CoolerMaster MasterAir MA410M Review
Conclusion
We said in the introduction that full RGB LED enabled Heat sinks are very de rigueur at the moment, in fact so much so that’s it’s getting hard to find a new release that hasn’t been sprinkled liberally with LEDs. However, where we appreciate the ability to integrate our case lighting with the colour scheme of our build, it’s also important to us that the cooler does it’s primary job, which is keeping the CPU cool. Â
So does it keep the CPU cool? Well it does, but only just. it does the job, but it’s not a chart topper. When it comes to noise, it’s ok, but it’s not exactly silent, and neither will it make your ears bleed. In simple terms, stick it in a desktop next to you at the full 12v and you’ll struggle to hear it.
Where this little gem really comes into its own is when you power up the system and let the light show commence. Now, it’s important to remember that the fans themselves aren’t LED, let alone RGB. All the lighting you see comes from a multitude of individually addressable RGB LEDs contained within the plastic shroud. This, combined with the central “Hologram” area produces one of the most fantastically blended light shows we’ve ever seen. It would have been very easy for it to slip over the edge into “tacky”, but the 410M holds it fantastically short of that. Seriously, static images don’t do it justice, but if you want a full explanation of the effects head back to the relevant pages in the review.
So does the MA410M have a weakness? Oh god yes, yes it does. And that weakness is the infuriating process required to install it. Now, if you’re thinking of buying one of these as part of a new build, and will be fitting it to the Motherboard before fitting the Motherboard into the case then ignore anything we’ve said. If however you’re retro fitting this, as we have, you might want to have a look back at page 5 of this review. Rather that than we re-rant here.
In closing, we often talk about the holy trinity with regards to coolers. Keep it cool, look good, and be quiet. For the most part we do tend to put the “keep it cool” at the top of the pile, but that’s just us. We don’t know it all, we don’t define your choices, we simply have our opinion, and if simply awesome aesthetics and RGB enabled magic have a slight importance over top end cooling willy waving and ultra low noise then who are we to say the MA410M isn’t a cooler you should be looking at. Please don’t think we’re being sarcastic here. we’re really not. This cooler works well on standard CPU’s and and will keep it coming with skylake overclocks up to 4.7GHz. What it is able to do, in a way that we’ve never seen before is produce a RGB light show that is second to none, and we mean, second to none.
And so to awards. I have to say, angered as I was by the build process I really wanted to leave the MA410M hanging, but all things considered, owing to it’s simply stunning light show, we have to give it an Aesthetics award.Â
You can discuss your thoughts on the MasterAir MA410M on the OC3D Forums Â