CoolerMaster MasterLiquid ML240R RGB Review

Conclusion

In the introduction we talked about the evolution of the AIO, with regards to its progression through the battles of, performance and Aesthetics, which, if you remember happen to be the "Holy Trinity" by which we assess all cooler, not just AIOs.  So with these three principles in mind, let's look at how the CoolerMaster MasterLiquid ML240R RGB fares.

First up then let's look at Noise.  While being by no means the quietest AIO we've looked at, neither is it the loudest, in fact, it comes pretty much dead centre of the pack, with an observed noise level of 57.8dB(A)  In subjective terms the 240R was plenty quiet enough, and remember, we do all our testing at the full 12v which in this case equates to 2000rpm.

Performance wasn't chart topping, but then, with a 27mm thick radiator it was never going to be.  What the performance is though, is acceptable for a 240mm AIO, and very acceptable for one of that thickness.

Before we look at aesthetics though, let's first take a look at the joys of installation.  There was a day we fondly remember where all you had to do was attach the fans to the rad, and the rad to the case, attach the cold plate to the CPU and then just 3 cables to a power source, one for the cold plate pump, and one each for the fans.  Simples!  Not so much now.  Along with RGB connectivity and control comes a myriad of confusing cabling to install, route, and hide.  It also has to be said that this process was not made any easier by very weak instructions.  We did though muddle through, with the fruits of our labour being well worth the effort.

And so to aesthetics.  OK, so the Rad itself is nothing special, squared off end tanks, braided cabled and a white CoolerMaster loge, and that's about your lot.  That is though until you power the system up.  My god is the light show fantastic.  At initial start up you're treated to a rotating rainbow of colours, not just on the fans, but also on the top of the cold plate, as seen in the image at the top of this page.  As you might imagine the system works with RGB enabled Motherboards, but, by virtue of its own built in controller will also work with boards that don't have this feature.  Sadly, the 240R doesn't come with a remote, but it does come with the aforementioned controller which can be positioned in a suitably accessible place so that you can make any adjustments you need to.

At £109 it's not the cheapest 240mm AIO on the market, but if you're after fantastic aesthetics we think it's worth every penny.

From an awards perspective we think it gets a well deserved Aesthetics award, and it's not very often an AIO gets one of those is it! 

You can discuss your thoughts on the Coolermaster ML240 RGB on the OC3D Forums