Arctic’s new „pro“ variant of Liquid Freezer III (Pro) AIO
Posted by a12223344556677@reddit | hardware | View on Reddit | 100 comments
Posted by a12223344556677@reddit | hardware | View on Reddit | 100 comments
tmptweet23_8@reddit
Artic store going to sell these new fans?
Vivid_Surround_6133@reddit
Got 2 coming tomorrow, rgb one and black one returning that to amazon, 360, fitting it in corsair 4000d frame case, had the p12 max fans which I couldn't take the noise, hope these are better.
a12223344556677@reddit (OP)
New 7-bladed P12 fans!
There's already a review out there and it seems to perform really well.
Deep90@reddit
Wish they clarified if the fans were the only difference.
PseudoScopic@reddit
I'm the reviewer: fans are the only major difference, but I do mention adjustments to the contact frame (nothing visible as far as the eye can see) and in how PWM signals are processed to make them more accurate. Performance uplift is the sum of all its parts but the new fans absolutely carry the increase.
I don't have the equipment to do more of a deep dive, so here's hoping GamersNexus, Linus, or someone with specialist capabilities takes a closer look at the intricacies. What I can say with certainty is that I wouldn't buy any other AIO right now.
ZaczSlash@reddit
New fans Vs P12 Max would also be interesting since iimnw, original Arctic Liquid Freezer III does not come with P12 Max fans and just the normal P12 PWM fans
Agely@reddit
Your review mentions a launch discount in all regions, but it appears that Amazon US has it for MSRP, shipped and sold by Arctic themselves. Any idea why the discrepancy? Maybe it's not actually all regions, or maybe they'll put the price change into place soon.
PseudoScopic@reddit
Ah good catch. I'll ask about this on Monday since the PR has finished up for the weekend. There was a day delay in reviews going live to retail availability, so there was no way for us to check. I happen to know there are still some backend things being worked out, which is why the white model is absent so I'm hoping prices will fall in line when that lands. Will check back in when I have answers and amend the review if this isn't accurate.
Agely@reddit
I appreciate you planning to find out! Amazon is typically good about fixing that kind of thing after the fact, so we'll see. I guess worst case I can cancel and reorder, but it seemed odd to me. Have a great weekend!
PseudoScopic@reddit
I did check in about this, and Arctic is actively investigating. Looks like the plan is to adjust the pricing down but I couldn't tell you when.
Mindless-Parking-477@reddit
Sorry to bother you, but have you been informed as to when the product will be available in Canada? I could see it on Amazon.com but not on Amazon.ca or any other retailers here.
Dull-Maintenance9131@reddit
Hey did you happen to get an RGB version? I found the original af3 rgb to be very cheap looking and was curious if the pro version is more premium looking
PseudoScopic@reddit
I did. You can see it in the pictures in the link. I personally don't feel the original looks cheap, but if you do, you'll probably feel the same here. All materials are the same, and it's aesthetically identical to its predecessor, aside from the extra blades on fans that you won't notice while spinning.
Dull-Maintenance9131@reddit
Ah I see, thanks. Cheap isn't quite the right word, the diffuser for the LEDs isn't to my liking though. They're like barely RGB, if that makes sense? No where near as vibrant as other led fans I've had. But like say, absolutely a matter of taste, not function or performance.
divertiti@reddit
u/PseudoScopic Thanks for the early review. At one point in the article you wrote 58.6 db was "25% louder" than 46.9 db. That is worth correcting as decibels are on a logarithmic scale, you can't simply divide one number by the other. An increase of 3db is doubling of sound pressure, and an increase of 10db is a doubling of perceived loudness. So infact the new fans at top speed is more than twice as loud.
PseudoScopic@reddit
I am educating myself on this ahead of editing so as to get it correct, but I appreciate the flag, as you are correct.
Fromarine@reddit
Tbf fans were also by far the biggest weakness of the liquid freezer iii so it only makes sense
BadgerFunny7942@reddit
I would choose arctic anyday, but unfortunately it is too chunky for my sff (small form factor) build when using the ncase m1 evo case with a vertical 4090 mount. I hope they do one for sff builds with a slim fan or slim radiator size and smaller pump height, as the current pump height will not allow 4090 (3 to 4 slot cards) vertical mount in most sff builds. I know there will be performance trade offs, but knowing arctic they might make one of the best sff friendly aio coolers.
Extra-Advisor7354@reddit
Neat, how does it compare to other AIOs with a third party frame? I didn’t upgrade to the vanilla III since performance didn’t have a noticeable uplift versus my existing middling AIO with a TG frame.
Deep90@reddit
Thank you so much!
r4plez@reddit
The pump redout is also changed
Deep90@reddit
What do you mean?
Prav80@reddit
non pro III, had issue with pump rpm being reported 1.5 times higher than it was in reality. My unit bought \~month ago reports the rpm correctly, so i think they fixed that already in later units.
BrightCandle@reddit
The extra thickness on the radiator will definitely be part of it. People used to buy really think radiators for custom loops to maximise cooling and the impact of 2cm verses 6cm was pretty drastic. The problem with these super thick radiators is compatibility, cases nowadays are all designed around the usual AIO not super thick radiators in custom water cooling setups and as AIOs move to using thicker radiators and better pumps and fans to differentiate on performance and especially noise its going involve some case evolution too.
Deep90@reddit
The radiator isn't any thicker than the non-pro.
Jeep-Eep@reddit
Coldplate improvements and a thicker rad.
burnish-flatland@reddit
It's not thicker, same 38 mm as non-Pro had.
SectionThen5399@reddit
Can we buy the new Fans separately and will there be a argb version?
ZaczSlash@reddit
Any idea when they will come out to South East Asia?
Embarrassed-Let-9161@reddit
I'm curious what's the difference between this new P12 Pro and the older P12 Max fans. I'm using an LF III 240 with max fans for a year. They made a good performance uplift compared to the standard fans, thermal throttling happens around 310..315w, not bad from a 240 Aio. I see the new fans have 7 blades, perhaps other details are new too (eg motor).
Intern_Southern@reddit
I also have 5x p12 Max fans for intake on phanteks nv5,wondering if changing fans on deepcool lt720 with p12 Max will make temp diference reguarding original fans?
Embarrassed-Let-9161@reddit
Probably yes. P12 Max has huge static pressure which is very beneficial by radiators
IAteMyYeezys@reddit
New fans look great. Wondering when will they become available for purchase on their own. Would be a nice upgrade for my AIO, even if just purely visual.
I have 6 regular p12 argb's in my system and theyre great, though one fan had a dead bearing after 3 years, probably because i didnt clean the thing much in those 3 years. I didnt warranty it because it was easier to just buy a new one, especially because they were like 12 euros a piece at the time.
Biggest, and the only complaint i have is the cables. Two long cables, both with split connectors at the end for daisy chaining. Its a total shitshow if you have more than two fans, and i have six . I guess thats a trade-off for how cheap and good these are.
dekiller141@reddit
It on sale on amazon just the black one. They advertise white one on seller page but just not posted yet https://a.co/d/6Lh3u8E
scandaka_@reddit
That's the entire aio. Are the fans sold separately for use with the original lf3?
dekiller141@reddit
Sorry i miss read comment thought u wanting the whole aio. sadly not yet maybe down the line they will release them
BrightCandle@reddit
I bought a box of the early generation P12's and they were all dead at 5 years from either excessive noise or just not working anymore. They are a lot cheaper than a Noctua/Bequiet fan but they are definitely a bit louder and no where near as robust. I hope their latest generation does better we really need a good and cheap competitor.
I went nuts on my recent machine and got the Noctua G2s, the meant time to failure is 150,000 hours. Even at 24/7 use that is still over 16 years. All of my original Noctua fans still work and many of them are from 20+ years ago, still producing quiet airflow. Its genuinely crazy how well these things are built.
Exist50@reddit
Wish they could somehow make the fan removable for a lower profile pump block. It's a problem in sandwich SFF cases.
DaBombDiggidy@reddit
I’m surprised you could fit the rad in a SFF case
Exist50@reddit
Yeah, probably a comment more applicable for the "non-Pro" AIOs. Still, it's a shame. I think the EK AIO still one of the best options for <55mm height?
a12223344556677@reddit (OP)
I ended up with the Cooler Master Atmos. Quiet and reasonably sized pump, good stock fans.
ThicccBoiJesus@reddit
Just bought the atmos 360 stealth for my new build. Was actually originally planning on a LFIII 360 but they were out of stock (probably because they were going to release the pro). How do you like your atmos and how is it performing? I’ll be cooling a 14900k and have a thermalright contact frame but I’m within the return period for the atmos if the new LFIII pro is lowering temps 10 degrees on intel (one of my main concerns with the LFIII was apparently their proprietary contact frame doesn’t work as well as others). What are your thoughts?
a12223344556677@reddit (OP)
240 Atmos RGB cools the 14700 @ 253W very well. Even when I capped the fans to 60% which is audible but not overly noisy, the CPU maxes at 95C when stress testing with Cinebench. I can actually run it at ~300W no problem, I just capped the power because the performance gains are minimal.
Pump is only slightly audible at max speed in a quiet room, and can be further slowed down too.
I have the RGB version which comes with Sickle Flow fans, which are decent, but the Mobius fans which come with the Stealth version are genuinely great.
ThicccBoiJesus@reddit
Thank you for taking the time to respond! Glad you’re having success with your 14700. Are you using a contact frame? Also, did you test your 14700 with the lfIII pro? If you did, how did it perform compared to your atmos?
a12223344556677@reddit (OP)
Yes, same Thermalright contact frame.
The LF III Pro isn't even out yet, nor do my case have any space for it (both the pump and the rad are far too big), and I am not planning to spend money to replace something that's working great, so sorry but I wouldn't be able to compare between them.
You'd need to wait for reviews that directly compare between them, which will take an uncertain amount of time..
My recommendation is to keep the Atmos. Reasons being
It has a proven quiet pump (whereas the Arctic one seems noisy with no indication of it being fixed on the Pro).
The form factor is much more compact which can save you a lot of compatibility-related issues.
The performance is already excellent and will work fine for 14900K; even if LF III Pro turns out to be an improvement, you're reaching diminishing returns territory where the only benefit to be gained is a few lower degrees; the performance impact will be basically zero, and you might even get a noise penalty due to the noisy pump.
Mobius 120 are proven excellent fans that is on a similar level to the A12x25. No guarantee on the P12 Pro despite it being claimed as an improvement (and it's unlikely to be better than A12x25 given its track record).
ThicccBoiJesus@reddit
Thanks for the advice and feedback! And sorry I’m dumb lol I didn’t read the attached media but thought I skimmed a comment mentioning something about you being the original reviewer or something of the like, so my brain hopped to you getting a review copy of the cooler and posting about it. But again thank you!
a12223344556677@reddit (OP)
HWcooling should be reviewing this cooler soon, but I'm not sure if they'll review the Atoms (Stealth).
You can look out for Machines & More on YouTube - he has already tested the Atmos (non-Stealth) and routinely tests new Arctic products as well.
audioclass@reddit
The bequiet pure loop 2 has a nice short block as well. I switched to that in my ncase m2 when it was clear I wasn't squeezing a vertically mounted Vanguard 5090 in with my LFII (where my Zotac 5080 had previously fit with the block inverted.)
liaminwales@reddit
I think you can just pull the LED part from the pump, may be wrong tho.
Exist50@reddit
Something like a magnetic pogo-pin system would really be ideal.
Deep90@reddit
My understanding is that it literally is like that already.
You just don't do the VRM Fan Module step:
https://support.arctic.de/en/liquid-freezer-iii-360
Exist50@reddit
Oh, huh, that's interesting. Wonder what the height without the fan module is.
audioclass@reddit
The issue is that while the pump/block itself is shortened significantly by removing the VRM fan, the tubes don't lay flat (they only adjust about 30 degrees from perpendicular to the block, making it irrelevant, as you'd need to really compress/bend them right at the fittings which I wouldn't recommend. The tubing clearance is the limiting factor, more so than the VRM fan itself.
You need something where you can lay the tubing down if you need the clearance that badly. Something like the bequiet pure loop 2 works nicely as you can lay the tubing down almost parallel to the motherboard
Deep90@reddit
Oh and I forgot to mention.
Don't forget the rad is thicker than normal. Also I feel like the tubes were either longer, or just less flexible. I have to mount the tubes over my ram sticks instead of towards the back of my case.
Deep90@reddit
Not sure. I'd measure if I still had mine, but I don't. I only had it for a little while.
Was interested in the pro model, but maybe not if it's just a fan upgrade.
jaskij@reddit
You can on the LF3, but it pulls off the controller too. Makes installation much easier.
Visible_Witness_884@reddit
I thought I saw a tear down where it was just a thing that clicked on?
Yebi@reddit
Nope, the top part that comes off kinda looks like a fan, but it's just RGB stuff, the actual fan is under it
Visible_Witness_884@reddit
Ah right.
a12223344556677@reddit (OP)
They need a completely overhauled AIO for SFF systems. At the very least it'll need standard thickness rad, low profile and fully rotatable pump block that stay squarely inside the socket clearance zone.
Being one of the few companies that has the niche 140 mm slim fan in their lineup, it's surprising that they don't have a single SFF-friendly AIO.
Michelanvalo@reddit
I stuff a 240mm LFII in a Meshilicious and it's been a total nightmare. The extra thick radiator and the more stiff tubing are great for performance but it was a total pain in the ass.
Sasha_Ruger_Buster@reddit
Bro😭 just built my pc with the artic liquid 3 360
For gaming with a 9 9950X3D, how much of a difference would the pro make?
mannu10m@reddit
Bro o just installed the old version ..
a12223344556677@reddit (OP)
So far, it seems that the main difference is the (supposedly) improved stock fans, so you're probably not losing much.
dekiller141@reddit
They also have bigger radiator
Dany0@reddit
Thicker radiator too. 38mm on the 360 same as the LFIII420
The LFIII Pro 360 outperforms the LFIII 420 in the benchmark, so probably better pump and coldplate too
Turtle_Online@reddit
Just looked it up. The original is also 38mm.
https://www.arctic.de/us/Liquid-Freezer-III-360/ACFRE00136A
Dany0@reddit
Interesting, the reviewer got it wrong then
MrPopCorner@reddit
He sure did.
The_Occurence@reddit
Especially since you can just buy the new fans separately in Q2 and presumably fit them to an existing LF AiO and probably net most of the uplift you'd get from a whole new one.
imaginary_num6er@reddit
Would have been nice if they fixed that pump block that’s incompatible with PCIe5.0 heat sinks
-Gh0st96-@reddit
Which PCIe 5.0 heatsinks?? I've searched my motherboard in the compatibility list and it lists it as compatible, among dozens other motherboards. I have a Gigabyte B650E aours elite x ax ice. You might want to be more specific
imaginary_num6er@reddit
Most of the boards that are have high value. Like almost all of the X670/X870 ASUS ROG STRIX AM5 boards
psycho063@reddit
Literally the only reason I skipped it in my latest build.
PseudoScopic@reddit
Arctic offers a free M2 Pro SSD cooler for LFIII and LFIII Pro customers that should work fine for most, but I know plenty will want to stick with the absolute monsters on some models, like MSI Spatium M580. At the very least, Gen 5 heat output was more exaggerated when it first debuted but most run fine under thermal shields.
imaginary_num6er@reddit
I don’t think those free coolers are cut out for a PCIe5.0 drive though
PseudoScopic@reddit
I can't say with certainty unless I test it first-hand. Shall see what I can do on that front.
imaginary_num6er@reddit
If it was suitable, Arctic would have already marketed them as PCIe5.0 NVMe driver cooler designs like MSI’s heat sinks, so I doubt it
_JustWorkDamnYou_@reddit
You can flip it and it maintains the offset hotspot on AMD, tho not sure if that would with with an Intel mount. It's obviously not installed as per manufactures directions at that point, and it does change the VRM fan orientation so it's not hitting the top VRMs. Tho I do wonder if that would help with cooling the nvme slot.
zafety@reddit
Worth an upgrade from the kraken non-elite series?
Dany0@reddit
Goddamn it I JUST bought the LFIII 420 :D
Jeep-Eep@reddit
Wonder if the air coolers are about to get a similar overhaul.
Amitr14@reddit
Im curious about the noise level...i have the ii... heard that the iii is less quiet
PseudoScopic@reddit
I don't have LF II to compare figures, but LF III Pro is substantially quieter than the standard III: https://www.club386.com/arctic-liquid-freezer-iii-pro-360-argb-review/
NormalKey8897@reddit
I hope this one doesn't have that annoying pump whine
MaverickPT@reddit
AFAIK it "doesn't need fixing". In the sense that compared to the LF2 the pump in the LF3 can spin up to much higher speeds. While it is quite noisy at high speeds, the users don't have to run it at such. I have mine at 20% pump speed and it's quiet while keeping the CPU cooler
BrightCandle@reddit
For whatever reason the Asus motherboard I just bought doesn't have Q fan support on the Pump header. This is really annoying I can't explain why they would do that because these pumps can be seriously irritating when run at 100% and they really don't need to run at the sometimes crazy speced speeds they are designed with.
MaverickPT@reddit
Oh, oh no. Yeah that's really annoying and I can see why you are as well.
capn233@reddit
There is a mistake in the Noise Level section. The new Pro at max rpm is 58.6db, whereas the old model is 46.9db (albeit at much lower rpm).
There is nearly a 12db difference here, but the scale is not linear and so it is more like 3.8x as loud, not "just 25% louder."
Both at 1200rpm, the Pro is 31db vs 38.3db. The 7db difference makes it less than half as loud as opposed to 19% as loud as written.
Jeep-Eep@reddit
The Arctic P12/14 ARGBs were absolute dinosaurs at this point, long overdue for replacement considering by all benchmarks the Phanteks M25 effectively marked or beat it.
Now, are these an impeller update or do they bring more of the P12/14 Max guts with them? Because the P14Max ARGB is one of my most hoped for designs.
a12223344556677@reddit (OP)
Hmm? P12 and P14 are still extremely good performers. The airflow and static pressure specs of fans mean very little, you should instead be looking at actual performance against obstacles and/or CPU temperature (at the same noise levels).
P12/P14 Max and ARGB variants perform similarly when noise-normalized as they share the same blade design. The extra stats of the max variants come entirely from the higher maximum RPMs, which also comes at the cost of significantly more noise. The Max variants also suffer when running at lower speeds where their motors are unstable and starts making strange noises.
If you're the type of person ignore noise altogether though, you'll be happy to learn that the new P12 Pro fans run up to 3300RPM alongside the new impeller design (and with optional ARGB). We can expect the future P14 Pro to be similar.
Here's some links to useful data:
https://www.hwcooling.net/en/deepcool-ft14-more-revealing-than-others-and-more-capable-review/18/
https://quasarzone.com/bbs/qc_qsz/views/1741327
https://quasarzone.com/bbs/qc_qsz/views/1878388
Jeep-Eep@reddit
Honestly, I think there's 3 factors that can be used to approximate - but needing real world testing to validate, yes - the effectiveness of a fan in any use case:
Intake: Stream Coherence>CFM>Static pressure. Stream coherence is about how well it will actually push a coherent stream of output over a PC's guts; less CFM but more coherence will outperform the opposite significantly. You need enough static pressure to deal with intake filters but not more then that. The AN140 has very good metrics to sound in the first two - tbh, I don't think the style of impeller InWin uses there scales down well compared to the AN120, as at the same startup speed and thus comparible noise the 120 gets literally half the CFM.
Radiator: Static Pressure>CFM>Coherence - you need to shove it through; shoving more through can help, but it needs to get through. Coherence is useful in a pull config because it helps it cool the rest of the rig, but of no importance to a puller with effectively the big damn stator in the way.
Air cooler: CFM/Static Pressure/Coherence: You want a lot through at enough pressure to get it through but not more then that; less statored then a rad, but the same caveats apply, otherwise incoherent but high volume air pumping is good here.
Exhaust: CFM/Coherence/Static Pressure: get the air out of the case in large quantities; a coherent stream may be useful here as it would get the hot air far away from the rig to reduce the rate it inhales its own exhaust. Some static pressure is useful for penetrating the lesser filters one should install to protect the rig against infiltration by ambient dust when powered down, but not that much.
katt2002@reddit
Need noise normalized tests.
Hetstaine@reddit
Ugly ass looking pump fascia. Give me some better options, it looks cheap and tacky.
Muppet1616@reddit
It's a cheap, good performing AIO with new more expensive fans.
If you want to spend double go buy a kraken or a corsair one and if you really want a fancy looking one spent 3 times more on a lian li or something.
I however don't got a window in my case and if I did I wouldn't look at it.
Hetstaine@reddit
I understand that, it's something i would buy on performance alone, not into rgb everywhere or whatever. It just isn't a nice bit of kit imo to look at when you have a glass side.
Be nice if you coukd buy different caps to go over the pump head.
Stennan@reddit
Anyone know if they will release a 240mm version? But anyhow, the cooler itself is probably identical and the main improvement is in the fans and intel mounting frame.
a12223344556677@reddit (OP)
https://www.reddit.com/r/arcticcooling/comments/1jl57ad/essential_cooling_pro_performance/
"More sizes (240, 280 & 420 mm) available in Q2!"
No words yet on the P12 Pro fans.
Jordan_Jackson@reddit
Aww man, I want one but I don’t need it. The age old conundrum.
Disordermkd@reddit
I hope they've considered fixing the insane pump whine