MasterLiquid 360 Atmos Overview
At first glance, the MasterLiquid 360 Atmos is a pretty basic looking AIO, but if you take a minute to look closer, you will see what I consider to be a nice improvement to the look of this cooler. As the name implies, the 360 Atmos is a 360mm AIO cooler, pairing three of Cooler Master’s 120mm SickleFlow Edge fans with a 27.2mm thick 360mm radiator. This AIO has very similar looks to some of Cooler Master’s previous AIOs, until you get to the pump housing, so lets take a look at some of the individual components of this kit.
First up is the 360mm aluminum radiator. This radiator is most likely the same design that we have seen with previous Cooler Master AIOs we have reviewed, as all of the specifications match up. We will say that 27.2mm thickness is on the thin side of what we have seen from other manufacturers, though Cooler Master expanded radiator fin surfaces, which typically translates to better cooling, when paired with matching fans.
With 20 fins-per-inch, the tight fin density is able to provide adequate surface area while still confined to a 27.2mm thickness. The 120mm SickleFlow Edge fans included with the 360 Atmos have a static pressure rating of 3.61mm-H2O, which is quite a bit higher than the fans on other Cooler Master AIOs we previously reviewed, so we will have to see if these new model of fans show improved results compared to previous models.
The entire radiator exterior is outfitted with a matte black paint job, and centered along each of the long sides of the radiator is a “Designed by Cooler Master” printing.
Each braided cooling line exits from one end of the radiator’s end cap, and these lines are connected to the radiator via crimped connectors. We found the cooling lines to be quite flexible during installation, though their length seemed a bit short to us during installation.
Taking a look at the CPU water block and pump combination unit, is where I saw the biggest change compared to previous MasterLiquid AIOs. I know this is subjective, but I absolutely love the new look found on the 360 Atomos AIO. Cooler Master has moved away from their circular design language and provided us with a nice hexagon shaped pump housing. The lower portion is still circular, but for the most part this new shape is the only thing you will see.
The slightly smoky, glossy plastic cover found on the top of the pump housing reveals an updated design below, with an illuminated Cooler Master logo and what I would call a “chunky fin” design. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something about this new look adds a touch of class and eliteness to the cooler, something that I first noticed with the mostly improved unboxing experience.
The top section of smoked plastic can also be popped off, which allows you to add a customized 3D printed cap to replace it if you so choose. Since I am taking a look at this cooler before it is made public, I don’t have access to any example 3D models, but I would expect Cooler Master to at least provide one model for those looking to add a custom top to their cooler.
Another cool feature about the pump cover is that it is manufactured with eco-friendly recycled plastics, which I think we can all get behind.
Beneath the top cover of the pump housing are 12 ARGB LEDs that make their way around the hexagonal outer ring, while four additional ARGB LEDs can be customized in the center-mounted Cooler Master logo. All of these LEDs can be adjusted with Cooler Master’s MasterPlus software.
Cooler Master has always touted their dual chamber design, and it seems to be working well for them, as they continue to revise it with improvements along the way. And while Cooler Master didn’t provide any details regarding updates, they do mention that their “signature dual chamber puump design has been refined for enhanced cooling synergy”, so we’ve got that going for us, which is nice. Making contact with the CPU heat spreader is a copper base with plenty of surface area to make contact with large CPUs. Sitting on top of that CPU block is a low-noise pump that is designed to run at a max of 12 dBA, which is right in line with previous MasterLiquid units we have tested. Its 210,000 hour life expectancy translates to just under 24 years of continuous operation, and while the AIO’s warranty is five years long, the pump should continue on long after that.
Making our way around the cooler, exiting from the right side we have the two cooling lines. Each line is paired up with a swiveling fitting to make installation and fitment much easier than with fixed connections. The dual-chamber design of this pump isn’t as obvious as previous MasterLiquid coolers, though Cooler Master still makes use of the dual-chamber layout to separate the incoming cooler liquid from the warmer liquid exiting the unit. Also exiting from this side of the unit are the PWM cable for providing power and monitoring for the pump, and a 3-pin ARGB cable for connecting to a compatible motherboard or the included lighting controller.
Taking a look at the underside of the cooler, we see a copper cold plate, secured to the pump via eight screws. The initial look of the cold plate is mostly obscured by a removable template sticker that is used as a guide for applying the included thermal paste. I’ll cover that process more in a bit. The base of the plate does show very faint machining lines, but nothing that would be of concern.
SickleFlow Edge Fans
A far as specifications go, these seven-blade fans have an operating range of 690-2500 RPM, and are capable of pushing up to 70.7 CFM of airflow.
These PWM fans are also outfitted with rubber dampening pads at each corner, so they are ready to go to work in either a push or pull configuration.
Lighting for the SickleFlow Edge fans comes from the center hub of the fan, where there are eight ARGB LEDs available for configuration via either the MasterPlus or MasterControl software. Standard 4-pin PWM and 3-pin ARGB (with dual leads for daisy chaining) are present on each fan.
Cooler Master went ahead and attached the fans to the radiator at the factory, however they did so in a way that placed all of the cables facing out towards the window of our case, as opposed to being hidden towards the motherboard side of the case interior. Cooler Master even shows the installation of the cooler in the top of a case in their instructions, so I’m not really sure whey they placed the fans with the cables on the opposite site from what you would expect. Needless to say, I spent a little time taking the fans off and spinning them around to help clean up the look of the cooler once it is fully installed. Good intentions, bad execution.
Lighting Controller
Cooler Master has also included a standalone lighting controller with the MasterLiquid 360 Atmos. This is a welcomed feature, as it removes some of the work involved with making sure you have a compatible motherboard that can control the cooler’s lighting.
Along one edge of the controller are three openings for the three, 3-pin lighting channels available on the controller. Another edge sports connections for power via a SATA connection, and a Micro-USB connection that connects to an available USB 2.0 header on your motherboard.
On the backside of the controller are two rubber pads, and internal magnets help to keep the controller in place in steel cases.
