Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 AIO CPU Cooler Review

1. Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 4202. Test Results3. Closing Thoughts4. View All Pages

Arctic Liquid Freezer II and III AIOs have been very popular with the enthusiast PC building community due to the solid thermal performance and excellent value for money. However, Arctic now offers a new Pro version of the Liquid Freezer III, featuring new high-speed fans and it is even available in a 420mm variant. But does it still deliver the same solid thermal performance and excellent value for money? Let’s find out.

Timestamps:

00:00 Start
00:49 The Cooler / Fans / Pricing
01:44 Updates / Changes / Compatibility
02:44 Quick feature run down / Close look
06:20 The Fans
07:33 The Pump / VRM Fan
07:47 Base of CPU Block
08:03 Accessories
08:41 Installation / Test System
12:07 Noise Output
12:38 CPU Temperature Manual OC – 100% fans
12:58 CPU Temperature Manual OC – 40dBa
13:23 PBO Test
13:55 Closing Thoughts

Features:

• Arctic's latest 420mm AIO is updated and equipped with the P14 Pro series high-speed fans for improved thermal performance compared with standard non-Pro models.
• It features an easy installation process and two control options, allowing the user to either control fan, pump and VRM fan speed independently or together using the all-in-one cable option.
• The Liquid Freezer III Pro utilises a premium-class radiator, unlike most other AIO coolers that use a 27mm thick core, the Liquid Freezer III Pro uses a thicker 38mm core for optimal cooling surface area.

Specifications:

• CPU Socket Compatibility: Intel LGA1851/LGA1700, AMD AM5/AM4
• Radiator Material: Aluminium
• Radiator Dimensions: 458 (L) x 138 (W) x 38 (H) mm
• Radiator Tube Length: 500mm
• Pump Speed: 800 – 2800 rpm (PWM Controlled)
• Cold Plate Material: Micro-skived Copper
• Pump Connector: 4-pin PWM
• VRM Fan: 400 – 2500 rpm (PWM-controlled)
• Fan Dimensions: 140 x 140 x 25mm
• Fan Speed (PWM): 400 – 2500 rpm
• Fan Max Airflow: 110 CFM
• Fan Max Air Pressure: 5.2 mmH2O
• Fan Bearing: Fluid Dynamic Bearing
• Fan Connector: 4-pin PWM
• LCD Screen: N/A
• Warranty: 6 Years

Test System Specifications:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
• Motherboard: ASRock Phantom Gaming X870E Nova WiFi
• Memory: 32GB (2 x 16GB Modules) Kingston Fury DDR5-6000
• Graphics card: MSI Radeon RX 6600 XT Gaming X
• Storage: 1TB Corsair MP600 Elite PCIe Gen4x4 NVME M.2 SSD
• Power Supply: Seasonic Prime TX-1600
• Chassis: Open Test Bench
• Thermal Compound: Arctic MX-6
• O/S: Windows 11 Version 24H2

Testing Methodology:

We are primarily focusing on the performance of each cooler at 100% fan speed and also when locked to 40dBA noise output. We will focus on cooling performance using a manual overclock with all-core frequency and VCORE locked to 5.2GHz/1.3V (AMD) and 5.5GHz/1.3V (Intel) and Precision Boost Overdrive performance.

• The test data is logged using HWINFO and the final 10 minutes of the data is calculated to find the average CPU temperature and CPU clock multiplier (AMD PBO Test) and then plotted in the charts.
• For testing, we use a 30-minute looped run of Cinebench R23 and record the steady-state CPU temperature at the end of the test. This ensures that the CPU has had ample time to warm up and reach a steady state under all of the coolers.
• The ambient is maintained at 19-21 degrees Celsius. Where there is variation beyond this temperature range, we add extra repeated tests to ensure consistency. However, this is well controlled now with A/C.
• We also test each cooler with at least two fresh installs (typically three) to mitigate the likelihood of poor mounting spoiling results.
• Ambient temperature and humidity are controlled via a mini split air conditioning system inside the test room. Ambient temperature is maintained between 19-20°C; temperature delta figures are shown in the charts (ambient temperature is deducted from the measured component temperature).

Test Results:

Acoustics

Let's start by looking at noise output, as this will give us a good indication of thermal performance based on the noise.

At 51dBA, the Pro version of the Liquid Freezer III is louder than the non-Pro due to the high fan speed, but it still seems to run at a reasonable noise level with fan speed maxed out when compared with other 420mm coolers. However, the be quiet! 420mm Silent Loop3 is significantly quieter, but it runs at a lower max fan speed.

Thermal Performance: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X

With fans still at maximum rpm and the CPU running in a locked frequency mode, the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 shows solid thermal performance at 59°C over ambient. It's up at the top of the chart, equalling the performance of the Silverstone IceMyst 420 and trading blows with much more expensive coolers.

Reducing the cooler's fan speed to hit the 40dBA noise target puts everything on a level playing field, and the true thermal performance can be measured.

The Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro is even more impressive here as it hits 40dBA with the fans running at almost 1600 rpm, which means it produces great thermals with an average CPU temperature of 61°C over ambient, beating all of the opposition.

In the PBO test, the important metric is clock speed as the CPU automatically adjusts frequency based on a target temperature threshold so the temperature delta between coolers is very small.

Again, the Liquid Freezer III Pro PBO performance is up there with some of the best coolers we have tested so far. It hits the same clock frequency as the Silverstone IceMyst 420 but at a few degrees C lower average temperature while cooling 254W package power, which is great performance from a budget AIO option.

If you are currently in the market for a 420mm AIO liquid cooler to cool a high-end CPU and you are budget-conscious, then look no further as the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 offers the best thermal performance to price ratio for a 420mm AIO as far as we can see. But for a touch under £100, do not expect all the bells and whistles of more premium options. However if you want great flat-out cooling or quiet operation without compromising too much on thermal performance, you won't be disappointed.

There are some caveats to consider if you are thinking of making the purchase, the Liquid Freezer III Pro has some compatibility issues and they are not just limited to the 420mm unit. Due to the CPU block and tubing design even the 360/280 and 240mm versions all suffer with potential interference issues with tall M.2 slot 1 heatsinks and in some chassis the Liquid Freezer III Pro (and even the non-Pro for that matter) will not be compatible with vertically mounted GPUs, and that includes Arctic’s own recently launched Xtender chassis.

Other things to consider are that the thicker 38mm radiator increases the overall size of the cooler, so in some chassis with tight space at the top there might be a problem with clearance compared with AIOs that use standard 27mm thickness radiators. The only other very minor negative is the RGB lighting on the fans, it's nice and bright, and easy to control – but there is some minor light bleed from the individual LEDs, so it's not perfectly diffused, but this really is nitpicking.

Other than those minor concerns, this really is a great value cooler. It outperforms almost every other cooler we have tested when noise is normalised and it performs exceptionally well in our max fan speed and PBO tests. The installation is quick and easy thanks to the simple mounting system and preinstalled fans, cable management is no problem with daisy-chained cables on the fans as well as hidden wiring in the tube sleeving and it's great value for money, plus it comes with a whopping 6-year warranty for peace of mind.

We found it listed for £100 on Scan HERE.

Update: Arctic have confirmed to us they are aware of the potential compatibility issues with M.2 slots, and they are currently offering a free M2 Pro cooler for anyone affected – just get in touch with Arctic support.

Pros:

• Excellent value for money,
• Great thermal performance across the board,
• Easy installation and no hub or software needed to run.
• Great 6-year warranty.

Cons:

• Compatibility issues with M.2 heatsinks and vertical graphics cards.
• Some light bleed from the individual LEDs on the fans – not diffused perfectly.
• The overall thickness of the radiator and fans may cause interference issues in some cases.

KitGuru says: If you are pondering whether to buy the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420 and are unsure, just go for it – I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

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