EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB review
The EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB is a high-performance 360mm cooler that comes with impressive performance and attention to aesthetic detail. Its $205 price tag puts it in the higher end for a 360mm cooler, but it offers great cooling prowess and aesthetic appeal.
For those who don’t need RGB and chamfered edges, there is a cheaper version called Nucleus AIO CR360 Dark priced at $159. We review both of these models in our EK Nucleus AIO cooler review, so be sure to check it out if you’re on a budget.
EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB packaging
The packaging for the EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB is carefully designed to ensure the cooler arrives undamaged. It’s a simple box made of thin cardboard, but it works well.
Inside the box, you’ll find some stickers, registration information, and a thank you note from EK. It’s a small thing, but I appreciate seeing it.
EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB installation
Installation on LGA1700 is fairly simple, but it’s still easy to make mistakes if you haven’t done it before. I’ve done it a few times now, so I can still mess up.
If you’re installing the EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB on other sockets, it’s worth checking out our EK Nucleus AIO review for some general tips.
EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB features
The EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB features an aluminum side plate with machined-off edges for a premium look. There’s also a decorative top on the CPU block, which you can rotate for easy installation in any orientation.
Underneath, you’ll find a dense microfin copper coldplate for efficient heat transfer, and both pre-applied thermal paste and an additional tube of thermal paste.
The compact CPU block allows for complete RAM compatibility, and the rubber tubes of the unit are reinforced and protected with fine sleeving.
Beyond that, the EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB has a 27mm thick radiator and EK-Loop FPT Fans designed specifically for liquid cooling.
EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB performance
Testing high-end CPUs is challenging, but the EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB is expected to perform well. It’s going up against some tough competition in our 360mm AIO cooler roundup, but many of those models also cost more.
It’s important to remember that cooling performance can be influenced by factors such as case, fans, and motherboard bending, but we try to control for these as much as possible.
We test the EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB with different power limits to evaluate its performance, which you can see in the chart below.
The thermal results included are for 10-minute testing runs, which have been proven sufficient to properly test the coolers.
EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB verdict
The EK Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB is a good 360mm cooler, but it’s not perfect. For $205, we’d like to see more features, like full RAM compatibility and a kink-resistant hose.
The thermal performance is strong, but it’s not miles ahead of the competition.
