Cooler Master MasterLiquid Pro 280 AIO Review

1. Introduction2. Unboxing and First Look3. The Installation Process4. Testing Methodology5. Performance and Comparisons6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

Today we assessed the new Cooler Master MasterLiquid Pro 280 AIO.

Things got off to a great start as Cooler Master have paid close attention to the packaging and presentation of the hardware. The mounting kit is neatly laid-out in a labelled box – something I love to see as it is very helpful when it comes to installing the cooler.

The radiator and pump look great as well. I am particularly drawn to the square edges of the radiator – it reminds me of the EKWB radiator design and I think it looks fantastic. The pump, too, lights up blue when the system is powered-on which definitely adds some pizazz.

Installation is also pretty pain-free. I would say Asetek's way of doing things is simpler, but there is nothing too fiddly to do when installing the MasterLiquid Pro 280 – there are just a couple extra steps when compared with an Asetek AIO.

Performance is also pretty good, but nothing revolutionary. When our CPU was overclocked, the MasterLiquid Pro 280 came in around 5.3 degrees hotter than the Arctic Liquid Freezer 240, so it was unable to dethrone that Arctic cooler from the top of our charts. It is nice and quiet, though, with an incredibly quiet pump being the stand-out feature here. This alone should ensure good sales figures for Cooler Master. The Air Balance fans also push a fair amount of air at low noise levels.

All-in-all, then, we are happy to recommend the Cooler Master MasterLiquid Pro 280. It marries good looks with decent performance while still being pretty easy to install. It isn't the best all-in-one we have ever seen but it is definitely a good option to consider if you are drawn to the visual side of things.

You can buy one from Amazon for around £100 inc. VAT HERE.

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Pros

• Looks good.
• Solid performance.
• Nice and quiet.
• Installation hardware is labelled and neatly laid-out.

Cons

• Performance is not as good as the cheaper Arctic Liquid Freezer.

KitGuru says: While it does not break new ground, the MasterLiquid Pro 280 looks good and offers solid performance.

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