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ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB: Comparison
Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB: the radiator size difference
Start with radiator size, because it is the widest measured gap between them: Liquid Freezer II 280 280 mm against Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB 420 mm, 33% in favour of Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB. Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB also leads on airflow, 72.84 CFM on the Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 110 CFM on the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB. Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB also leads on fan count, 2 on the Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 3 on the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB.
Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB: which one fits your build
The Liquid Freezer II 280 suits value-focused 280mm-radiator builds and motherboards with modest VRM cooling, though it is the wrong buy for RGB showcase builds (see ARCTIC's ARGB variants instead) and cases needing thin (<30mm) radiators. Take the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB for the most demanding sustained workloads: Threadripper, flagship 16-core-plus CPUs under heavy all-core load, or extreme overclocking. This is specifically the tier where a 420mm radiator's extra surface area genuinely matters over a 360mm unit. The same goes for buyers with a case specifically built or verified to fit a 420mm radiator. This is a hard requirement, not a minor consideration; confirm clearance before purchase. It is not the one for the majority of builds, even high-end gaming ones. The Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB, covered elsewhere on this site, already covers flagship gaming CPUs comfortably at a more universally case-compatible size.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Liquid Freezer II 280 and Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB differ on max speed?
Yes. Max Speed reads 1700 RPM on the Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 2500 RPM on the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB.
Is the Cooler Type the same on the Liquid Freezer II 280 and Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB?
It is. Both are listed at AIO Liquid, 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 Pro 420 A-RGB
- Arctic
Cooler Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AIO Liquid
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- AIO Liquid
Radiator Size
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 280 mm-33%
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- 420 mmBest
Series
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
Model Number
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ACFRE00066B
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- ACFRE00185A
Socket Compatibility
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011-3
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700
Tower Layout
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Not Applicable
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- Not Applicable
Fan Count
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 2-33%
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- 3Best
RGB Lighting
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- No
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- Yes
Cooler Weight
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1572 gBest
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- 2358 g
Radiator Thickness
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 38 mm
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- 38 mm
Tube Length
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 450 mm
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- 500 mm
Pump Max Speed
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 2000 RPM
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- 2800 RPMBest
VRM Fan
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Yes
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- Yes
Fan Size
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 140 mm
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- 140 mm
Max Speed
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1700 RPM-32%
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- 2500 RPMBest
Airflow
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 72.84 CFM-34%
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- 110 CFMBest
Bearing Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Fluid Dynamic
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- Fluid Dynamic
PWM Control
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Yes
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- Yes
Lighting
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- None
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- ARGB
Warranty
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 6 years
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB
- 6 years
Which one should you pick?
Choose ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 if you want the higher warranty (6 years vs 6 years).
Choose Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB if you want the higher radiator size (420 mm vs 280 mm), the higher fan count (3 vs 2) and the higher max speed (2500 RPM vs 1700 RPM).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 | Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| Best Buy | View on Best Buy |
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.