Levelplay Combat Liquid 360 HUD AIO CPU Cooler Review

1. Levelplay Combat Liquid 360 HUD2. Intallation: AM53. Test Results4. Closing Thoughts5. View All Pages

Test System Specifications:

• CPU – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
• Motherboard – ASRock Phantom Gaming X870E Nova WiFi
• Memory: 32GB (2 x 16GB Modules) G.SKill Trident Z5 Neo RGB 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

Looking at noise output first, the Levelplay Combat Liquid 360 HUD isn’t the quietest cooler we’ve tested, with a peak noise level of 52dBA. However, it’s also not as loud as some of the other 360mm AIOs we have had on our 9950X test bench. At 52dBA, most users will likely need to spend some time tuning the fan curve to suit their acoustic preferences. Let’s see how that noise level translates into thermal performance.

Thermal Performance: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X

Louder coolers often perform well in maximum fan speed tests, as the brute-force approach of running the fans at high speed naturally helps dissipate heat from the radiator. The Levelplay Combat Liquid 360 HUD is no exception to this rule. With the fans running at full speed, the average CPU temperature is 59°C, placing it in the same range as more established brands such as be quiet!, Montech, and Arctic at maximum fan speed.

Tuning the fan speed to hit the 40dBA noise target in our noise-normalised test reveals the true performance of coolers, as it replicates a more realistic, lower-noise scenario that most users will find acceptable.

The Levelplay Combat Liquid 360 HUD maintains strong thermal performance with the fan speed reduced to meet the 40dBA noise limit. Some budget coolers often struggle in this test, but thermal performance remains solid at 64°C with the fans running at 1400rpm. This means the Combat Liquid 360 HUD keeps pace with more established brands.

AMD PBO performance is strong as well, with the Levelplay Combat Liquid 360 HUD averaging a 52.5x clock multiplier at 63°C while cooling 255W of package power. Once again, the Combat Liquid 360 HUD shows that it can trade blows with popular brands such as Montech, be quiet!, and Arctic, proving that it is more than capable of cooling a high-end CPU like the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X.

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