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ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360: Comparison
Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Liquid Freezer III 360 radiator size compared
Start with radiator size, because it is the widest measured gap between them: Liquid Freezer II 280 280 mm against Liquid Freezer III 360 360 mm, 22% in favour of Liquid Freezer III 360. Fan count runs the same way, 2 on the Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 3 on the Liquid Freezer III 360, another win for Liquid Freezer III 360. Airflow runs the same way, 72.84 CFM on the Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 56.3 CFM on the Liquid Freezer III 360, another win for Liquid Freezer II 280.
Which should you buy, Liquid Freezer II 280 or Liquid Freezer III 360?
The Liquid Freezer II 280 is the one to take for value-focused 280mm-radiator builds and motherboards with modest VRM cooling, though it is not built for RGB showcase builds (see ARCTIC's ARGB variants instead) and cases needing thin (<30mm) radiators. Take the Liquid Freezer III 360 for flagship CPU builds generating 200W or more under sustained load. This is specifically the recommended tier for exactly this scenario. It is equally the pick for buyers who want genuine top-tier cooling without paying flagship AIO prices. Arctic's value positioning holds even at this performance level. It is not the one for compact cases that can't fit a 360mm radiator. The Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240, covered elsewhere on this site, is the right size for that constraint.
What Liquid Freezer II 280 and Liquid Freezer III 360 have in common
The common ground is wider than the gap: cooler type, tower layout, radiator thickness, tube length and vrm fan are identical here. They match on 3 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Liquid Freezer II 280 and Liquid Freezer III 360 differ on max speed?
Yes. Max Speed reads 1700 RPM on the Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 1800 RPM on the Liquid Freezer III 360.
Is the Bearing Type the same on the Liquid Freezer II 280 and Liquid Freezer III 360?
It is. Both are listed at Fluid Dynamic, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Arctic
Cooler Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AIO Liquid
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- AIO Liquid
Radiator Size
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 280 mm-22%
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 360 mmBest
Series
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
Model Number
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ACFRE00066B
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- ACFRE00136A
Socket Compatibility
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011-3
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700
Tower Layout
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Not Applicable
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Not Applicable
Fan Count
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 2-33%
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 3Best
Cooler Weight
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1572 gBest
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 1840 g
Radiator Thickness
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 38 mm
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 38 mm
Tube Length
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 450 mm
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 450 mm
Pump Max Speed
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 2000 RPM
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 2800 RPMBest
VRM Fan
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Yes
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Yes
Fan Size
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 140 mm
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 120 mm
Max Speed
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1700 RPM-6%
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 1800 RPMBest
Airflow
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 72.84 CFMBest
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 56.3 CFM-23%
Bearing Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Fluid Dynamic
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Fluid Dynamic
PWM Control
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Yes
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Yes
Warranty
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 6 years
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 6 years
Which one should you pick?
Choose ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 if you want the higher airflow (72.84 CFM vs 56.3 CFM) and the higher warranty (6 years vs 6 years).
Choose Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 if you want the higher radiator size (360 mm vs 280 mm), the higher fan count (3 vs 2) and the higher max speed (1800 RPM vs 1700 RPM).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 | Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
8.5 / 10 Expert Rating
Outstanding thermal value at 280mm, the VRM fan is a genuinely useful extra most AIOs lack.
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