Deepcool Infinity LT520 vs ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 vs Lian Li Galahad 240

[xagonyx]

Hello! I'm currently looking for a replacement AIO for my main rig (i7-9700k) and an air cooler for my backup setup (i7-4770k). Recently, my Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 stopped working, the pump was making rattling noises and I had to move the case around to get it to start. It's quite dissapointing that it failed after just two years, particularly because this is the first time I've experienced an AIO cooler dying before the 5-year mark. I've started the RMA process (I believe the new 6-year warranty is retroactive) but they haven't responded yet (it's been 4 days) and I can't wait two months for it to finish since I use that PC for heavy workloads.

Anyway, after checking the CPU Cooler Tier List, I found the following models available at local stores:

AIO Tier 1:

• Deepcool Infinity LT520 240 - $127.06
• Deepcool LS520 240 ARGB - $142.88

AIO Tier 2:

• Cougar Aqua 280 ARGB - $83.83
• EVGA CLC 240 RGB - $113.40
• ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 - $124.40
• Lian Li Galahad 240 Black ARGB - $129.71
• ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 - $143.86

Air Tier 2:

• DeepCool Assassin III - $119.07

Air Tier 3:

• Noctua NH-D15 chromax.Black - $155.97

I have read only positive reviews about the DeepCool LT520, so I'm considering it. However, the prices of the Cougar Aqua 280 and EVGA CLC 240 have caught my eye. Since there's a possibility of having a spare Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240, I'm interested in trying something different, like the Lian Li Galahad 240. As for my backup PC, I have heard that Noctua is releasing an update this year, so I am leaning towards the DeepCool Assassin III.


Are there any important details about these models that I should know, such as pump quality or warranty information? What would you recommend? Thank you in advance!