Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage Review

Testing
Software
As mentioned you’ll want to get the Master Plus+ software to get your ARGB’s in line. It’s fairly intuitive but if you’re stuck here’s a simple guide. Click on Configuration on the top. Select the Mirage from the store. That will place it in the configuration window. Select a hub port light bulb and then click on the corresponding fan or pump light bulb to link them. Once linked, click on the ARGB2 LED Controller tab on the left. The bottom will now be populated with your ARGB options. The software is quite detailed and allows you complete control of the LEDS. We stuck with the pre-configured settings ourselves.

Cooler Master ML240P Mirage Cooler Master ML240P Mirage

Cooler Master ML240P Mirage

Performance Testing
If you are a long time ThinkComputers reader you may notice that after many years using our old AIO liquid cooler test system we’ve finally decided to upgrade! This means a new set of benchmarks and fresh results and performance goals. We are loosely following our previous testing methodology but instead of using Intel Burn Test we have decided to go with Aida64. We still love IBT for hard fast burns, but it’s just too much for our now Haswell CPU equipped build. The 4790K isn’t quite the tank that the 3770K was. We’ve got a new setup, a case with different airflow, and a new baseline cooler, we are beyond excited to get to some testing. Let us know what you think of the new system!

The test rig consists of the following parts:

Processor: Intel Core i7 4790K
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A
Video Card: Zotac 560 Ti
Memory: HyperX Predator 16GB
Power Supply: Corsair TX950
Storage: Mushkin ECO2 240GB Running Windows 10 64bit
Cooling: Cooler Master ML240P Mirage
Case: Fractal Design Meshify S2

As we mentioned above, IBT runs unrealistically hot on Haswell due to run away voltage calls. Just getting this system up and running was a bit of a hassle due to sensitive 4790K. In the end, we believe this will actually end up being a really effective part for thermal testing as it’s going to react strongly to good cooling versus bad. We’ll be running the Aida64 System Stability Test (which doesn’t ask for the voltage ramp) for 10 min for each test setting. This will be done with the system at it’s base clock of 4.0ghz (multi set at 40) all voltages set to auto and then Turbo, Intel Speedstep, and C-States disabled. We don’t want the system to have variations in processor speed. After the cooler passes that period without the processor triggering a Thermal Throttle we’ll apply our saved overclock settings for 4.5ghz and run the same Stability Test for another 10 minute period.
Finally we take the system on a run of 3DMARK Fire Strike to give you a realistic idea of the temperatures under a heavy gaming load.

Our baseline was established using a Thermaltake Nic C4, this small dual 120mm tower cooler is standing in for an Intel stock cooler for two reasons. 1) We really don’t think the Intel cooler would pass even the base clock test. 2) Who still has that rubbish cooler lying around anyway?

Ambient temps: 22.78°C/73°F
Idle temps: 34°C/93.2°F core average
Aida64 Base Clock 4.0ghz System Stability Test 10 minutes: 63.75°C/146.75°F core average
Aida64 Overclocked 4.5ghz System Stability Test 10 minutes: 82.75°C/180.95°F core average
Hottest Core Reaching 98°C

Cooler Master ML240P Mirage Cooler Master ML240P Mirage

Cooler Master ML240P Mirage

Cooler Master ML240P Mirage:

Ambient temps: 22.78°C/73°F
Idle temps: 34°C/93.2°F core average
Aida64 Base Clock 4.0ghz System Stability Test 10 minutes: 61.5°C/142.7°F core average

Cooler Master ML240P Mirage Cooler Master ML240P Mirage

So there you have it, our first horse is off and running. Without much to compare it to we do see that it outperforms our baseline by 2.25°C at that stock clock 10 minute test while tying up for the idle temps. Decent to disappointing results considering the competition is a not so great air cooler. Let’s see what happens with the overclock applied.

Here are the results for our i7 4790K @ 4.5ghz with 1.220 V vCore:

Ambient temps: 22.78°C/73°F
Aida64 Overclocked 4.5ghz System Stability Test 10 minutes: 78°C/172.4°F core average
Hottest Core Reaching 85°C

Cooler Master ML240P Mirage

This time the Mirage runs away with it. Leaving the baseline cooler 4.75°C behind it and a whopping 13°C cooler on it’s hottest core. Great work Cooler Master, let’s see how you do under a gaming load.

Ambient temps: 22.78°C/73°F
3DMARK: 59.75°C/139.55°F with the hottest single core hitting 67°C

Cooler Master ML240P Mirage

Not too shabby! That 59.75°C average temp is just fine for any duration of gaming even for this sensitive chip. I’d be comfortable maybe pushing this to 4.6 or 4.65ghz for games.

Finally let’s talk about system noise with the Mirage installed. As just a general listening experience it’s not the most quiet cooler we’ve worked with. It’s noise is beyond a whoosh, it’s more of a hum and has an unfortunate and audible dip to it. Beyond the user experience we measured using the Spectroid decibel meter app on our Pixel 3 XL. The loudest point measured was 77.2dB and that was right above the top intake of the case.

Cooler Master ML240P Mirage