Lian Li HYDROSHIFT II 360P OLED Curved Liquid CPU Cooler Review

TweakTown Rating: 97%

Our Verdict

It is a tad costly, but the Lian Li Hydroshift II 360P OLED Curved is the top-tier offering we have seen to date in AIOs, and is also the most well thought out design for an AIO we have seen in years.

Pros

• Aesthetics
• Innovative hardware
• Availability
• OLED screen and ARGB lighting
• Improved software and customizable

Cons

• Cost
• Fan lighting is static

Should you buy it?

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Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

It has been quite some time since we last looked at a Lian Li CPU cooler, but Lian Li is a company that has prided itself on starting out as a manufacturer delivering high-quality products to the market. We are not saying they run into a room with their products over their heads, but we are saying that Lian Li products were top of the line, using exotic materials and designs no one else in the game was willing to try.

As the years have gone by, other manufacturers have caught up and are delivering a number of premium options for sealed-loop cooling systems. ASUS has screens in quite a few models, TRYX broke the mold with how the standard of screen delivery was done, and with all of the features that have come up in the time AIOs have been around, you need a trick or something flashy to stand out in the massive assortment of options available today.

This is where Lian Li said, "Hold my beer," as they went to the whiteboard with design ideas for what could make the best AIO in the game. In the development, if you saw the list of features, innovations, and aesthetics, you would think something along the lines of Bozo the clown would come out of the box, but Lian Li had to have a magic wand in their pockets, as what we see in their Hydroshift II 360 P OLED Curved AIO is something special, almost on the verge of spectacular.

The Hydroshift II series has three models, and we got the middle child. The model number for our cooler is GHS20LDC36PB, but it is also known as the Hydroshift II 360P OLED Curved or the 360P28, a nod to the fans used in this assembly. Not only do you have three models to choose from, but they are all offered in black and white colorways.

In the chart, we start with compatibility, which is limited to LGA1851 and LGA1700 users, while also supporting AM4 and AM5 users. Beyond the color options, ours is black, but they all have head units that measure 126.5mm wide, 87.1mm high, and are 108mm deep. Inside the head unit is the pump, which spins from 1600 to 2800 RPM and is designed to work with a PWM curve.

The radiator is made of aluminum and uses a single-wave design, like everyone else in this game. Size-wise, the radiator is 400mm long, 122mm wide, and only 24mm thick. It is also designed with a high FPI, using stronger fans to do the work. Between the head unit and the radiator are the tubes. Each is made of rubber, sleeved, and has metal fittings capturing it. These tubes are 400mm long, but run along the radiator, hidden from view most of the way to the CPU. Not only that, there is a slick adjustment mechanism to help keep things even tidier.

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The fans of choice are the UNI Fan P28 V2 fans. These linkable fans are wire-free, illuminated on the sides, and come with only a single fan connection. These 120 x 124 x 28mm fans can reach 3000 RPM and, at that speed, deliver 117 CFM with 8.3 mmH2O of pressure, which makes us think they added all the fans together here. Anyways, the fans are rated at 33.9 dB(A) on the box, and via their 4-pin PWM connector, they draw 0.85V each.

Lian Li also packs in a curved OLED screen into this deal. The head unit is quite small, more like a typical custom water block, but the screen and its housing add a lot of size to it. On it is a 6.67" screen, which is massive in this market, and it delivers 1048 x 2288 pixels to deliver the detail. At 450 nits, it is bright inside a chassis, and via L-Connect 3 Beta, it is completely customizable down to the smallest detail, so you could get lost for a day or two just trying all the options.

There are two more things to consider in this deal. The first of which is the cost. In the review guide, we were shown that the MSRP of the Hydroshift II 360P OLED Curved AIO is set at $339.99. While that is a bit steep, also consider that the AIO's functionality is covered for six years, which is a long time in AIO-land. However, there is only a three-year warranty on the OLED portion and the fans of these coolers. With all of that said, Lian Li has a tough road ahead to fulfill the wants at that price point, but we have seen a thing or two already, and to say we are impressed is the understatement of this year.

Packaging

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Much like the product, the packaging is in no way understated. Not only do we see the cooler installed in a chassis, but we also see arrows indicating movement. To the right, we see Lian Li at the top, while at the bottom, we find the Hydroshift II 360P OLED Curved name of the cooler, along with CPU socket support.

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One of the longer sides offers four of the 360P's better features. There is the curved OLEED display and all its capabilities, then there is the motorized movement of the head unit, use of a high-performance, low-noise pump, and the concealment of the tubing.

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The first of the smaller panels offers up information on the curved OLED portion of the cooler. It explains how the screen can be divided into up to 3 panels and hints at some of the options and settings available in L-Connect 3.

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The second longer panel gives you an idea of what you will find in the box and how it is configured. There are dimensions around the radiator, along with a discussion of the fans used to cool it. Lastly, we see that the OLED screen is not only 60 hertz but also 2K resolution, which is a ton of pixels for that 6.67-inch screen.

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The second, smaller panel offers a 3D view of the software's features. Not only can you do the typical import, export, view stats, and all that kind of thing, but there are also downloadable assets that offer up quite a few 3D options to view as well.

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Even on the back of the box, there's more to see. In six languages, you get a condensed version of the specifications we covered earlier. Along with that is a list of what comes in the box, socket compatibility, and even covers how the warranty length varies by part.

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We removed a layer of foam, some literature, and a couple of cables to get this image, but it shows how snugly it is packed inside. With the radiator in plastic, then cardboard, and slid into foam, there is no way to abuse it. The head unit comes in a bag, the screen in another box, and a standoff screwdriver and hardware on the right.

Lian Li Hydroshift 360P OLED Curved

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Starting at the head unit, we see something akin to what custom water coolers used a decade ago. A simple black cover, mounting hardware pre-installed, and a pair of strange tabs as part of that hardware. At the top are four magnets and a ten-pin connector for the OLED screen.

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The side view shows that the block isn't very tall, but we still have some coolant left on the outside of our early sample. While not a huge deal to clean the block a bit, it did lead us to look at the 45-degree swivel fittings and the slick, metallic capture rings at the ends of the tubing.

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The base is copper and, although convex, shows faint machine marks on its surface. The contact patch is huge, and while not important, all the screws use common bits.

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While we were flipping the head unit around for the next shot, we noticed that both runs of tube also carried a wire for hidden connectivity between the head unit and the radiator. No stuffing wires by the heatsinks and RAM to try to hide things.

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Typically, we would have the tape measure out on the table, the cooler stood on end, and a look at some of the tubes, but Lian Li takes a different approach. The tube leaves the end of the radiator on the side, runs through three brackets, the leftmost one adjustable, to hide the tube until it needs to drop down to the CPU socket.

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We mentioned the leftmost bracket has an adjustment, and by loosening this screw along with another behind it, the bracket slides right and left to allow for various socket placements and chassis layouts. These brackets also have threads that one can use with a 140mm mounting rail when installing the radiator with the 120mm rails.

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Where the tube exits the radiator, Lian Lii installs a plastic cover to dress up the appearance. Under that cover is the black-aluminum radiator with the serial number sticker. The cover is only clipped on and removable, but there is no need to remove it.

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The cover is on the left this time, embossed with Lian Li, followed by three fans. These are the UNI Fan P28 V2 fans, featuring nine blades, rubber isolation at the corners, and machined circular hub covers that bear the Lian Li logo.

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While they embossed the cover, and for sure, the OLED cover can sport the Lian Li name, they took the time to put it on the side. Notice too that Lian Li opted for brushed aluminum side trim for the radiator, on which they painted their name.

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Part of the UNI Fan P28 V2 design is the breakaway connectivity. In this version, not only will the power adapter come off, but you can also turn off the fans' LEDs via the switch on the left. The one through five are fan speed control adjustments, and we are testing it as delivered at five.

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Two things come to mind when looking at this image. First, make sure your chassis provides enough room for the hidden tubing layout. Second, we see that Lian Li opts for a high-density radiator with a 24 FPI count.

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We have finally reached the OLED screen portion of the kit. The lower half is a cover for the head unit and is shaped to fit snugly, leaving plenty of room around it. The upper portion with the louvers on the sides is the adjustable, positionable OLED screen that wraps from the front to the side of the cover.

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Spinning the screen around, we can see it is open on this side to allow clearance for the tubes. It was also at this time that we noticed the screen could be angled from its starting flat position to forty-five degrees. This is just part of the movement, which is motorized and controllable via L-Connect 3.

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The underside of the screen and head unit cover sports a matching set of magnets to easily attach them together. There are four tabs on the sides, too, which grab the openings we saw in earlier images. We also see the pads and pins on the head unit that control the screen's functionality and movement.

Accessories and Documentation

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The first box we grabbed was the Intel Socket box. Inside, you will find four smooth standoffs, which are hollow and require a special screwdriver. There are also a pair of brackets on either side of the LGA1700/1851 backplate, which has tape to attach it to the back of the motherboard.

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The AMD Socket box is similar in scope of delivery. AMD boards have a backplate, so Lian Li provides brackets and screws to replace the factory bits.

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While we did find an ARGB adapter cable and a USB cable in a bag when we first opened the box, neither is for this specific model. What you do need, especially if you're an Intel user, is the Allen-head screwdriver for the standoffs.

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In another box marked accessories, you will find everything shown here. There is a tiny syringe of thermal paste and a spatula to help spread it, and a pair of tubing clips, again for another model. We also received 12 extra rubber isolation pads and a set of knurled nuts, with no use in

this variation.

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Inside a bag in the accessories box are some things that we do need. On the left are a set of knurled nuts to secure the head unit, a bag of 18 short fan screws, and a SATA power adapter for the fan and pump, if you want them at full speed all the time. Around it is a single native USB-to-dual native USB adapter, should you not have a pair open for these coolers.

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The literature comes in the form of a manual, a warranty sheet, a thank-you card, and an insert with the code and instructions for obtaining the software. Back to the manual, it is well illustrated, the text explains the steps well, and while it does take a bit longer to install than a typical air cooler, the finished product is worth the effort.

Installation and Finished Product

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You need to remove the factory bits above the motherboard to screw the Lian Li brackets to the backplate. Not only do the brackets have arrows pointing at the CPU for orientation, but they also have a latch that holds the tabs on the mounting hardware.

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At some point, you will want to test-fit the radiator, ensuring the tube drop aligns with the socket. We have everything set from the factory here, and the drop to our socket is reasonably close, but some may want to adjust it depending on motherboard layouts and chassis configs.

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The tab-and-latch system helps hold the head unit in place, as the threads are below the brackets, allowing you to slide the block into place. Now we can secure it.

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The knurled nuts go past the brackets and onto the threads, and, as always, you should alternate in an X pattern and screw them in until you run out of threads.

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Compared to the custom water block look we just had, once the screen is magnetically affixed to the block, the appearance jumps up many levels, and we haven't even seen what it can do yet.

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The black-on-black colorway allows the Hydroshift II 360P to blend into our build, and we found only one potential issue that we will address later. The brushed aluminum side rails with the white Lian Li do grab the eye, and we like the grooved sides of the fans and the metallic hubs with the logo. We also love the tube being hidden and dropping elegantly to the socket.

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Our initial attempt at powering the system brings the 360P to life. Blue stripes top and bottom of each UNI fan, and the head unit delivers a wing-like motion in gray at the back, while showing the coolant temperature and pump speed. This is without any OS or L-Connect 3 Beta in charge of lighting or head unit functionality.

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In the office, we fired up the system with everything connected and the software obtained. While one of many options, the saltwater tank in 3D is fun to watch, and Lian Li shows the current CPU package temperature. The 360P does not seem to have separate fan control, as the fans are always that blue-white color and do not show up in L-Connect.

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As another option, you can have animated 3D shows like this one, with the Lian Li robot spinning around and almost popping off the screen. Again, this is only one of the options in 3D mode, while there is also 2D mode, and ways to split the screen into two or three panels.

Test System Setup, Thermal Tests, and Noise Results

Chad's CPU Cooler Test System Specifications

To see our testing methodology and to find out what goes into making our charts, please refer to our 2025 CPU Cooler Testing and Methodology article for more information.

Thermal Results

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Idle thermal temperatures aren't a big deal for long unless you are well above 50°C. But with the Hydroshift II 360P coming in at 42.7°C, it is a bit disheartening, as it's about 5 degrees behind the lead in liquid cooling.

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Load temperatures are where it's at, in our book, and a strong second-place finish is nothing to gloss over. At 61.3°C, Lian Li fell just short of what SAMA delivers, but still beats quite a few solid competitors.

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Tracking maximum CPU package temperatures, we see that Lian Li and its 360P tie for first place at 63°C. Overall, not the chart-topper we were hoping for, but thermally, these Hydroshift II coolers are strong and capable.

CPU Speed

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With an average speed of 5.247 GHz, the Hydroshift II 360P lands in seventh overall. We would have expected this to be higher, so we did the math three times and came up with the same figure.

VRM Thermal Results

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The lowest VRM temperature among liquid coolers is now held by Lian Li at 58°C. Not a huge gap from second place in AIO-land, but a win is a win.

Fan Speed and Noise Levels

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During the load portion of the test, the trio of fans averaged 1356 RPM, up from their idle speed of 853 RPM. With 3000 RPM fans strapped to the radiator, we would have tuned the PWM curve a bit taller on the big end and gotten that first-place thermal result, but it appears they stayed on the quieter side.

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The head unit will emit a slight hum under load, with its RPM in the 2200 range, but you will hear the fans in operation. 45 dB is a level that many using a headset wouldn't be bothered by.

Final Thoughts

As an AIO, Lian Li delivers a solid bit of kit in their new Hydroshift II 360P OLED Curved units. Thermally, not the best of the best, but still very good. Audibly, by default, we can deal with the level of noise, as once in a closed chassis with music or a headset on for games, the noise will disappear into the background. Functionally, using UNI fans is a slick addition, as they all lock together with simplified wiring. Hiding wires from the head unit and exiting them from the radiator also helps keep the installation clean, but the tubing clip system does much of the heavy lifting in the installed product's aesthetic appeal.

Beyond the basic functionality, the features are what drive this product to the top of the list for the latest and greatest on offer at this moment. With a near 7-inch OLED, 2K screen, with all the brightness and customization one can imagine, it is only the start. The screen is also motorized. You can pan left to right from flat as we first saw it, to forty-five degrees to the left, making it much easier to see the entire screen through the side panel window. Not only that, but there are also eighteen millimeters of adjustment top to bottom. Should the GPU be too close, raise it; should the case's radiator location be too low, lower it. It's that simple. You also have a ring around the screen that can be controlled to add flair.

Before going on, we did mention a potential issue: smaller cases. Lian Li designed the Hydroshift II to use not just the 120mm fan mounting rails to affix the radiator, but you will also want a 140mm rail. The metal brackets for the tubing will rest against the chassis and quite possibly rub, hum, or squeal if not screwed to the third rail.

While software is a huge part of an AIO such as this, it can easily be the break point in a decision. It has been quite some time since we used L-Connect, and in the past, well, let's say we have seen better. However, L-Connect 3 is a well-thought-out bit of software. In one download, you get the basic version for any device that requires it. Once our 360P was recognized, we had access to the 3D asset downloads that enable these Hydroshift II OLED AIOs to function at their best. To list all the options would require a bible-sized manual, but rest assured, if you can think it, L-Connect 3 has a way to make it happen.

With so much going on, the additions of tubing retention, rewiring for cleanliness, brushed aluminum side covers for the radiator, and a trio of UNI P28 fans all contribute to the cost surge. Things like the full assortment of accessories, new and improved socket hardware, and adding one of, if not the largest, OLED screens in the game, are going to cost you to get the latest and greatest. In the version we have had on display here, you will need to shell out $299.99. It may seem steep, but compared to other OLED models we have seen before, many cost much more. Those in the market for the fanciest AIO in the game need to look no further. In our opinion, of those OLED coolers we have had the pleasure of using, Lian Li has sent us the best version yet.