Pedestal Mount ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler Review: Cougar Poseidon Ultra 360 Cooling Performance & Lighting
Cougar has been around since 2008 and has become a well-known name in the PC hardware market, especially among gamers and enthusiasts. But it’s interesting to note that Cougar wasn’t a brand by itself, initially. In fact, it was started as a subsidiary of veteran PC brand HEC/Compucase, who primarily focus on OEM products. Cougar was created with the aim of developing high-performance products that cater specifically to the needs of gamers and PC enthusiasts.
For a while, Cougar was all about building PC cases, gradually expanding its range of products as the brand gained more recognition. In recent years, Cougar has successfully diversified its offerings, now boasting a wide variety of products – from gaming chairs to mechanical keyboards, which has enabled the company to establish a strong foothold in the gaming hardware market.
For this review, we’ll be exploring Cougar’s latest addition to the liquid cooling market – the Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB cooler. This is an all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooler, featuring a 360mm radiator and dynamic ARGB lighting, aiming to please both performance enthusiasts and those seeking a stylish setup. Our review will delve into the AIO cooler’s key features, cooling performance, and noise levels, examining how it stacks up against the increasingly crowded liquid cooler market.
Here’s a rundown of the cooler’s specs, just for kicks:
- Type: All-in-One Liquid Cooler
- Dimensions: 397 x 120 x 52 mm (radiator with fan)
- Fans: 3 x 120mm HDB Bearing Fans @ 2200 RPM max
- RGB: Yes, with ARGB
- Supported Sockets: Intel – LGA 1700, LGA 1200, LGA 115x / AMD – AM5, AM4
- Warranty: 5 years
- Price: $119
Now, onto the box and bundle:
Cougar’s packaging is quite sleek, featuring vibrant images highlighting the cooler’s RGB lighting capabilities. The cardboard box provides ample protection, with the cooler and components securely protected by custom cardboard inserts, ensuring a safe journey during transport.
Unfortunately, the package doesn’t exactly burst at the seams – it comes with the usual suspects like cables, a single dose of thermal compound, and the mounting hardware. Yes, no standalone RGB controller is included – the cooler requires a compatible motherboard or controller to function.
Design-wise, the cooler comes with three 120mm fans that sport a distinctive frame design, convex ridge blades, and an advanced hydraulic bearing. These ARGB LEDs adorn the frames, producing a soft and diffused light effect within the blade assemblies. Ah, but you’ll see more about this in due time…
The Cougar Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler
We’re familiar with the overall design, now – typically, all-in-one (AIO) liquid coolers like the Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB rely on a radiator, dual hoses, and a copper block housing a compact pump. For added protection, Cougar went with rubber hoses wrapped in a nylon sleeve; the plastic fittings are commonplace in this line of product.
Take a closer peek at the main block design – this plastic-acrylic assembly, once removed via a clever latch mechanism (yes, fake hex-head screws abound here), flaunts its aesthetics. Flexible hose fittings with 90-degree turns increase installation comfort. For extra flair, the main block’s rear features squircle-shaped (copper-plated with a matte finish) cooling plates; remember, some thermal paste can be handy here, considering the rather smooth copper surfaces.
By the time the Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB cooler lands, it might be well known that significant emphasis is laid on – you guessed it – lighting! That mesmerizing splash of RGB action is pretty darn striking! When correctly connected to an ARGB-compatible motherboard or controller (5V being the culprit here), our cooler happily syncs lighting with other system lights (or lights up solely – your discretion). Be wary, too, for unsupported motherboards or a dearth of controllers – then, zero lighting awaits your eager setup.
Hope this gives a good flavor!
