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Stock coolers often fall short when it comes to handling the heat generated by modern-day CPUs, especially while performing intensive tasks like gaming or video rendering. Overheating can lead to throttling, where your CPU slows down to prevent damage, impacting your system's overall efficiency. A good cooler helps keep your CPU cool while pushing it to its limit without thermal throttling or shortening the life span of your CPU.
Now, let’s talk about the DeepCool LD360. It’s refreshing to see that DeepCool has finally decided to simplify its naming convention. Instead of the LS720 or 520, we now have the straightforward LD360, which clearly refers to its 360mm radiator. Thanks for that, DeepCool! This cooler stands out with its fifth-generation high-efficiency pump, FD12 ARGB fans, and real-time CPU status screen.
Let us take a closer look at the cooler and what we can expect from Deepcool's latest mid-tier offering.
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Pre-delivery of the DeepCool LD360 AIO liquid cooler
The DeepCool LD360 is one of the mid-tier offerings from the brand, featuring the DeepCool's all-new Gen 5 pump. Here’s a closer look at what it promises to offer and what to expect from it.
Key features:
- 5th generation high-efficiency pump: The LD360 uses the GEN 5 (Deepcool) pump, which has improved coolant flow microchannels and a powerful 3400 RPM 3-phase motor. This pump is designed to enhance heat transfer, aiming to keep your CPU cool even during heavy usage.
- Real-time CPU status screen: This cooler includes a screen on the pump that displays real-time crucial information like power consumption, temperature, and usage.
- FD12 ARGB fans: The cooler comes with FD12 ARGB PWM fans, optimized for cooling performance while maintaining low noise levels. These fans also feature a daisy-chain mechanism for easier cable management.
- Large display with ARGB Halos: The pump design includes a vibrant ARGB double halo effect, adding a visual flair while providing important data at a glance.
Unboxing the DeepCool LD360
The DeepCool LD360 comes in packaging similar to what we've seen from the brand in recent years. However, once you look inside, there's a noticeable change in how everything is packed.
The new packaging secures the product better and includes pre-fitted fans on the radiator. This fresh approach cuts down on packaging material and makes the unboxing process smoother and more user-friendly.
Closer look at the DeepCool LD360
When it comes to the overall build and components of the LD360, it meets the typical expectations for an AIO cooler. Here’s a detailed look at its key components.
Radiator
The radiator on the DeepCool LD360 is consistent with what we've seen in recent DeepCool AIO models, featuring 11 fins per inch and the company's patented "Anti-Leak Tech." This technology includes an internal valve to release excess pressure, which helps extend the lifespan of the product.
In terms of longevity, the LD360 comes with a reassuring five-year warranty, providing peace of mind for users.
CPU blockhead
The pump block on the LD360 stands out with its screen integration, which is among the most functional I've seen in recent AIO coolers.
Unlike models that prioritize flashy LCD panels over cooling performance, the LD360 opts for a digital display. This choice keeps the cooler's price reasonable while still providing clear, essential readings. The display is crisp and easy to read, ensuring you can monitor crucial numbers without any hassle.
Cold plate
The cold plate on the DeepCool LD360 is consistent with the high standards we've come to expect from the company. It boasts an impressive surface area, which is more than sufficient to efficiently manage the temperatures of the newer LGA1700 and AM5 CPUs with their larger integrated heat spreaders (IHS).
Additionally, the cold plate comes pre-applied with a thermal compound, simplifying the installation process and making it less hectic for users.
Fans
The LD360 comes pre-fitted with three FD12 ARGB fans, which are based on hydro bearings and are extremely quiet during operation.
The fans operate at a range of 600-2400 RPM based on system load or your configured fan curves. They offer a fantastic 72 CFM, which makes them very efficient for their use case.
The FD12 fans come with an 8-pin socket connection, which clubs into a single wire terminating in a 3-pin ARGB and a 4-pin PWM connector. This approach reduces cable clutter and offers an easier installation over traditional daisy chain configurations which have multiple issues like loose ARGB connectors, intense cable clutter, and difficulty in installation.
However, the pins in the 8-pin proprietary connection are quite delicate and can easily bend or break if sufficient care is not taken while putting in the connections
Cable clutter
The cable clutter is kept at a minimum with the DeepCool LD360. There are only three cables coming off the pump block. There is a single USB 2.0 cable for the display, and one cable each for the ARGB and the PWM connection for the pump. The radiator fan stack also features a streamlined design, with a single cable emerging from the entire stack.
Cable management in both cases is very easy, and you can easily achieve a very clean look with minimum effort. The tubes come pre-fitted with clips, which keeps them in place and ensures a clean look.
Installation
Installation is a breeze for the LD360, thanks to its easy-to-install pump mounts, easy cable management, and pre-fitted fans. The entire installation should not take more than 10 minutes even for beginners, and the instructions are easy to keep up with.
The software installation is also very straightforward; you simply download the driver and install it. You can forget about the software. Once the drivers are installed, the display will work as expected without any interference from you.
Thermal tests and benchmarks
Before talking about the bench results and performance, let us first break down the specifications of our test bench.
Test Bench
Thermal performance at Stock PBO
The DeepCool LD360 performed extremely well across the board. Starting off with the Stock PBO performance, we can see that the cooler was able to maintain an average temperature of 54 C during the AIda 64 Extreme benchmark, with occasional spikes and drops within a 2-degree delta.
During the Cinebench R23 benchmark at Stock PBO, the CPU showed a maximum temperature of 62 degrees with regular spikes and drops based on the variable workload on the CPU.
The Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark was able to push the CPU to a maximum of 66 degrees Celsius, which shows the cooler's capability during gaming sessions.
Thermal performance at 4200 Mhz
Next up, I marginally increased the clock speeds of the CPU to 4200 Mhz. In this configuration, the numbers are quite stable.
During the AIda 64 extreme stress test, the cooler maintained a steady temperature between 52 and 53 degrees Celsius, which reflects a stable performance under sustained work loads.
While running the Cinebench R23 benchmark, the cooler sustained a stable temperature hovering around 52 degrees Celsius, which is very acceptable.
Coming to the temperature during the Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark, the CPU was quite cool. Temperatures ranged between 39 and 40 degrees Celsius, with a sudden spike to 41 towards the end of the benchmark.
Thermal performance at 4500 MHz
On further increasing the clock speed to 4500 Mhz at 1.2v, I was able to achieve power draws of around 115-120 w during CPU-intensive benchmarks.
While running the Aida 64 Extreme benchmark for 20 minutes, I found a maximum temperature of 71 degrees Celcius. When it came to Cinebench R23, we saw a maximum CPU temperature of 69 degrees Celsius.
Cyberpunk 2077 was able to push the CPU to a maximum of 53 degrees Celsius, which is quite an acceptable number while gaming.
Watts vs temperature analysis
This section is created for a better insight into the performance of the cooler. Both graphs show temperature based on power consumption while running the CPU at 4500 and 4200 MHz, respectively.
Value proposition
The DeepCool LD360 offers strong value, especially at its price point of $119.99, positioning it as a mid-tier option in the market. It stands out with features that are uncommon in this price range, such as screen integration.
While screen integration might not be the primary criterion for choosing a CPU cooler, it's a beneficial addition to a cooler that already performs well.
The LD360's efficient cooling performance, straightforward installation, and additional features, like the integrated screen and a streamlined cable management system, make it a compelling option. Overall, for those looking for a reliable AIO cooler on a budget, the LD360 is a solid recommendation.
Conclusion
