A Closer Look at the MSI MEG CoreLiquid E15 360 Liquid CPU Cooler
Like most products in MSI’s MEG line the MEG CoreLiquid E15 360 has a black and gold color scheme. Currently this is the only colorway that MSI is offering with this cooler, although there is a Draco Epic Edition which celebrates their 40th anniversary. It is worth mentioning most of the gold accents you see on the cooler itself are aluminum, which is a nice premium touch.
As I mentioned the fans come pre-installed on the radiator. Rather than using three separate fans, MSI equips the MEG CORELIQUID E15 360 with a single-frame fan assembly or as I like to call it a fan array. This allows for a cleaner look as well as easier maintenance as there are only 4 screws to remove to take the fan assembly off the radiator. The fans themselves are fluid dynamic bearing fans, and operate between 800 and 2300 RPM, with the complete assembly rated for up to 217.91 CFM of airflow and 3.84 mm-H₂O of static pressure. Interestingly, the center fan spins in the opposite direction from the outer two as part of MSI’s Laminar Focus Technology, which is designed to reduce turbulence, smooth out airflow, and lower noise. The fans also feature addressable Gen 2 RGB lighting, while MSI’s Cooling Safeguard can automatically increase the speed of the remaining fans if one stops operating. At full speed, the assembly can reach a rated noise level of 39.58 dBA, although normal fan curves should keep it noticeably quieter during everyday use.
When it comes to the radiator it is of course a 360mm unit. If you were wondering MSI will not be offering this cooler in any other sizes, at least not yet. The radiator is made of aluminum and is 30mm thick. That makes it slightly thicker than the 27 mm radiators commonly found on many all-in-one liquid coolers, providing additional surface area for heat dissipation. The fin stack has a density of approximately 21 fins per inch (FPI), which offers a good balance between cooling surface area and the amount of airflow required to push through the radiator.
Exiting the radiator from one end are your cooling lines. We cannot actually see how these are connected to the radiator as the fittings are actually covered. MSI places a single USB-C port directly between these two fittings, which serves as the main connection for the cooler’s integrated controller. A single cable plugs into this port to handle communication and control for the fan assembly, ARGB lighting, pump, and AMOLED display, eliminating the individual cables that would normally run from each component.
The cooling lines are 390mm long, which is pretty standard for 360mm radiators. The tubes are constructed from a combination of EPDM and IIR rubber, materials selected for their flexibility, durability, and resistance to coolant evaporation, while an outer braided sleeve gives them a cleaner appearance and added protection. These cooling lines connect to the CPU block via swivel fittings that allow the tubes to be repositioned during installation, making it easier to route them cleanly while reducing unnecessary bends or pressure on the connections.
The pump block is your standard square shape with a magnetic top-cap that has an MSI logo on it. Removing it we find the pogo-style connections for the AMOLED display. The AMOLED display will simply go right on the main pump-block quite easily. The pump block does have a universal mounting bracket so you don’t have to switch out the mounting bracket depending on if you are installing the cooler on an AMD or Intel CPU. When it comes to the pump we have MSI’s next-generation three-phase sensorless motor pump, which operates at 3000 ± 300 RPM and is designed to provide consistent coolant circulation while reducing vibration and mechanical wear. The pump is rated for 50,000 hours of operation at 40°C and draws approximately 6.24 W.
The bottom of the CPU block features an enlarged copper cold plate designed to provide complete coverage across modern Intel and AMD processor heat spreaders. As you can see we do not have thermal paste pre-applied here. While pre-applied thermal paste is great, I actually prefer to apply my own so I am definitely ok with MSI not pre-applying it.
