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Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB vs Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black: Comparison
Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB vs Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black static pressure compared
Static pressure is where these two genuinely part company, Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB 6.9 mmH2O against Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black 2.34 mmH2O, a 66% lead for Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB. Fan count runs the same way, 3 on the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB versus 2 on the Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black, another win for Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB. Add max speed to that, 3000 RPM on the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB versus 2000 RPM on the Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black, and the pattern holds.
Which should you buy, Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB or Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black?
Take the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB for anyone who wants the best-cooling 360mm AIO without paying NZXT or Corsair money. It is equally the pick for Intel LGA1700 and LGA1851 builds. The bundled contact frame is worth about 13C on its own. It is not the one for cases with less than 63mm of radiator clearance. This is the single most common reason people return it. Take the Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black for buyers who want near-flagship cooling in a case too tight for a full dual-tower cooler. The same goes for builders who want tall RAM clearance without giving up much thermal capacity. Avoid it for the heaviest overclocking, where the larger Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black, covered elsewhere on this site, has more headroom.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB and Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black differ on airflow?
Yes. Airflow reads 77 CFM on the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB versus 60.09 CFM on the Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black.
Is the Fan Size the same on the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB and Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black?
It is. Both are listed at 120 mm, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- Arctic
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- Noctua
Cooler Type
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- AIO Liquid
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- Air Tower
Series
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- Liquid Freezer III Pro
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
Model Number
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- ACFRE00184A
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- NH-U12A chromax.black
Socket Compatibility
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1954/1851/1700/1200/115X
Tower Layout
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- Not Applicable
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- Single-Tower
Fan Count
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- 3Best
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- 2-33%
RGB Lighting
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- Yes
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- No
Cooler Weight
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- 2005 g
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- 1220 gBest
Fan Size
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- 120 mm
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- 120 mm
Max Speed
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- 3000 RPMBest
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- 2000 RPM-33%
Airflow
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- 77 CFMBest
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- 60.09 CFM-22%
Static Pressure
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- 6.9 mmH2O
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- 2.34 mmH2O-66%
PWM Control
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- Yes
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- Yes
Lighting
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- ARGB
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- None
Warranty
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- 6 years
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- 6 years
Fans
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB
- 3x P12 Pro A-RGB, 120mm
- Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
- 2x NF-A12x25 PWM chromax.black, 120mm
Which one should you pick?
Choose Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB if you want the higher fan count (3 vs 2), the higher max speed (3000 RPM vs 2000 RPM) and the higher airflow (77 CFM vs 60.09 CFM).
Choose Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ARGB | Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black |
|---|---|---|
| Best Buy | $109.99 View on Best Buy | |
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg |
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 III Pro 360 ARGB
9 / 10 Expert Rating
The strongest 360mm AIO you can buy, and still not expensive.
Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black
8.8 / 10 Expert Rating
Noctua's compact flagship proves a well-engineered single-tower can rival dual-tower coolers, at a real premium.