A Great 360mm AIO?
Review Summary
ENERMAX is providing a comprehensive performance-packed and feature-rich cooling solution at pocket-friendly pricing with a generous 5-year warranty. Performance and digital lighting are two hallmarks of this cooler, and compatibility with Intel LGA1700 and AMD AM5 sockets. This unit comes recommended by us, though keep an ear out for fan noise!
Overall
-
Quality - 9/10
9/10
-
Design - 8.5/10
8.5/10
-
Features - 9/10
9/10
-
Value - 9/10
9/10
-
Performance - 8.8/10
8.8/10
Pros
- Thermal Performance
- 380W TDP Rating
- Brilliant Digital Lighting
- Standard Connectors
- Infinity Mirror
- 5-years warranty
Cons
- Noisy fans at full speed
- Fixed ENERMAX Text under Infinity Mirror
Today, we’re presenting you the ENERMAX AQUAFUSION ADV 360mm review. ENERMAX is a well-known brand engaged in manufacturing PC cooling components, PSUs, PC Cases, etc. We have received their AQUAFUSION ADV 360mm liquid cooler from ENERMAX for testing. which was certified by Intel to handle their top-tier i9-13900K CPU.
- Why you can trust Tech4Gamers: Our reviews are based on dedicated hands-on testing by our team of experienced hardware experts. Find out more about how we test.
Key Takeaways
- The ENERMAX AQUAFUSION ADV 360mm is for those looking for a 360mm cooler that comes with an excellent price-to-performance ratio.
- The ENERMAX AQUAFUSION ADV 360mm is not for anyone looking to obtain a completely silent cooler.
- The ENERMAX AQUAFUSION ADV 360mm maintained a temperature of 56.8°C on a Ryzen 7 7700X at an ambient of 20°C
Specifications
MODEL | ELC-AQFA360-SQA |
---|---|
CPU SOCKET | Intel® LGA 1700/1200/115x/2066/2011/2011-3/1366 and AMD® AM5/AM4/AM3+/FM2+/FM1 |
TDP (W) | 380W |
COLD PLATE MATERIAL | Copper |
RADIATOR MATERIAL | Aluminum |
RADIATOR DIMENSION | 394 x 120 x 27 mm |
PUMP BEARING | Ceramic Bearing |
PUMP MTBF | 50,000 hrs |
PUMP RATED VOLTAGE (V) | 12V |
PUMP RATED CURRENT (A) | 0.7A |
PUMP RATED CURRENT - RGB LED (A) | 0.42A (5V) |
FAN DIMENSION (MM) | 120 x 120 x 26 mm |
FAN MTTF (HOURS) | ≧ 100,000 hrs |
FAN SPEED (RPM) | 500-2000 rpm |
FAN RATED VOLTAGE (V) | 12V |
FAN RATED CURRENT (A) | 0.38A |
FAN RATED CURRENT RGB LED (A) | 1.08A (5V) |
FAN AIR FLOW (CFM) | 39~79.8 CFM |
FAN STATIC PRESSURE (MM-H2O) | 0.67~3.6 mm-H2O |
FAN MAXIMUM NOISE (DBA) | 15~32.6 dBA |
FAN CONNECTOR | 4 Pin PWM + 3 Pin RGB (W/ extension adapter) |
FAN SCREW | M3.5 |
THERMAL GREASE | Dow Corning® TC-5121C |
Dimension
![Dimensions](https://tech4gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Enermax-AQUAFUSION-ADV-360-Dimension-1024x538.jpg)
Packaging
Let’s begin the ENERMAX AQUAFUSION ADV 360mm review with the unboxing experience.
Contents
Let’s see what ENERMAX has provided in accessories.
Design
Let’s start taking a closer look at the ENERMAX AQUAFUSION ADV 360mm.
Radiator
![The Radiator](https://tech4gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Enermax-AQUAFUSION-ADV-360-Radiator-Top-1024x794.jpg)
I’ve got a 360mm radiator with dimensions of 394x120x27mm. The radiator housing is 27mm high, and the bundled fans are 26mm thick, making the total height around 54mm with screws. It has a Fins Per Inch count of 20, so high static pressure fans are needed for airflow. The assembly and stacking are aluminum. Keep in mind that there’s a 105mm gap between the fan mounting holes on the radiator.
The radiator features stylish black frames on both sides, with ENERMAX branding in the center. However, these side frames can be removed. Upon removal, we can observe the fin stacking, which measures 25mm in thickness, providing a clearer view of the radiator’s design.
The tubing is about 400mm long, and it’s made of flexible, kink-resistant material. ENERMAX uses mesh sleeves on the hoses for a clean look. No protective sheets or plating cover the fins under the fan mounts, so be careful when mounting fans to avoid damaging the fins. It’s recommended to use the supplied long screws for fan installation. ENERMAX did a good job with fin stacking.
![Barbed fittings](https://tech4gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Enermax-AQUAFUSION-ADV-360-Radiator-Tube-Side-e1699114617302-1024x725.jpg)
I’m not sure about the OEM, but I’ve seen this mounting hardware on PCCOOLER and SilverStone coolers. The radiator has non-rectangular end blocks with barbed fittings and metallic covers for reinforcement and aesthetics. There are two stickers, one with the serial number and the other with importer information.
There’s a cap over a port, probably for factory use only, so don’t attempt to open it to avoid affecting the vacuum pressure of the loop. No warranty void sticker is present here.
Pump/Block
Let’s take a look at the main element of this cooler. It is the pump and its housing.
![The Pump](https://tech4gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Enermax-AQUAFUSION-ADV-360-Housing-Side-1024x931.jpg)
The housing measures 69.5×68.5×54.5mm, with a height of 54.5mm, excluding the copper base. It’s finished in black and has a larger top compared to the base. Two screw holes on the side house the mounting brackets using Philips screws. ENERMAX specifies this unit’s dual-chamber design.
![The inner design of the pump](https://tech4gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Enermax-AQUAFUSION-ADV-360-Dual-Chamber.jpg)
The picture shows the inner design with ENERMAX’s patented Dual-chamber Mechanism, isolating the pump from heat. ENERMAX anticipates this will enhance the cooler’s lifespan without sacrificing efficiency. Let’s hope this resolves previous pump issues and leads to an improvement.
![CCI + SCT technology](https://tech4gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Enermax-AQUAFUSION-ADV-360-Shunt-Tech.jpg)
ENERMAX is using patented CCI + SCT technology in this unit. Central Coolant Inlet (CCI) technology injects the coolant at the hottest spot to prevent heat surges. Shunt-channel Technology (SCT) design shortens the coolant flow path, resulting in faster heat transfer.
The other side has a similar layout, but it includes a power cable coming out and a rubber cover. At the top, there’s a thick diffuser with A-RGB LEDs for vibrant lighting effects. The tubing is mounted at a 90° angle on the base, allowing for rotation to the left or right side as needed. No cable connection is found here.
![The 4-pin port](https://tech4gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Enermax-AQUAFUSION-ADV-360-Housing-Side-2-893x1024.jpg)
There is a proprietary 4-pin port under there. Users can connect bundled A-RGB cables with this header. I am not sure what is the reason for this particular implementation as ENERMAX could have made the A-RGB cable a permanent part of the housing like that pump’s power cable.
![3-pin power cable](https://tech4gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Enermax-AQUAFUSION-ADV-360-Pump-Power-Cable-1024x883.jpg)
The pump housing has a 3-pin power cable to power the pump.
The top surface of the housing is highly reflective with an infinity mirror design that has ENERMAX branding, and you can’t change its direction. It must face the DIMM slots when installed. ENERMAX calls this Luminous Aurabelt™ technology for a visually stunning experience.
The pump uses a ceramic bearing and is rated for 50,000hrs MBTF, which is relatively low. Looking at the base, it’s about 55x55mm, which is quite large considering the CPU IHS size. The copper plate is 3mm thick, and there’s a protective cover that needs to be removed before installation.
Fans
ENERMAX includes three 120mm fans with a 26mm thickness, slightly above the standard size. The fans have blades with insets or line patterns and are translucent with an ENERMAX-branded sticker in the center. These are called SquA RGB ADV Fans, designed for optimal cooling with Vortex Frame Technology and a downsized hub. They also feature an A-RGB lighting ring on the top frame, adding to the aesthetics.
Each mounting corner of these fans has a black anti-vibration rubber pad. The frame is sturdy and black with ENERMAX branding in the center. Unfortunately, there are no arrow markings to help identify the airflow direction and blade spin.
There are 13 arms on the back to guide airflow in an alternate, focused pattern, and one of them has a base for wire management. These fans are made in China.
There is a 4-pin PWM connector with a flat cable along with 2x A-RGB connectors using a standard 3-pin interface at 5V.
The salient specifications of the fans are:
Dimension | 120x120x26mm |
Speed | 500~2000 RPM |
Air Flow | 39~79.8 CFM |
Air Pressure | 0.67~3.6 mmH₂O |
Noise | 15~32.6 dB(A) |
Fan Connector | 4-pin PWM+3-Pin RGB |
Fan Voltage | 12VDC |
Fan Current (Motor) | 0.38A |
Fan LED Current | 1.08A (5V) |
A-RGB Lighting
ENERMAX has provided an A-RGB controller with this cooler.
The top cable is connected directly to the pump’s housing, the middle cable is for the previous generation of GIGABYTE motherboards, and the bottom is a SATA cable to be connected to the control box.
The A-RGB lighting is compatible with:
- ASUS AURA SYNC
- GIGABYTE RGB FUSION 2.0
- MSI MYSTIC SYNC
- ASROCK POLYCHROME SYNC
- RAZER CHROMA RGB
Installation
We have tested the cooler on the AM5 platform using the GIGABYTE X670E AORUS MASTER Motherboard and AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPU. The installation is simple and convenient. We need 10 components to set up the mounting hardware for the block.
Installation on the AM5 platform goes as follows:
- First, install AM5 screws on the AMD stock backplate after removing the stock mounting brackets.
- Install AMD brackets on the pump’s housing as shown. It would be wise to connect the A-RGB cable to the header, as shown before installing the block.
- Apply the thermal paste on the CPU and place the block on it by aligning the mounting holes of the bracket with threaded portions of screws. Use thumb nuts to complete this part of the installation.
Clearance
The cooler has no clearance issue for the RAM and PCIe slot. However, make sure that your case supports 360mm AIO. The dimension of the radiator without fans is 394x120x27mm (LxWxH). With fans, the dimension is 394x120x54mm (height is increased).
Also Read: ALPHACOOL CORE OCEAN T38 CPU AIO 360mm Review
Testing
Now comes the important part of the ENERMAX AQUAFUSION ADV 360mm review, the testing. Here’s the test bench we used:
CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 7700X |
---|---|
Motherboard | GIGABYTE X670E AORUS MASTER |
RAM | XPG Lancer RGB 2x16GB @ 6000MHz |
SSD | Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 2TB NVMe SSD |
GPU | Colorful GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4G |
PSU | be quiet! Straight Power 11 1000W Platinum PSU |
Here are some pictures:
Here is the settings table for testing:
All Cores Clock (MHz) | 5200 All Cores |
VCore (V) | 1.260V |
Thermal Paste | Noctua NT-H1 |
Test Run Time | 30 minutes CINEBENCH R23 |
Idle Time | 10 minutes |
Fan Speed | 100% PWM Duty Cycle |
Header | CPU_Fan/Pump_Fan_Header Headers |
Software | CINEBENCH R23.2 |
Monitoring Software | HWInfo64 |
Results
Be sure to check out our similar, in-depth review of the GIGABYTE AORUS WATERFORCE X 280 Liquid Cooler and the DeepCool LT520 240mm AIO, as we will be comparing the three coolers.
![Thermal Performance](https://tech4gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Enermax-AQUAFUSION-ADV-360-Thermal-Performance.jpg)
This cooler has almost a similar performance as we saw on the GIGABYTE WATERFORCE X 280.
Noise
These fans were making roughly 51 dB(A) at 32~33 dB(A) ambient. As of August 2023, ENERMAX is also giving a free noise reducer adaptor along with the AQUAFUSION ADV 360mm. The result? Around 16% less noise. Refer to the table below for the complete breakdown of how the adaptor affects the overall performance and noise output:
Without Adaptor | With Adaptor | |
Max Fan Speed | 2,000 rpm (±10 %) | 1,700 rpm (±10 %) |
Max Fan Air Flow | 79.8 CFM | 67.1 CFM |
Max Fan Static Pressure | 3.6 mm-H2O | 2.1 mm-H2O |
Max Fan Maximum Noise | 32.6 dBA | 27.4 dBA |
Should You Buy It?
You Should Buy It If:
You want a budget-friendly 360m cooler: Despite providing users with exceptional cooling and stunning visuals, the ENERMAX AQUAFUSION ADV is reasonably priced.
You want stunning RGB: This cooler has a mirror infinity design on the pump’s housing, which is surrounded by a diffuser for more vivid ARGB lighting.
You Shouldn’t Buy It If:
You want a near-silent cooler: We noticed that the cooler’s noise levels are slightly higher.
Conclusion
I’ve reviewed the ENERMAX AQUAFUSION ADV 360mm cooler, which also comes in 120mm and 240mm versions. It features an aluminum radiator and housing measuring 394x120x27mm. With 26mm fans, it stands at 54mm. The actual fin stacking thickness is 25mm, and it has a dense radiator with a fin count of 20 and 11 coolant flow channels. This means high static pressure fans are needed, and ENERMAX acknowledges this.
The pump and housing use ENERMAX’s patented CCI + SCT technology, which injects coolant at the hottest spot and shortens the coolant flow path for better heat transfer. They’ve also employed the Dual-chamber Mechanism to isolate the pump from heat.
The design includes a thick diffuser and an infinity mirror top plate with ENERMAX text, but you can’t change its orientation easily. The copper base is 55x55mm and 3mm thick, with mesh-sleeved rubber tubing. Installation is straightforward but involves multiple components and cable connections, including A-RGB for lighting sync.
The cooler is priced at $119.99 with a 5-year warranty. Its performance is good, although fans at full speed can be a bit noisy. Adjusting the fan curve or using Auto settings is recommended.
We are thankful to ENERMAX for the provision of the testing unit.
Awards Won By The ENERMAX AQUAFUSION ADV 360
The ENERMAX AQUAFUSION ADV 360 has received the following Tech4Gamers Awards:
- Best Value 360mm AIO Liquid Cooler
- Best Budget CPU Cooler For i9-14900K
- Best Budget CPU Cooler For i7-14700K
- Best Budget CPU Cooler For Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- Best Budget AM5 CPU Cooler
- Best Budget CPU Cooler For i7-14700KF
- Best Budget CPU Cooler For Core i9-13900K
- Best Budget 360mm AIO Liquid Cooler
- Best Budget CPU Cooler For Ryzen 9 7900X3D
Recent Updates
- September 4, 2023: Few text changes to improve readability. No products were changed.
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[Hardware Reviewer & Editor]
Meet Nauman Siddique, a highly experienced computer science graduate with more than 15 years of knowledge in technology. Nauman is an expert in the field known for his deep understanding of computer hardware.
As a tech tester, insightful reviewer, and skilled hardware editor, Nauman carefully breaks down important parts like motherboards, graphics cards, processors, PC cases, CPU coolers, and more.
- 15+ years of PC Building Experience
- 10+ years of first-hand knowledge of technology
- 7+ years of doing in-depth testing of PC Hardware
- A motivated individual with a keen interest in tech testing from multiple angles.
- I majored in Computer Science with a Masters in Marketing
- Previously worked at eXputer, EnosTech, and Appuals.
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