Noctua NL-LC1-36 AIO with different fans

[u/Both_Low_9640]

Okay, let’s pretend for a second that there are not “right” sides in the argb vs non-argb argument. Let’s just assume everyone is allowed to have their own preferences and that some people build computers for other people who need lots of rgb and that’s okay. It’s encouraged even. Because there’s nothing wrong with people who need a little color added to their lives and work/game space.

With that in mind, let me start by saying that I’ve tested over 20 AIOs this year and (for the sake of brevity here) they all worked pretty close to the same give or take and degree or two on my 9850x3d cpu, 5090 gpu, Corsair frame 4000 build. The usual temps were around 71-72 degrees cinebench stress testing for half an hour and around 58-64 gaming. Again, some like the Tryx Panorama, the Lian Li GA II Lite, and the Coolermaster Atmos II, Thermalright FW Ultra 360, were on the cooler side at one degree cooler.

The Noctua NL-LC1-36 AIO ran 5 degrees cooler in both scenarios without breaking a sweet or making a racket (whisper quiet the whole time with my fan tuning). That’s impressive to someone like me that has an issue with accepting that something is running cool enough. I’m an idiot that has to chase one degree cooler. Maybe it’s a symptom of boredom, but who cares. The point is, this thing is awesome and everything the reviewers claim it is.

Now, if you hate the Noctua fan look, and are therefore under the assumption that the fan style means this AIO is not for you, you’re wrong. Despite how anyone feels about Noctua fans, I tested a different fan set, the Tryx FOBR 120mm 3 in 1 argb fan, with the AIO and it worked flawlessly. Same whisper quiet noise level, same temps under every circumstance. If you hate rgb, don’t worry about this part of the post. But if you need it, or a client needs it, it’s still an option with what is the very best AIO out there right now for anyone trying to find out if they can make their system run any cooler.

The Tryx fan is the circular one behind the pixelated glass. I’m using the push/intake method on this build because it provided the best thermal results.