Arctic Freezer III now available.....

[Vimes]

Having looked for another cooler I was pleasantly surprised to see that the revision III of these respected AIO type coolers are now on sale.

A couple of reviews....

Arctic's webpage to check for motherboard compatibility...

Liquid Freezer III - Compatibility - User Manual

Get your ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III - Compatibility user manual. Detailed explanation with coloured schematics, photos, animations and videos.

support.arctic.de

It seems that you now have a choice on whether to use a single type connection, as typical, or to split them for individual control.....

socket support...

some other details....

with the more flexible tubing, with rotating heads on the block, it seems a decent AIO. Mine, the 420mm aRGB, should turn up some time today. Not sure when I'll get time to fit it.

 

[Vimes]

Apart from, not from experience but from noting GN's posted video review, the better offering for the contact frame from third party suppliers being better, but could not be used, the rest of what is offered does seem to be incremental small improvements that overall make it a decent enough change.
Pretty hard, perhaps, improving on the rev II that set the bar so high.
Some might like being able to control the pump, fans and VRM fan individually.
I don't know it is is correct, but someone made a comment in one of those videos, or in the review from where I bought mine from, stating that if you contact AC they will send you some form of alternative fitting to not need to use their CF.
Arctic continually evolved the rev II version that I have, IIRC mine being rev IV at the time of purchase.

 

[Vimes]

I ordered the non-rgb 360 version yesterday and fitted it today on an AM4 system. Mike from the GN review wasn't kidding when he was talikng about the spring-steel plate making the screws a pain to thread, but otherwise pretty easy to install.

Well done. Did you use the typical all in one type connections or the other option of controlling the fans, vrm and pump..? I don't think that they have their own software to do that..?

 

[Vimes]

Just had a look on the OCUK shop to see if these were in stock yet, and they have over 200 different AIO SKU’s

They do not seem to have any of the rev III models.
Hopefully they will stock those soon.

 

[Vimes]

My 420mm A-RGB version, black, has arrived. Hopefully I'll get round to fitting it soon.

 

[Vimes]

Just got mine fitted, interesting that you can now control the fan, pump and vrm fan speeds, if you want to.

 

[Vimes]

I used the all in one for the sake of simplicity. Arctic don't have their own control software that I'm aware of.

As noted, I used the separate controls.....Because I could I suppose. Not knowing the expected speeds of the pump etc much of what I see it guesswork. At least with the one connection that is of no concern.

 

[Vimes]

From what I understood the contact frame issue was relative to the other third party types being sold, showing they could be more capable..?
Compared to the std fitted on a board it should still be an improvement.
As I had no third party one fitted I'll assume mine is better with the Arctic one fitted.

 

[Vimes]

@clone The white one seems to be similar to the price I paid for my black variant, whilst this offer is running.

 

[Vimes]

@clone check the compatibility link that I included in the first post, to check out your board..? The concerns seem to be centred around the top NVME port and size of some heatsinks. When I clicked that circular header in place I was surprised at how small an aera it covered. If the top slot is compromised they will send you out a free suitable heatsink as a replacement.

 

[Vimes]

I've got a Meshify 2 XL case...

fits a 420mm AIO in ok. Then again with the 450mm tubing it is a bit of a stretch. This is an old photo of when I had the rev 2 AF 420mm and my 4080 vertical mounted.

The GPU is now horizontally mounted, still got the piece of bluetak tho.

 

[Vimes]

I have a Define 7 XL so basically the same size case and the tight stretch on the 420mm made me compromise to the AF II 360mm.

The new AF III has angle adjustment for the pipes on the pump head but the pipes look a little lower at exit from it so still not sure its a great fit. It's a shame they don't just add a few cm to the length (I keep submitting this as a suggestion) as its easier to work with extra pipe than be too short.

I agree.

I mailed them when I first bought the rev 2 cooler a couple of years ago, showing them a similar photo. Since fitting the rev 3, I have mailed them again. Both times I have suggested that they add a few centimetres to the length of the tubing for their 420mm model. Those who fit it will need to have the case to accommodate such a large model but the pipes, comparative to the radiator length, could do with being longer.
The rev 3 is actually more of an issue than the second one. As you note, the pipes have an angled adjustment, but it is their position being lower that makes the problem worse.

 

[Vimes]

Thanks for confirming. If they made the pipes a little longer then as well as top mounting it, the front mounting option with the pipes down would also be more feasible for many.

They're producing a great value and performing AIO but having the pipe lengths the same for 360 and 420mm coolers is really strange.

The only consideration that I have thought about is would it still offer the VRM cooling as effective if the block was fitted the other way around..? So that the tubes are on top, rather than the bottom. I get the impression that it should fit, but only having thought about that since fitting it I'm not sure of any potential issues.
The cable lengths, to connect the fans etc are long enough. I didn't measure to see if the block is offset in any way that could compromise things.
For me it is fitted now, but it could be an option.

If Arctic respond to my open case I'll ask them.

 

[Vimes]

@humbug, thanks. Didn't know that the orientation of the block could be an issue, even if the radiator was top mounted.

 

[Vimes]

@clone - To confirm, that is a Corsair 5000D and a 420mm Freezer II. I can see it is a freezer II, just surprised as Corsair list the case as being compatible with a 280mm radiator in the top, if 140mm fans, or a 360mm at most, for the 120mm fans.
Did you need to adapt it in any way, or it just went in fine..?

looks good.

 

[Vimes]

@clone and is the case std - meaning there seems to be a shroud or bracket (white) where the edging of the 420mm radiator would some into contact with the case..? Noting that against the pictures of it at Corsair..?

5000D AIRFLOW Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX PC Case — Black

The CORSAIR 5000D AIRFLOW is a mid-tower ATX case that shows off your PC, and not its cables. Hidden cable management and an airflow-optimized front panel make building a clean, cool PC easy, with two included CORSAIR AirGuide fans.

www.corsair.com

using their selection tool you can see how "limited" they claim it is with radiators.



Corsair info....

 

[Vimes]

I'm pleased that you did that, it does look good.
I have a Corsair 5000D, black, upstairs in the loft. I also have the rev II 420mm radiator. I was, might still be, considering selling that. But now if it fits as welll as you have shown I might reconsider.
(I have noted you list your AF II 420mm for sale)


when you posted that picture, my first thoughts were that cooler looks great in a 7000 case....


7000D

 

[Vimes]

That GPU looks tiny compared to size of the case and cpu cooler .

Indeed...!

When I first fitted it like that, vertical mounted, the RTX 4080 looked positively tiny. Having read what others were posting about the weight and size, then looking at my case, I wondered if I had the "mini" version..!
On the right of the GPU, you could imagine the whole section having 3.5" HD bays at one point.

 

[Vimes]

That does look like a different revision of the 5000D.
The top looks different, the current 5000D only has 2 vertical PCIe blanking plates, you can only install 3 fans on the side panel not 4 and no window in the PSU shroud.
That does look more like a 7000D.

Indeed, that was my first thought - having got a 5000D tucked away in the loft, not very accessible. Good points about the PSU window etc.
I have been tempted to dig out that case and try the 420mm AF II. I'll wait and see what @clone confirms later

 

[Vimes]

Perhaps I would not have flipped to the gen 3 so early if it hadn't have been for their...

....meaning superb pricing with the gen 3 launch. Too strong an offer to miss really, at least for me.