ID-Cooling DX360 MAX Liquid CPU Cooler Review

TweakTown's Rating: 98%

The Bottom Line

RGB in the head unit, stunning thermal performance, near silence in operation, and as little money involved as possible. ID-Cooling delivered the manufacturer fearing DX360 MAX, and man is it impressive!

Pros

• Cost, performance, and compatibility
• New hardware and tube Length
• No software involved
• Thicker radiator
• Lower FPI and more surface area and coolant

Cons

• Noise levels, for some
• No RGB fans
• Wire management issues?

Should you buy it?

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Buy at Amazon for $79.99 USD

Buy at Amazon for $139.99 CAD

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Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

For those who do not follow our reviews closely, one company is on track for CPU cooling company of the year. A few coolers crossed our desk and thoroughly impressed us in both air and liquid cooling segments. If you want examples, we can start with the FX360 PRO, which climbed into the top ten of our charts with similar costs to most mid-range air coolers. If you wanted something fancier, you could have opted for the Space LCD SL360, which is a half dozen places behind the FX360 but still packs quite the feature set while keeping a semblance of affordability. Even in the air-cooling segment, we have the A620 Black and SE PRO models, again delivering a great mix of performance and affordability without cutting corners to accomplish some well-deserved notoriety.

Things were not always this way. We can name many products previously released by ID-Cooling, which were more of the average lineup, where we got affordability, but the performance and noise levels were not on par with the bigger names at that time. However, ID-Cooling has turned the corner, and once again, it is here to try to take your money, although not all that much money is involved with their latest CPU liquid cooling solution to hit the market. Unlike the super-budget-minded FX360, our latest sample delivers some RGB flavor but keeps it in the head unit. There are a few other tricks up their sleeves, such as more surface area and more coolant, compared to what we see from others in this segment to help bolster performance, deliver a cooler with some style, and appeal to what many users expect to see.

As excited as we were when we wrote the FX360 review, ID-Cooling has upped it a notch or three for us. The ID-Cooling DX360 MAX that they unleashed on the public is a serious piece of kit. Not only does it accommodate the latest mainstream sockets, but it also comes with updated hardware to ensure an easier time when mounting this cooler. It appears that ID-Cooling has thoroughly thought about every aspect of this product and is now offering something that came, saw, and kicked a ton of ass as it climbs oh so close to the top of our charts.

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The specifications we have were taken directly from the product page for the DX360 MAX. There, we saw that Intel support starts with 115X and includes mainstream sockets, including 1851. AMD gets the typical AM4 and AM5 support.

The TDP, a crucial factor in a cooler's performance, is said to be 350W for the DX360 MAX, mainly due to the dimensions of the aluminum radiator. The 400mm long, 120mm wide radiator is said to be 38mm thick. However, the headers are 38mm thick, whereas the fin section is only 32mm thick.

From the radiator are a pair of tubes. These tubes are made of rubber but sleeved with a premium black braid. Another huge plus to the DX360 MAX is that it ships with 465mm of tubing, which, for those on this side of the pond, is nearly nineteen inches from the radiator to the head unit, providing ample flexibility and ease of installation.

The head unit is black and silver on the sides and is 73 by 72mm wide and 58mm tall, but sports lines of white stripes on top of the head unit for RGB display. Of course, the cold plate is made of copper and the coolant inside flows from the pump. It sips power needing 0.45A but spins near 2900 RPM unless specifically controlled not to. The pump uses a ceramic bearing and is powered by a 3-pin fan connector.

A 360-model cooler comes with three fans, 120mm by 25mm. These fans are shown to run at 0 RPM, which is possible with motherboard fan curve adjustments, but not as shipped, and they will peak at near 2150 RPM. At that speed, they will produce 85 CFM of airflow backed with 2.83 mmH2O of pressure, delivering 32.5 dB(A) into the room. The current draw is minimal for these fans, which are supported on hydraulic bearings and powered with a 4-pin PWM daisy-chain setup.

Along with the five-year warranty coverage, things are already looking up for ID-Cooling, but they still need to play one card. The current thermal chart-topping solution will set you back well over $200, and many may have few issues shelling out that amount of cash for top-tier performance. Why though? Everything you are about to see, and everything we covered in the specs, can all be had for just $89.99, which may have you doubt things at face value. Still, the ID-Cooling DX360 MAX is nothing short of amazing, and all other manufacturers need to scramble for a solution to the bomb ID-Cooling just dropped.

Best Deals: ID-Cooling DX360 MAX Liquid CPU Cooler

	Today	7 days ago	30 days ago
	$79.99 USD	$79.99 USD	-	Buy
	$139.99 CAD	$139.99 CAD	-	Buy
	£82.99	£82.99	-	Buy
	$79.99 USD	$79.99 USD	-	Buy
* Prices last scanned on 3/5/2025 at 9:16 pm CST - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission from any sales.

Packaging

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The main panel of the packaging for this AIO is primarily black, with a rainbow of lines emanating from the center, where the image of the DX360 MAX is placed. Besides the RGB line under the cooler, we only get the manufacturer, tagline, and product names.

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Both long sides of the box are bright orange, and what we see now is in the center. A line of RGB ruins the entire length, with DX360 MAX above and water cooler below.

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We also encounter matching small ends of the box. This time, the backdrop matches the head unit light display on the black backdrop, with the company name and tagline presented again.

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The back of the package shows the company name, followed by the specifications below. The central portion shows images of the head unit light display and dimensional renderings of the cooler. The right end shows the product name and compatibility.

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Even with the crushed packaging we saw in the previous images, ID-Cooling delivered a perfect sample, mainly because they opted for dense foam instead of recycled cardboard to house the cooler inside the box. The radiator has a cardboard sleeve to keep the fans from rubbing against it, and the hardware is boxed to keep it from harming the fans. The rest of the cooler is deep in that groove, ending at the head unit with a bag and a hard plastic shell protecting it.

ID-Cooling DX360 MAX CPU Cooler

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While not as brilliant as it can be yet, the high-contrast thirty-four white RGB diffusers against the black-topped head unit are a sleek way to add some color to the cooler. We also see mounting hardware attached to the head unit. Three-sided silver panels on two sides add even more styling.

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Opposite where the tubes connect, the head unit sports the ID-Cooling name in shiny paint against the matte black central portion, flanked on both sides by silver. Five grooves across the bottom and one at the top add some style, but most times, this will be hidden from view.

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Coolant flows in and out of the head unit through the ninety-degree swivel fittings, which attach the sleeve and tube to them with plastic collars. We also see some wiring leaving the head unit near the bottom.

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It's tough to make out in this image, but the central portion of the cold plate is squared off, higher than the sides, yet the entire surface is convex. The copper is not machined but appears cast, yet it is still very capable of great thermal transfer.

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Back to the wiring that emanates from the head unit, we have two to connect. One is a 3-pin Fan connection to power the pump, and the other is a daisy-chain 3-pin 5V ARGB connection to illuminate the many stripes on top. Both are quite long; in fact, they match the tubing length.

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We ran into the aluminum radiator at the other end of the tubing, nearly nineteen inches from the head unit. As we can see, the header is the 38mm part mentioned in the specs, while the finned portion is thinner at 32mm.

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While we didn't find a name on the side of the radiator, we did notice something odd, at least compared to other mainstream AIOs. We felt the fins were spaced a tad wider, and counting them proved we weren't seeing things. Fin spacing isn't the standard 23-24 FPI radiator we usually see; ID-Cooling opts for 19 FPI instead.

Accessories and Documentation

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Rather than a set of rings for the head unit and a thin backplate, we now find a robust, universal Intel backplate with adjustable threaded bits. To the left of it are the Intel top brackets. On the right are two sets of AMD brackets, allowing users to rotate the head unit.

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Helping to declutter the parts list, ID-Cooling delivers standoffs that use AMD threads, and so does the Intel backplate, making this set universal, too. The four knurled nuts with Phillips and flat head turnability are to secure any of the brackets to the standoffs. We also got a dozen screws, long and short, to secure the fans to the radiator and the radiator to the chassis.

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Along with the hardware, we found a metal tool, hex-shaped inside, to grab the standoffs to the left of the 4-Pin PWM fan extension cable. In the center is the small portion of thermal paste in the large FROST X45 tube. Across the bottom are three plastic clips, intended to be used on the tubing to keep them evenly spaced and looking good.

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The box includes the ID12025M12S or DF-125-K, 2150 RPM fans dressed in black. Each fan has rubber pads on the corners, nine blades, stepped intakes, and metallic hub stickers with the ID-Cooling logo on them. The fan leads are short, as they daisy-chain together for power and use the extension cable if needed.

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The manual is used for the DX MAX series of coolers and does a decent job of explaining how everything works. It starts with a parts list to familiarize yourself with what bits are needed and has intel and AMD instructions, although the AMD diagrams could use some work instead of the wrong alignment and an arrow in the text telling us to rotate it for proper fitment.

Installation and Finished Product

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We opted for the short pair of brackets so that our fittings would be next to the memory. The long set of brackets allows you to opt for top or bottom fittings rather than the sides as we have them. Using the factory backplate and the ID-Cooling supplied standoffs, we screwed them in tight and then set the brackets on, grabbed a screwdriver, and tightened the knurled nuts until we ran out of threads.

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Applying thermal paste to the CPU allows us to set the head unit in place and align the pair of screws permanently attached to the head unit. Again, we sent these in until we ran out of threads but made sure to alternate a few turns on each until we got there.

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With the head unit mounted, we could proceed to the rest of the assembly, which included fans, wiring, and securing the radiator to the chassis. We needed the fan extension cable to power the fans, and we also installed the tubing clips to keep the tubes close and clean in appearance.

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Adding that good juice we all require, the DX360 MAX head unit comes to life, currently controlled with Armoury Crate, delivering a rainbow display of colors running from top to bottom, closely matching the HERO lighting to the left of it. While we adore the visual appeal and the thicker radiator, in some cases, it could make wire management a tougher job, as it may block the holes. We could also easily use this radiator in the front of a chassis with the fittings at the bottom and have no issues reaching the CPU. Some may think the tubing is too long, but we find it appealing, and it allows the DX360 MAX to go in places many others will not.

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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Just 1.4°C kept the ID-Cooling DX360 MAX out of the lead of our stock thermal chart. At 53.9°C, we find absolutely no issues with the level of performance we are handed from this CPU cooler, and all other manufacturers should be very aware of what ID-Cooling is able to do.

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The gap to first place widened slightly when we applied the overclock to the CPU, but ID-Cooling held on tight to that second place. With less than a degree as the gap, ID-Cooling took on a pair of coolers three times the cost and let them know the DX360 MAX is no joke with the 60°C result.

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With only 0.8°C to be had from allowing fans to run at full speed, ID-Cooling is also the master of the fan curve. With barely anything left in the tank to try to improve an OC, at 58.2°C, you get almost every drop of performance without needing earplugs or a headset.

Noise Level Results

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With the CPU at stock and the fans controlled by PWM, we saw an average speed of 1324 RPM, delivering 30 dB into the room. While we feel this is more than acceptable, those demanding silence may want to reduce the fan curve.

While the motherboard can control these fans to deliver 0 RPM usage at idle, just to give you a sense of where we are out of the box, our fans did not idle below 1000 RPM.

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With more power to the CPU comes more heat, which in turn causes the PWM curve to reach its upper limits. Our three fans averaged 1437 RPM during the OC test and delivered 35 dB into the office, which is still well within the tolerable range for most users.

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As we said, master of the fan curve. ID-Cooling took fans that can reach 2246 RPM, at least ours will, and uses the perfect amount, much nearer to 1500 RPM, so that users will never need to deal with the 59 dB potential that these fans have.

Final Thoughts

The DX360 MAX may not have a fancy LCD screen or RGB fans, but it has proved a working man's hero. ID-Cooling delivered the perfect answer for those who do not need to impress their friends with nearly $300 CPU cooling solutions and are all about the meat and potatoes of a product. What is there to say that our charts haven't already proved? We suggest you pick your chin up from your desk. Yeah, the DX360 MAX is that good, and we would not blame you for selling off what you have, making a bit of extra loot, and going out and buying something so perfect for the current market.

Not only is the DX360 MAX impressive thermally, but audibly, there is nothing to complain about from us, as we could have been presented with a much louder OC run, but ID-Cooling ensured we got the nearest to perfect PWM fan curve without leaving performance on the table.

ID-Cooling is using a few tricks of the trade to accomplish what they have here, and to be honest; we are down for whatever it takes to shake up our thermal charts. Using a thicker radiator and much thicker headers enables the use of more coolant and delivers more surface area. Fans with high airflow and good static pressure for the 19 FPI fin layout was a great call, as with less, the DX360 MAX would not be as impressive as it is. Long tubes to let anyone install the cooler how they see fit, and opting for an older generation pump and keeping the pump speed set at around 2900 RPM does the trick with this cooling solution.

We are fans of the RGB display on the top of the silver and black head unit, and the look is unique enough that your friends will instantly recognize it is cool. However, what we also dig about this styling is that those who dislike RGB can leave the 3-Pin ARGB connector disconnected, and you are left with a high-contrast head unit that will fit any build's theme. We appreciate the lack of software the most out of all the lighting aspects, as your motherboard sync software will do the trick, and while you are messing around, if you require zero RPM at idle, jump into the BIOS and adjust the custom fan curve.

You have seen it in all its glory, what it can do in our charts, and hopefully, you will soon find this CPU cooling solution out in the wild. As we write this review, we are still under NDA, but with all the information needed to go forward with this conclusion. When considering $200 or $300 CPU coolers for their chart-topping abilities, you need to weigh the worth of the added features. For the old-school crowd we belong to, we prefer anything that can do the job, leave us with a bit of style and something attractive to see behind the glass in our cases, and we are good, but we recall when that could be had for around $50 not $300. The fact that you get everything we showed and discussed, backed by a five-year warranty, only sets you back $89.99; what is there not to appreciate?

The ID-Cooling DX360 MAX may not be the most feature-rich solution. Still, where it matters, ID-Cooling has proven itself worthy of the love we are giving it. If you do not want to break the bank for top-tier thermal control without a ton of noise, you should also show them some love.