MSI MAG CoreLiquid I360 CPU Cooler Review
Introduction
Meet the MSI MAG CoreLiquid I360
Today we will be looking at MSI’s new MAG CoreLiquid I series of CPU liquid coolers. Specifically, we will be looking at their new I360 model. This new range has a focus on aesthetics, with a “dual-sided Infinite Mirror” design that gives MSI’s latest cooler an appealing aesthetic.
This new cooler also has some unique features, which come in the form of a custom all-CPU mounting bracket (which supports both AMD and Intel CPUs), and a clever cable management cover for this AIO’s stock fan configuration.
Giving our custom MSI Maestro 700L PC a MAG CoreLiquid I360 upgrade
For this review, we will be doing something different. We will be replacing the All-in-One (AIO) CPU liquid cooler in our recent custom MSI Maestro 700L and Project Zero PC build and seeing how well MSI’s newest AIO performs. This CPU cooler will be tasked with cooling an Intel i9-14900K processor, which is a challenging task for any cooling solution. Previously, this PC used an MSI MEG E360 liquid cooler (shown above and below).
Unboxing
One neat aspect of MSI’s newest coolers is that it ships with pre-mounted fans and a pre-mounted CPU retention bracket. These add-ons allow users of this cooler to install this liquid cooling solution inside of their PCs incredibly quickly. This makes this CPU cooling solution ideal for users who are relatively newcomers to PC building, as this design greatly simplifies the PC building process. That said, mounting fans and a mounting plate to your CPU cooler isn’t an overly challenging task.
One Bracket for all CPUs
One key feature of this new CPU cooler from MSI is its pre-installed “UNI Bracket” which supports modern AMD and Intel CPUs. This includes AMD’s AM5 socket, and Intel’s upcoming LGA-1851 socket.
Stock MSI CoreLiquid I360 fans and cable cover
At stock, the CoreLiquid I360 comes with three pre-installed RGB fans that are daisy-chained together. This allows all three fans to be powered from single PWM and RGB connectors. This greatly simplifies cable management. Note that this cooler ships with a cover that can hide the visible cables below, and give this CPU cooler a cleaner aesthetic.
Below we can see the visual impact of MSI’s fan side cover for their MAG CoreLiquid I360 CPU liquid cooler. It is a simple add-on, but it has a huge visual impact. Fan cables can be hidden, and the unit’s three fans can appear as a single, unified component.
The MSI CoreLiquid I360 all-CPU bracket is ugly…
The MSI CoreLiquid I360 is a good looking CPU cooler. That said, its “UNI Bracket” is ugly. The extra unused mounting holes are not a good sight for PC builders who want an ultra-clean system. While we respect MSI’s desire to reduce material waste and shorten install times, they must also remember that aesthetics are a huge selling point for products like this. If this were my system, I would consider painting this bracket to make it blend more into the background of my system.
