be quiet Pure Loop 3 LX CPU Cooler Review
Unboxing – be quiet Pure Loop 3 LX 360mm
Meet the be quiet! Pure Loop 3 LX, an affordable cooler with RGB flair and neat customisation options
Be quiet has just launched its Pure Loop 3 LX series of CPU liquid cooling solutions, promising users customisability without unnecessary software bloat. These coolers feature ARGB-illuminated fans and an RGB-illuminated CPU block. Furthermore, this CPU block can be further customised with a selection of lighting foils, with several designs coming in the box.
Packaging
This is a budget-oriented CPU cooler. As such, be quiet’s packaging is basic and effective. This cooler’s fans do not come pre-installed, so expect to spend time screwing in fans and sorting out this cooler’s cables.
Note that this cooler’s fans can be daisy-chained, simplifying cable management. This is great news for users who own motherboards without many space PWM fan headers or ARGB connectors.
Overall, the design of the Pure Loop 3 LX is simple. As noted before, this cooler’s fans do not come pre-installed. Furthermore, the cooler’s block ships with no face plate pre-installed. This gives this liquid cooler’s CPU block a flat white face.
Replaceable caps?
The Pure Loop 3 LX’s CPU block is where users can fit one of be quiet’s 10 included lighting foils. This enabled a level of customisability without needing to install software or invest in an expensive LCD. This makes be quiet’s cooler simple and cost-effective.
Customisation with no software
While LCD-clad liquid cooling solutions are fun, they require software to function. If you want a system with minimal software bloat, you probably don’t want a CPU cooler with an LCD attached. be quiet’s lighting foils allows users to customise their PCs without adding an extra piece of software into the mix. It may even be possible for users to create their own lighting foils to grant an extra layer of customisability.
Note that this CPU cooler doesn’t ship with pre-applied thermal paste. Users must also remember to peel off the protective tape from the cooler’s cold plate before installing it. You’d be surprised how many people forget this step…
OC3D CPU Cooler Test Rig Specifications
Below are the specifications of our current CPU cooler test system. It uses an Intel i5-14600K CPU that operates at a fixed voltage. This ensures more stable thermal loads on a test-by-test basis and more accurate thermal benchmarking results.
CPU: Intel i5-14600K @1.27V (Fixed)
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WIFI
Case: Custom Lian Li O11 EVO XL
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo DDR5-6000 32GB (2x16GB)
GPU: Sapphire RX 7900 GRE Nitro+
PSU: be quiet Dark Power 1,000W
Fans: 4x be quiet Silent Wings 4 fans
Pricing
Unfortunately, we were not provided with official UK pricing for this CPU cooler before its release. In the US, the Pure Loop 3 LX 360mm will cost $129.90 and in Europe it will cost €119.90.
For those looking to reduce costs, the Pure Loop 3 360mm is available. It lacks RGB lighting and replaces be quiet’s Light Wings LX fans with Pure Wings 3 PWM fans. It should deliver similar levels of cooling performance at a lower cost.
be quiet! Pure Loop 3 LX – Lights On!
As mentioned earlier, the Pure Loop 3 LX features RGB LED lights on its base and fans. This is how it looks when installed inside our test rig. Note that this cooler’s ARGB lighting can be controlled through your motherboard. ARGB lighting is controlled using a 3-pin ARGB header.
