The EK Nucleus fans are tuned to produce maximum cooling performance at the expense of noise. Due to this, the EK-Nucleus CR360 Lux D-RGB performs exceptionally well in our manual OC test, with fans at maximum RPM it beats off all the competition in this test by recording an average CPU temperature of 53°C. We have tested the EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 LUX D-RGB on the AMD AM5 platform. Installation on AM5 is straightforward and convenient. Some key steps are: The side frame is riveted, and there is a brushed aluminum finish over here. There is no EK branding on either side. Radiator Rear View (Image By Tech4Gamers)

EK-OmniLink – allows daisy chaining of multiple fans, thus reducing cable clutter and greatly easing cable management. The Omni-Link ecosystem of interconnects will be greatly expanded in the near future, allowing additional benefits to users. It uses Micro-fit 8-pin connectors between products.The EK-OmniLink design resolves the cable clutter issues of unifying the connection of multiple fans onto a single PWM and D-RGB header while still maintaining full flexibility if the user wants to remove a single fan from the chain. EK-Loop FPT FansTubing is manufactured from ultra-low evaporation rubber with Nylon braided sleeving. At the radiator end the tube fittings are contained in a plastic cover and fixed in position, but at the pump side, the tubing is attached to 90-degree rotary fittings to allow for some flexibility while installing and adjustment of the final tubing position. A radiator cover was added to enhance our CPU cooler’s aesthetics and showcase its clean lines by leveling it out with the height of the installed fans. The circular design is not just another »pretty face«, as the top allows the user to re-orient the D-RGB badge logo regardless of the direction in which the cooler is installed. The orientation can be changed in 90-degree increments, so the user can remove the top and turn it to position the logo in the right way. Thus, no matter the angle used to install the AIO cooler, it will always offer clean and aligned aesthetics. All testing is performed at a 23C ambient room temperature. Multiple thermal tests are run on each CPU to test the cooler in a variety of conditions, and acoustic measurements are taken with each result. These tests include: With the fans running at maximum RPM the EK-Nucleus sits in the middle of our results with a maximum noise output of 54dBA. It is a little on the loud side but not out of the ordinary for a 360mm AIO. However, The Arctic Liquid Freezer II and the Thermaltake Toughliquid ARGB Sync are the exceptions to that rule.

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 steady-state under all of the coolers. Let’s begin with noise output as this will give us a good indication of what to expect from thermal performance based on noise. We added a radiator cover to enhance our CPU cooler’s aesthetics and clearly showcase its clean lines. We also updated the rubber tubing, which now features fine nylon mesh sleeves.This cooler does not have a dedicated RGB controller. Users would need a supporting motherboard. This lighting is compatible with: These fans use Fluid Dynamic Bearings along with a newly designed motor to reduce noise, particularly during low-speed operations. These fans can be mounted horizontally or vertically without any issues. These fans feature an optimized and balanced performance-to-noise ratio on the wide operational range of the fan. FPT fans feature a full frame design that doesn’t allow air to escape outside the frame and thus achieve overall better static pressure. The new fan allows daisy-chaining, ultimately reducing cable clutter and easing cable routing through the EK-OmniLink, an 8-pin Micro-fit connector-based ecosystem. All the signal and power wiring for PWM and D-RGB run on a single cable and connector, which then utilizes a single cable to connect to the source.” The ambient is maintained at around 19-21 degrees Celsius. Where there is variation beyond this temperature range, we add in extra repeated tests to ensure consistency. I bought this to replace my Alpenfohn Icewater 280mm AIO. Both the Alpenfohn and this EK AIO are high quality built items, I have no problem recommending either. I went from 280mm to 360mm to see how much difference it made, and to lose the RGB.