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Performance from the Sapphire Nitro+ S360-A is impressive. Built around the Asetek 7th Generation pump design and a 27mm aluminium radiator, Sapphire uses a tried-and-tested approach for an AIO liquid cooler.
The Nitro+ Hybrid design fans do a good job, particularly at their high-speed 2400 RPM operation. And while this does indeed make the cooler very loud at full speed, there is plenty of headroom for instances where that heat dissipation power is a necessity.
Plus, you can use the ample speed range to balance between noise and performance; even when locked to 40dBA, the AIO still performs well.
In terms of styling, Sapphire’s ARGB lighting is smooth and bright. No, the package isn’t as proficient as some of the new LCD pump unit coolers on the market. But you don’t get that level of expense either. I think Sapphire strikes a good balance in the area of aesthetics and design features.
I was not impressed by the sheer quantity of cables coming out of the pump unit. This made cable management difficult – I think Sapphire needs a better approach here.
And Sapphire’s warranty is not very good for a £129 240mm AIO or £169 360mm AIO. 2 years for the AIO cooler pump, radiator, and EPDM tubing in addition to 3 years for the fans really doesn’t cut it in the 2021 market at this price point. Most competitors, including Arctic, Corsair, NZXT, and Fractal all have far superior warranties.
Price on this unit is a point for debate. Focussing on the Nitro+ S360-A, £169 is high-end 360mm Corsair and NZXT RGB territory, and it is well above pricing for the likes of Arctic’s and Fractal’s triple-120 offerings.
With that said, the Sapphire Nitro+ S360-A unit’s cooling performance is excellent and the stylish lighting package is worthy of credit. So perhaps the £169 price tag isn’t too tough to swallow, though it would be made a little more palatable if Sapphire bumped up to a 5-year all-round warranty.
The Sapphire Nitro+ S360-A has an MSRP of £169.99 and is available at Overclockers UK. The 240mm Sapphire Nitro+ S240-A is £129.95 at Overclockers UK.
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Pros:
- Excellent cooling performance.
- Maintains strong noise-balanced thermal performance.
- Sapphire Nitro+ Hybrid Fans work well for speed control and VRM cooling.
- Good-looking ARGB lighting.
- Excellent ease of installation (ignoring cables) and compatibility thanks to Asetek.
Cons:
- Expensive at £169 for the S360-A in the UK, but justifiable.
- Warranty situation is poor.
- Cable management is made tricky.
KitGuru says: The Nitro+ S360-A represents a good job by Sapphire in offering up a high-performance AIO cooler with very few performance compromises and a good overall quality of design. This is a superb first effort at a high-end AIO liquid cooler, so we are excited to see what Sapphire can offer up next.
