be quiet! Light Loop IO LCD 360 AIO CPU Cooler Review

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

Light Loop IO LCD 360 delivers strong acoustic performance. With fan and pump speed maxed out, it produces 46dBA, making it one of the quieter premium 360mm AIOs we've tested. Only a handful of coolers, including the Noctua NL-LC1-36 and Arctic Liquid Freezer III, operate more quietly at full speed. Let’s see how that low noise profile converts into thermal performance.

Thermal Performance: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X

The raw thermal performance of the Light Loop IO LCD 360 is excellent. Running the Ryzen 9 9950X locked at 5.2GHz with 1.3V Vcore, the cooler records an average CPU temperature of 59°C over ambient, placing it comfortably amongst the top-performing 360mm AIOs we've tested, while sitting just 1°C behind some of the very best performers, including the Lian Li HydroShift II LCD variants and Corsair's TITAN RX. While it doesn't quite take the top spot, the margins separating the leading coolers are small, so in real-world use there's very little between them.

With all coolers noise-normalised to 40 dBA, the be quiet! Light Loop IO LCD 360 again delivers solid thermal performance. It doesn’t quite reach the very top-performing AIO coolers in our chart, with an average CPU temperature delta of 63°C.

While this puts it 2°C behind the leading group of 360mm and 420mm coolers at 61°C, the difference is relatively small. More importantly, it comfortably outperformed several larger 420mm solutions, highlighting the efficiency of its radiator and fan combination when noise levels are controlled.

With AMD PBO enabled, the be quiet! Light Loop IO LCD 360 continues to show strong performance, matching some of the best-performing 360mm AIO coolers in our testing. The Light Loop IO LCD 360 produces an average clock multiplier of 52.5x at 63°C, placing it alongside several premium 360mm and 420mm solutions. While it doesn’t quite match the very best performers, such as the Lian Li HydroShift II LCD-S 360TL, which maintained a slightly higher 52.6x multiplier, the difference is negligible in real-world workloads.

More importantly, the Light Loop IO LCD 360 matches and outperforms several high-end 420mm units, demonstrating that its 360mm radiator and Light Wings LX fans are capable of handling AMD’s aggressive PBO boosting behaviour.

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