Cooler Master Nepton 280L Liquid Cooler Review - PAGE 1

Closed-loop AIO (all-in-one) liquid coolers are no longer a new concept on the mainstream CPU cooling industry. At a time when aluminum tower heatsinks were nearing its practical limit in sheer volume and fin density, companies Asetek and CoolIT took the notion of liquid cooling (typically the domain of enthusiast computer builders) and created all-in-one solutions that catered to the conventional consumer market. Touting the efficiency of water cooling without the associated user maintenance, these were closed-loop units utilizing an integrated pump, reservoir, cold plate, radiator, and prefilled coolant. With majority of the cooling surface area mounted away from the CPU socket, they also meant less strain on the motherboard and ample clearance for tall memory.

When first introduced in 2009, consumer-grade AIO solutions were constrained to 120mm radiator units that still posed little competition to popular high-end Thermalright and Noctua air-cooled towers. Over the years however, designs have evolved to accommodate thicker (38mm) and lengthier (240mm) radiators that serve to close the gap entirely. Today, progress continues with even larger radiator solutions that take performance above that of air cooling. All the while, more and more brands are joining the fray with units like the Thermaltake Water or Corsair Hydro-i series bringing exhaustive aesthetic or software upgrades to this tried-and-true concept. Behind the scenes, what looks to be a large push into product differentiation is, in reality, rebranded units that are still manufactured and sometimes fully designed by either Asetek or CoolIT themselves. While this usually means a consistent usability experience for the end user, brands remain tied to the R&D and manufacturing paces of an external manufacturer.

Then there is Cooler Master, one of the few brands that designs and manufactures its own AIO liquid cooler lineup. Less than 2 years after the debut of its original Seidon 120M, Cooler Master has quickly introduced an entourage of closed-loop liquid coolers under the mid-range Seidon, high-end Nepton, and ultra-high-end Eisberg and Glacer naming schemes. A few weeks ago we already reviewed the Seidon 120XL and observed the standout benefits owing its in-house design – excellent performance and practically flawless installation at a competitive price point.

This time, we have the Cooler Master Nepton 280L on review, a 280mm closed-loop water cooler designed to test the limits of the AIO concept. Supporting all modern CPU sockets, it features a thick 30mm radiator and mounting holes for up to four 120mm or 140mm fans. An ultrafine micro-channel cold plate and high pressure water pump tout efficient heat exchange especially for overclocking. The Nepton 280L also features 13.7mm Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP) tubing for minimal coolant dissipation and enhanced volume. Two rifle bearing JetFlo 140 fans come included in the package, a slightly downgraded 140mm version of the JetFlo 120 model we reviewed previously.

With a large radiator, ultrafine cold plate, and enhanced coolant management, Cooler Master seems set to maximize the cooling potential on the Nepton 280L. The in-house design of the Seidon 120XL already delivers excellent performance, so I am interested to how well this over-the-top version can improve upon it. Let's see if the Taiwanese company has succeeded as we go in depth with the Cooler Master Nepton 280L.

Specifications:

Information courtesy of Cooler Master @ http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cpu-liquid-cooler/nepton-280l/