Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora 360 CPU Cooler Review

1. Introduction2. Unboxing and First Look3. Installation Process4. Testing Methodology: Thermals/Acoustics5. Performance and Comparisons6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

Closing Thoughts

We can’t help but feel slightly disappointed by the thermal performance of the Alphacool Esibaer Aurora 360 CPU all-in-one cooler. Since Alphacool claims to have upgraded the pump to offer an increase of 10% power, we expected the Eisbaer Aurora to be up there with some of the best performing all-in-one CPU coolers we had previously tested. However, it ended up with ‘middle of the road' results in terms of raw thermal performance.

Alphacool also suggested that the revised thermal transfer plate fitted to the Eisbaer Aurora 360 would improve thermal dissipation performance, since it has been designed to cover the CPU DIE completely. Although Alphacool specifically mentions the AMD Ryzen CPU DIE, so maybe the cooler will perform better in terms of thermal performance on a Ryzen based system, compared to how it did on our Intel Core i9-9900K CPU.

Even though the thermal performance is a little on the weak side, we were more than happy with the noise levels of the fans when set to 100% RPM. Some other all-in-one and air coolers we have tested previously, have had much louder fans that can become a little annoying or distracting. The Alphacool Eizyklon Aurora LUX 120mm fans used in the Eisbaer Aurora 360 are well within the limits of acceptable noise levels and we didn’t find them too distracting when running at full speed.

Another positive for the Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora AIO is how it looks. Alphacool has done a great job with the RGB lighting, particularly how the RGB lighting has been implemented in the fans. The fan RGB lighting is very bright with vivid colour that will no doubt illuminate the components inside a PC case very well. The RGB lighting in the CPU block is a little more subtle, but still works well with motherboard lighting and synchronised perfectly with our Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Master motherboard RGB lighting.

The installation process for the Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora is a little fiddly and time consuming, especially compared with some of the simple installation methods from other manufacturers. Luckily, Alphacool provides a very detailed installation manual that is easy to follow, so even the novice PC user should be able to get the cooler installed and up and running in less than 30 minutes.

Taken as a whole package, the Alphacool Eisbaer is a good all-in-one cooler, as it offers a balance between thermal performance and noise levels. Although this type of all-in-one cooler, with its expandable almost custom loop nature, we would have expected thermal performance to be a little better. Maybe with a lower power CPU than our Intel Core i9-9900K, the Eisbaer Aurora could perform better.

However, due to its high spec and expandable design, it would be natural for enthusiasts and power users to expect the Eisbaer Aurora 360 to keep aggressively overclocked CPU temperatures under control. We have found that while there was no sign of the CPU in our test bench overheating or slowing down due to thermal limits being reached, the Alphacool Eisbaer thermal performance may not quite live up to the expectations of some users.

On the flip side, this is not exactly an expensive all-in-one cooler, especially when you consider the features it has. Such as expandability to add a GPU cooler or extra radiator, addressable RGB lighting, PWM Fan control and it includes a copper core radiator and G1/4″ fittings, which you don’t get with traditional AIO coolers. With all this in mind, it represents pretty good value even though the raw thermal performance isn’t the best available.

The Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora 360 all-in-one CPU cooler is currently available to purchase for £134.99 from Overclockers UK HERE.

Pros

• Available in sizes ranging from 240mm up to 420mm.
• Great implementation of RGB lighting.
• Expandable system.
• low noise levels under load.

Cons

• Thermal performance slightly below par.
• Installation process is time-consuming.

 KitGuru says: The Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora series offers some great features including the option to expand the system with GPU cooling and additional radiators. However, thermal performance is a little below par which seems a shame.

 

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