XPG Levante 360 Addressable RGB CPU Liquid Cooler Review

XPG's Levante 360 Addressable RGB CPU liquid cooler ticks many of the boxes including thermals, value, and quality. Check it out.

Published
Manufacturer: XPG (LEVANTE360-BKCWW)
16 minutes & 33 seconds read time
TweakTown's Rating: 97%
TweakTown award

The Bottom Line

You may find more affordable solutions, but the XPG Levante 360 is stylish, brilliantly illuminated, and keeps our CPU thermals well under control without the wallet denting we are used to from the bigger players.

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

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Without anything to base an early opinion on, allow us to take you on the journey that is XPG and CPU cooling. While we have seen many storage solutions and RAM being sent over for reviews over the years, XPG, not that long ago, decided to jump into the CPU cooling game. While we did not see the initial cooler from this lineup, based on the 6th-gen Asetek units, XPG did release a Levante Series, but at that time, it appears they only offered a 240mm-radiator based unit.

We can also see on the XPG site that they thought enough of the cooler that when the 7th-gen Asetek units hit the market, XPG revisited that same Levante 240 design, taking advantage of the latest features of the newer AIO. At the same time, XPG also decided to up the radiator size in this second go-around and is the product that has us here together right now.

Sadly, that is all we know, other than the Levante 360 sharing the same design and generation Asetek unit as the 240 does. However, we have seen this Asetek cooler from different manufacturers. We are well versed in its capabilities, and what we can say is they picked a good time to jump in, as it seems everyone late to the AIO game is now in attendance. The real question here is, does XPG go with silence and a pretty package, or do they move towards performance to make their first showing in our charts worth the price of admission?

We are here to find that out, down to the most finite detail, and deliver the verdict as we see it. We can say at this time that on paper, and by the specs shown along with the images of this stylish and attractive cooler, we feel that, just like with their RAM and storage, performance is the primary mission with this entry. What can we say? If you are going to be late to the party, you better bring something good to keep the rest of the party-goers from giving you the business. XPG may be a tad late to gain the market share that the likes of Corsair, ARCTIC, or NZXT have currently, but hey, you have to start somewhere.

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When it comes to the specifications of the Levante 360 Addressable RGB Liquid cooler, what you see is a condensed version of what we found on the product page. In this chart, XPG begins at the head unit, with 86mm width (including the fittings), 72mm diameter, and 36mm height. The top of the head unit is made of plastic, containing both the pump and the copper cold plate. To control the speed of the pump, there is a 4-pin fan lead that comes from it delivering PWM control. The compatibility covers all Intel sockets since and including LGA1366, but only AM4 for AMD, without requesting the bracket for Thread Ripper. This portion of the chart ends by informing us that thermal paste has been pre-applied to the cooler.

Next comes the radiator, where we see that it is 394mm long, 120mm wide, and 27mm thick, as all Asetek 360mm radiators are. Like all others, it is also made of aluminum. To carry the fluid from the head unit to the radiator and back, the Levante 360 uses a 400mm sleeved rubber tube to do the job.

Fans come next, and we see that XPG includes three 120mm fans that are 25mm in thickness. The blades spin on a fluid dynamic bearing in a 600 to 2000 RPM speed range, plus or minus a little bit. At maximum speed, these ARGB fans produce 1.42 mmH2O, 61.5 CFM each, and are shown to deliver 34 dB(A) to the room, hinting that silence was not a top priority with the Levante lineup. These fans are also 4-pin PWM powered, but we see mention of auto-restart protection. With no information in their literature or on the product page about this, we do not think it is anything special, worthy of an OMG moment due to this one mention.

At the bottom of the chart is where we find the 1.3kg or nearly three-pound weight of the XPG Levante 360 and that this liquid CPU cooler is backed with a five-year warranty.

Even though newer to the game than most AIO producers we see, XPG can stay competitive when it comes to pricing, which means you can't just ignore them because they do not have the buying power to stay relevant. While we look, we see limited numbers for sale, but at $149.99. IF this were the likes of the big players in this segment, we would expect $200 or more for something like this. Still, without needing a software suite, XPG can keep costs down yet deliver something you may soon find the time it took to find out how well the Levante 360 Addressable RGB CPU liquid CPU cooler is against your go-to solutions.

Packaging

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Most times, when we see packaging, it is black, or mostly black, with only a few venturing into eye-grabbing options like XPG has opted for this brilliant red as a backdrop. White circles across the top list features on the main panel, while at the far right is the XPG logo. Centrally placed is a look at the Levante 360 with its lighting effects on display. The bottom offers the full name of the CPU cooler at the left, while the right shows the various sync methods that XPG ensures this cooler to be controlled by.

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As we moved to look at the sides of the packaging, the first of the long panels we see is a vast expanse of red cardboard, where at the left end, we get the product's name, with nothing else to fill the space.

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One of the small ends of the box shows us the cooler along with the name, but nowhere in the specifications on site does it mention an ARGB controller, but we can now see that if motherboard sync is out of the question, you do have an easy method of control for the lighting of this cooler.

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The second of the long panels is the opposite of what we saw earlier, where the panel is an expanse of red, but this time, the right end has all of the information. We can scan the code to get to the product page, and we see a mention of Asetek above all of the XPG information, where just to the right of that resides the product sticker. This sticker is where we can find the LEVANTE360-BKCWW model number, and just below that is the unit's serial number, should you need it for support purposes.

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The second of the small panels was used to deliver as much information as possible, and beyond the name of the cooler and the specifications we went over, there are features listed again. In the text, we are told of the high-performance nature, the inclusion of an ARGB controller, the use of dual-ring fans with 10 LEDs in each ring, bearing and power types, the inclusion of lighting in the head unit, its large radiator, and its hassle-free installation.

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Even though it may take some eye adjustment to see what is going on at the bottom of the box due to the decision to use white on the red background. A chart explaining how the fan speed, airflow, and noise correlate can be seen on the left, while the right half shows off dimensional renderings of the head unit, radiator, and fans.

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We did find it odd that when we opened this box, there was no foam cover that we see in any other Asetek built AIO, which is there to help protect the product. Either way, there or not, we found no damages to the Levante 360 or any of its components. In this instance, just the box and inner packaging kept all of the gear in place and left us with a product in excellent condition, ready for its glamour shots.

XPG Levante 360 Addressable RGB Liquid CPU Cooler

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Even though XPG opts for the more basic-looking, round head unit, they could still add a bit of flair into the mix. We can easily see the XPG in the center and the triangular shape around it due to the high contrast of the white diffuser against the black textured plastic. We feel this look is attractive even without RGB lighting, but it gets better. Adding a bit more style, the three sections beyond the diffuser are angled and not flat-topped as something like the Water 2.0 and 3.0 was.

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Adjusting our view to the right "side" of the head unit or the right of the logo at the top, we find ninety-degree swivel fittings with rubber sleeves keeping the tubing and sleeve in place. To the left of the fittings is where a pair of 4-wire leads come out of the head unit, used to power the pump, where the second lead is used for ARGB control of the lighting contained here.

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We did remove the plastic cap that protects the base in transit, and not only did it keep the TIM in place without contacting it, but we also found no debris in the paste this time. It is easy to see that the cold plate is made of copper, which means a mixed-metal loop, but most of the contact area is covered with this well-placed paste application.

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After removing the thermal paste, we can get a good look at the contact surface of the head unit. We see concentric circles left from the machining process, and as all Asetek bases are, this one is also slightly convex or higher in the middle than near the edges.

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Moving away from the head unit, we stopped to look at what was going on before we made it to the radiator. With one of the tape at the fittings on the head unit, we see that the fan power lead is ten inches long, and we also see that the ARGB cable is twenty-two inches long and includes a six-inch tail to connect the next device in line. The last measurement we see is at the fifteen and a half-inch mark, where the tubing ends, as it connects to the radiator the same as it does to the head unit, just this time on straight fittings.

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With standard fan spacing to mount a trio of 120mm fans at the top and bottom, there is a 2mm gap before we hit the fins of this 360mm radiator. Choosing a random location to count, we got to 24 FPI as the fin density of this model, which plays right along with many other Asetek AIOs. We know that static pressure and airflow are vital factors to making this dense radiator work well.

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Our last look at the Levante 360 is at the end of the radiator. We do this for two reasons. The first is to show the 27mm overall thickness and the gaps found between the frame and the fins. The second reason is to see the sticker on the end, where we not only see that Asetek makes it but that it uses 3.9W of power to drive the Levante 360.

Accessories and Documentation

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As they do, this round head unit uses one of two chromed top mounting rings, either the AMD version on the left or the Intel option on the right, both of which lock into the head unit via the tabs inside of the rings. If you use an Intel system, you will also want the black backplate for most of the sockets, which has adjustable thread positions to accept multiple socket sizes. We also found a pair of 3M foam tape sections later on, which we can only assume fit the backplate for those that need a helping hand while installing the cooler to the motherboard.

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AM4 users will need the set of four screw/standoff parts at the left, which secure into the stock backplate and use the knurled nuts found at the right to secure the head unit bracket to them. We also received twelve washers, twelve long fan screws, and twelve short screws for mounting the cooler to the chassis. We then find the mainstream Intel standoffs above the HEDT set, and both use the same nuts at the right to secure the head unit later on.

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As you will soon see, the fans that ship with the cooler comes with short leads, which makes XPG offer these adapters. The thing is, though, you do not need all of them in all instances. Since the three fans are in close proximity, you may get away with only needing one or two sets of these. On the left are the 4-pin fan adapters, whereas the ones on the right are for the 3-pin ARGB control.

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We found the ARGB controller that XPG ships in the box and are currently showing the back of the controller. While we look to the right of it and see the SATA power connector and the ARGB connector, both of which are far longer than you will likely need.

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The controller offers options to those without motherboard sync options or those who want more options than matching what the board is doing. You can select various modes with solid colors and patterns all mixed in. Beyond that, you can also control the speed of an effect and adjust the intensity of the ARGB lighting. While we tried this out, we were more than satisfied with the full illumination that matches the rest of the build.

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The fans included with the Levante 360 are 120mm Vento Pro ARGB PWM fans with LED light rings on either side of the frame and a set of lights in each of the hubs. These fans are uniquely designed with scoops and wings molded into the fan blades and are made of milky white plastic to help with light transmission. Each of the frame corners is isolated, on both sides, and we can also see, down in front, just how short the fan power and lighting leads are and why it comes with the extension cables.

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The manual at the left has everything one needs to go from a novice with no concept of how this even works to having the Levante 360 in a system and running in just a few short minutes. XPG covers components in a checklist to ensure you got all you paid for, and takes you step-by-step through the cooler being mounted, discusses wiring connections, and offers a section about the controller, should you want to install that. We also get a set of stickers for the case, the door, the mirror, or wherever you feel needs some XPG love.

Installation and Finished Product

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We removed the top portion of the AM4 mounting hardware that comes on this ASUS motherboard to get to this point. Once done, leaving the backplate in place, we sent these found screw/standoff combo pieces until the threads stopped.

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After selecting the correct top bracket, aligning, and installing it to the head unit, we applied our MX-4 to the CPU and placed the head unit on top of it. Once there, all you have left to do at this end is to secure the knurled nuts to lock the head unit to the motherboard and connect the pump power and ARGB cables.

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Moving to the other half of the Levante 360, we took the time to mount the fans to the radiator, mounted the radiator on the chassis, and found out we needed just one set of extension cables to start the ARGB control and fan power, as the others daisy-chained into series. However, should you want to use them all and have each fan powered by another header, you can absolutely do that if you wish.

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Stepping back a bit, with the open-air testbed stood on end, you get a good representation of what it would look like in just about any chassis. We found that the installation is as easy as described, and for your efforts, you get this sleek looking yet high-contrast appearance that XPG delivers, and this is while it's just sitting there.

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In the booth, at this angle, the head unit does get washed out a bit, but we can see that the fans are delivering an assortment of colors now in a rainbow pattern where it shifts five colors at once around the hub and rings. Keep in mind; this is the Levante 360 doing its thing out of the box, without sync or the controller at play yet.

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As we move closer to get a different look at the Levante 360 all illuminated, we have little to complain about. The lighting in the rings of the fans is smooth as it transitions and is also the same for the diffused portion of the head unit. Even though the fan hubs show hot spots in the lighting, we see little option to change things while still offering the intensity these deliver.

Test System Setup, Thermal Tests, and Noise Results

Chad's CPU Cooler Test System Specifications

  • Motherboard: ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII HERO [Wi-Fi] (AMD X570) - Buy from Amazon
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X - Buy from Amazon
  • Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 4000MHz 4X8GB
  • Graphics Card: ASUS GeForce RTX 2060 6GB OC - Buy from Amazon
  • Storage: Galax HOF Pro M.2 1TB SSD
  • Case: Hydra Bench Standard
  • Power Supply: ASUS ROG Thor 850W - Buy from Amazon
  • OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64-bit - Buy from Amazon
  • Software: AMD Ryzen Master, AIDA64 Engineer 6.25.5400, and CPU-z 1.92.0 x64

To see our testing methodology and to find out what goes into making our charts, please refer to our 2020 CPU Cooler Testing and Methodology article for more information.

Thermal Results

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With the CPU at stock settings and fans under PWM control, we ran the test to see where the Levante 360 lands and are not upset at the results in the least. With an average of 57.3-degrees, we are a little over three degrees out of the lead, and we feel they did rather well for their first try at our charts so far. As to the pump, we allowed PWM control for this and the next test.

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Speeding up the CPU and adding more heat to the cooler, we applied the overclock, yet are still using PWM to control the cooler; XPG moved up a slot. Rather than the seventh-place finish in the stock results, in this overclocked run, that 69.3-degree average moves XPG into sixth this time. Again, we can't be mad at these sorts of results.

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Holding onto that sixth slot is where XPG ends up when we force the fans and the pump to run at their maximum. While the 1.8-degree drop to 62.1-degrees is not all that great, it shows that XPG worked hard on the PWM fan profile, maximizing performance without taking the fans into obnoxious noise level territory.

Noise Level Results

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During the stock run of thermal testing, we checked AIDA64, and it was reported that the pump was at 2755 RPM, but the fans were at just 1305 RPM. While at that speed, we recorded the noise level at 28 dB, which is fine for most users.

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Still under the control of PWM, when overclocked, we find the pump slowed slightly to a maximum of 2738 RPM this time around, but the fans increased with the added heat to a maximum of 1560 RPM. We crept into the audible range at this time, but at 34 dB, with the temperatures we saw, we are more than fine with it.

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Now forcing the pump to use 12V, we found it topped out at 2760, which shows that XPG set it up to do its best out of the box. Going along with that, when we pushed 12V to the fans, they topped out at 2109 RPM, well within spec, but the amount of noise coming from these registers at 54 dB, just for a little less than a two-degree advantage. No thanks, we are fine where it was, calm and collected under the PWM control.

Final Thoughts

Even though XPG is not brand new to the CPU cooling market, they are a fresh face in the sea of choices, and to come out swinging this hard already, well, it does nothing but has us leaning in their favor. You can spend more and get a couple of degrees of advantage over this Levante 360, but why bother? The only other cooler in the list with as much cache as this XPG cooler would have to be the LF II 280 from ARCTIC.

We fully expected to see XPG needed to ask way more for what they delivered, but somehow come out of all of this as a diamond in the rough, if you will. Many will not even give this Levante 360 a second look due to the lack of a familiar name on the box, but from what we have seen from XPG, we have very little to complain about.

Many little things help with the Levante 360 standing out in the crowd. The Levante 360 could require software for full functionality, but they chose to supply a controller instead. While not as easy to access, depending on where the controller is located, the reality is people set LEDs and forget them most times, at least until another part added into the mix makes you change things up. We could complain about opting for a near vanilla round head unit. Still, even here, XPG upped the styling, not only with lighting and high contrast material choices but the addition of angled portions keeps this cooler from looking too generic.

On the other end of the cooler, with the radiator being equal to any other Asetek-manufactured AIO out there, and the bottom line here comes down to the fans. We have to give it to XPG again, as not only are the fans unique looking by design, with a plethora of LEDs in each of the three fans, a ton of light is generated to flood the inside of the chassis. On top of looks, these fans can take control of the thermals in a system, and so it while looking pretty, but hearing very little from them while PWM is in control. Taking things a bit further, and while extra cables tended to get shoved in the box and stored forever, we do like the cleanliness of the wiring with the way XPG takes on that matter.

To come out of left field as XPG has done while trying to compete with all of the major players, the majority will laugh, but there will be some sitting there like, who is this guy? The answer is this-someone you should pay close attention to. We realize that just about an Asetek AIO can take the top of our charts at any time, but it takes skill to offer a product that resides in the top ten in our charts without blowing out our eardrums doing it. Some may say, why not just buy the Corsairs? Honestly, the software, for one, constantly updating, always changing the layout; it gets to be a pain, wherein this Levante 360 everything is plug-and-play, allowing PWM to do its thing and enjoy the results rather than constantly tinkering.

At $124.99 at just about any retail channel on this side of the pond, we do not feel that XPG is too expensive, nor are they too cheap. Comparing what is available for less money, only ARCTIC and Enermax have a chance at a similar performance level. The majority of the more affordable solutions are lower-tier models or those from years gone by. To add a slightly different perspective, using the Newegg search engine, we found sixty-two 360mm-based AIOs, and only nine of them are more affordable than this XPG model, and the rest all cost more, whether it be $5 less or up to $238 cheaper than the AORUS RGB 360!

Honestly, XPG and their Levante 360 Addressable RGB Liquid CPU cooler takes us back to when AIOs were new and exciting, where everyone wasn't packed into a single mold, with hands tied as to how well they stack up. XPG took to the task at hand, and unlike many who jump into this market, did it with the interest of what matters most about a cooler, cooling the CPU, not being quiet as a mouse so that our parts stew in their own juices.

Photo of product for sale

Performance

94%

Quality

99%

Features

95%

Value

98%

Overall

97%

The Bottom Line

You may find more affordable solutions, but the XPG Levante 360 is stylish, brilliantly illuminated, and keeps our CPU thermals well under control without the wallet denting we are used to from the bigger players.

TweakTown award

Chad joined the TweakTown team in 2009 and has since reviewed 100s of new techy items. After a year of gaming, Chad caught the OC bug. With overclocking comes the need for better cooling, and Chad has had many air and water setups. With a few years of abusing computer parts, he decided to take his chances and try to get a review job. As an avid overclocker, Chad is always looking for the next leg up in RAM and coolers.

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