EKWB Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB CPU Cooler Review

Clearly, when it comes to raw thermal performance with fans at maximum speed the EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB is top-class. Only the best CPU coolers are able to hold on to performance when the fan speed is reduced to an even 40dBA noise output. EK-Nucleus was able to hold on to the top spot in our results when noise was normalised which is all the more impressive when you look at the quality of the competition.

It excels at low noise levels and holds the highest clock frequency in our PBO test while handling the highest recorded package power at 245W. So in terms of thermal performance, the EK-Nucleus is an all-around great 360mm closed-loop cooler. Noise levels may be on the high side at 54dBA output but this is not out of the ordinary for a 360mm AIO with fans running at maximum RPM.

Typically with EK products the build quality of the cooler is excellent. The cooler looks subtle with its all-black design when the RGB lighting is off, but when illuminated the RGB adds lots of colour. The RGB zone on the fan blades is very bright, vibrant and well-diffused but the lighting zone on top of the pump housing is a little more subdued, it may be a little dim for some users with certain effects but still looks smart when illuminated.

Short cables with proprietary cables mean that connecting and managing wiring to the fans is easy. The 8-pin micro-fit connector on the EK FPT fans houses both the PWM fan control and RGB wires so there is less clutter. Connecting the extension cable then converts the cables back to individual standard 4-pin PWM and 3-pin 5V RGB connections which means that they can be connected to standard motherboard headers and don’t require specific software to control RGB.

The installation process is speedy and simple, even novice users shouldn’t find it difficult and the most novice user should have this cooler installed in around 20 minutes. If you do run into any difficulty during installation it should be easy to find an answer to the problem in the detailed installation manual that EK provides.

Other than the slightly dim RGB lighting on the pump top and the slightly loud noise output at max fan speed, it is genuinely difficult to find fault with the EK-Nucleus CR360 Lux D-RGB. All I can say is that there isn’t anything unique in terms of features like the rotating top cover, daisy-chained fans and aluminium accents we have seen before, so EK has played it safe with this one.

In terms of the price, EK has got it pretty much spot on too. If you buy the cooler directly from the company's web store it seems like the best value. At around £150 when converted from Euros to GBP it’s priced slap bang in the middle of the 360mm AIO market which is a sensible decision from EK.

However, if you want the all-singing all-dancing AIO with an LCD screen, EK has you covered with the EK-Nucleus CR360 Vision D-RGB which is equipped with a 5.3-inch 24-bit LCD IPS panel. There is a significant increase in price with the LCD version which is listed on the EK store at around €195 but compared with other LCD coolers from rival manufacturers this looks a fair price.

Taken as a whole the EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB is an all-around very impressive cooler with outstanding thermal performance, great build quality and decent looks, it’s simple to install and control RGB lighting. If I was in the market for a 360mm AIO right now, it would be on my final shortlist.

You can purchase the EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 D-RGB now from the EK Store price at €167.98 HERE. It is also available to purchase from Overclockers UK priced at £189.95 HERE.

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Pros

• Easy installation.
• Good quality build.
• No RGB software is needed.
• Outstanding thermal performance.

Cons

• CPU block lighting is quite dim.
• Quite loud with fan speed maxed out.

KitGuru says:  EKWB Kicks off 2023 with a high-performance AIO cooler which topped our performance charts and looks hard to beat. Do you think there will be any better AIO coolers coming this year?

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