan headers report rotational speeds of the LIQFusion RGB 240, with nominal difference between all coolers of our testing group. The LIQFusion RGB 240 utilizes the same stand-alone, spindle pump design as the Raijintek Orcus 360, but while the Orcus uses slower spinning fans for more balanced noise levels, the Enermax opts for speedier fans to better cool the heat exchanger.
As we often see, faster fan speeds result in higher reported noise levels. While the Enermax's sound levels are higher than others in the group, a PC using the LIQFusion 240 RGB at our test settings would still be very quiet.
A function of thermal performance and noise levels, our acoustic efficiency chart appears skewed toward coolers in the group which are just a couple decibels lower than the LIQFusion 240. With our cooler group very close in real life, razor thin margins show just how much a tiny difference moves the bar graphs.
Hanging on those few decibels’ difference, the LIQFusion 240 RGB does slack a bit at 100% fan speeds on our performance value graph, but it surges ahead at half-speed value. With a retail price right at $119, the Enermax LIQFusion 240 RGB competes directly with the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240R RGB at the same price, and both 240mm coolers go toe-to-toe with the larger, Raijintek Orcus 360 having additional radiator area and higher cost.
Thermal imaging of the Enermax LIQFusion 240 RGB shows the radiator slightly lower in temperature at 100% fan speeds (as expected) while you can easily notice a slight spike on each fan hub at faster RPMs.
Enermax has provided the PC cooling and customizing community with a pleasant surprise in the LIQFusion 240 RGB, albeit a polarizing one. The RGB-lit fans look great and move a lot of air, but the spinning blade flow meter has a ‘love it or hate it’ appeal. Likewise, having dual fill/drain ports on an AIO cooler is either a welcome benefit or a non-issue, depending on personal choice. All that said, this cooler performs well for its size and price. So if you like its looks and feature set, it's easy to recommend.
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