Our Verdict
Pros
- Performance
- Optimized for silence (Zero-RPM mode)
- AirGuide technology
- Swappable side plates and iCUE LINK-controlled
- 24 LEDs per fan and static pressure design
Cons
- Cost
- Noise at high speeds
- Proprietary connectivity
Should you buy it?
Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing
We've certainly come a long way with case and cooler fans. What started as essentially taking a server fan and down-tuning it became the norm for us custom PC builders. Then came colored plastic frames, which stepped away from the black that was everywhere. After that, lighting was a hole drilled into the frame at the corners, with some tacky external wiring, but it all ran off a single standard fan connection. These days, you can have any lighting you want, LCD screens, even holograms, and in that sea of options, Corsair sent us some to look at.
We never saw the predecessor to these fans in fan-only form; they came with AIOs. However, looking back at that initial product, we can see many changes afoot, some for the better, some for the much better; even if we are against the idea in general, when done well, even hardened minds like ours can be swayed. While many are coming up with similar ideas in cooling right now, with Lian Li leading the charge to pack every feature known to man into their newest fans, sometimes too much is just that, too much.
Popular Now: Shuhei Yoshida and Adam Boyes recreate PlayStation's famous disc-sharing meme, this time with no physical gameToday, we're looking at a pair of fans Corsair sent us. We have the iCUE LINK hub and RX360II RGB PWM Unified Frame fan, plus a single RX120 II RGB PWM Expansion fan, so we can cover all the abilities and features and enjoy the possibilities this setup delivers. While you may think you have a handle on what we are about to show you, Corsair has plenty of tricks up its sleeve with the RX Series fans and their designs. Still, with the use of iCUE to control what we have for you, the options are nearly endless, plus the ability to visually change the aesthetics with their removable portion of the fan frames, which can be left out or replaced with 3D-printed options, and even though we looked, we are shocked Corsair doesn't sell options in their accessories for them as well. Even so, pay attention: these RX II series fans are well worth some attention, with a clean install and use of an iCUE LINK Hub that makes them some of the best fans we have tested in quite a while, but their cost may make you balk.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Model | CO-9051059-WW |
| Street Name | iCUE LINK RX360 II RGB PWM |
| MSRP | $99.99 |
| Color | Black or White |
| Dimensions | 360 x 129 x 26mm |
| Speed | 400 - 2100 RPM ±10% |
| Air Flow | 64.72 CFM |
| Air Pressure | 3.57 mmH2O |
| Noise Level | 32.8 dB(A) |
| Bearing Type | Magnetic Dome Bearing |
| Connector | iCUE LINK Cable |
| PWM Control | Yes |
| Rated Voltage | 12 VDC |
| Rated Current | 1.39A |
| Warranty | 5 Years |
Starting with the CO-9051059-WW, better known as the iCUE LINK RX360 II Unified Frame RGB PWM PC Fan Expansion with system hub (LINK), you get a single frame that is 360mm long, 129mm wide, and 26mm thick, shipped in black or white.
With three sets of blades spinning in the frame at 400 to 2100 RPM, each set delivers up to 64.72 CFM with 3.57 mmH2O of pressure backing that flow. The fans reach 32.8 dB when spinning on magnetic dome bearings.
Since we got the system hub, the wiring is included; the standalone version is the fan without LINK or the cable arrangement that comes with it. It is all proprietary, except for the 6-pin GPU power connection required for functionality. PWM signaling and ARGB run through thick, rubberized cabling that can pull up to 1.39A for this trio of motors.
Best Deals: CORSAIR iCUE Link RX360 II RGB 360mm Low-Noise Unified Triple Fans
Prices last scanned 21 hours and 44 minutes ago
When shopping, you can find the RX360 II RGB PWM standalone for $69.99, which isn't horrible, but the RX360 II Expansion with system hub will set you back a solid $99.99. To help ease that blow, Corsair does back the RX II series of fans for five years from the date on your receipt.
Our Latest Cooling Fans Review Coverage
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Model | CO-9051057-WW |
| Street Name | iCUE LINK RX360 II RGB PWM |
| MSRP | $34.99 |
| Color | Black or White |
| Dimensions | 120 x 129 x 26mm |
| Speed | 400 - 2100 RPM ±10% |
| Air Flow | 64.72 CFM |
| Air Pressure | 3.57 mmH2O |
| Noise Level | 32.8 dB(A) |
| Bearing Type | Magnetic Dome Bearing |
| Connector | iCUE LINK Cable |
| PWM Control | Yes |
| Rated Voltage | 12 VDC |
| Rated Current | 0.46A |
| Warranty | 5 Years |
As best as we can tell, the CO-9051057-WW is standalone only, since the iCUE LINK RX120 II RGB PWM PC Fan Expansion is the full name of these models. There's currently no option to add a system hub to those orders without also buying the standalone LINK hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Open a question for an answer from TweakTown's coverage of this review, or ask your own below.
What do you need to install the iCUE LINK RX360 II system hub for full functionality?
Can the RX120 II expansion fan be used on its own without the iCUE LINK hub?
How does the RX360 II’s built-in thermal sensor affect fan speed control?
What are the differences between Quiet, Balanced, Extreme, and 100% modes in iCUE?
Have a question that isn't listed here? Ask below, and TweakBot will answer it.
These fans are 120mm by 129mm because of the removable round side panels and are 26mm thick, as the earlier specs showed. Speed ranges from 400 to 2100 RPM, with 64.72 CFM and the same 3.57 mmH2O specification.
These smaller fans also use magnetic dome bearings and the same proprietary connectivity, but draw only 0.46A.
The iCUE LINK RX120 II fans are also covered for five years, and unlike the decent pricing of the standalone RX360 II, a single RX120 II expansion fan will set you back $34.99 a pop, compared to $21.66 per fan in the RX360 II.
iCUE LINK RX360 II Packaging
The iCUE LINK RX360 II RGB Unified Frame with iCUE LINK System Hub ships in a vertical layout, with a near life-sized image of the fans doing their thing in the center. With the standard yellow at the top and the refreshed design over the black, it leads the eye to the bottom, where we see this is a triple-fan starter kit containing 120mm high-performance PWM fans.
If you run into an issue, or just want to register your purchase, the model and serial numbers are on the bottom of the box.
The right side of the box is also laid out vertically, and while the top rehashes the name, we do see the LINK hub, along with mentions of the unified frame, high airflow and quiet operation, inclusion of 24 RGB LEDs, and side and front views of the fan inside.
Even the top of the packaging tells you what's inside, down to the number of fans, what version you got, and an image of the hub included inside.
The left side is printed horizontally and shows much of what we have already seen on the panels before it. New here is the mention of Windows 11 and iCUE 5 or newer as prerequisites, plus the need for an extra 6-pin PCIe power plug and an open native USB 2.0 header for full functionality.
Below the name, on the back of the box, we see mention of the unified frame for efficiency and easy installation, high airflow and less noise, and 24 LEDs with removable side plates. That repeats until we reach an image of what's inside, the specs, a rendering of the parts you get, and the bottom has Corsair's information and the notation for the five-year warranty.
The fan assembly is wrapped in paper to protect the finishes; once removed, we found a code for the manual, a box of accessories, and, to the right, the iCUE LINK system hub, also wrapped in paper.
iCUE LINK RX360 II Unified Frame RGB PWM PC Fan Expansion with System Hub
Fresh from its paper wrapping, the RX360 II Unified Frame is exactly that: one frame for three sets of 120mm fan blades. The hub plaques come with a sticker to protect them as the seven translucent white blades surround them. The frame uses only four screws to simplify installation. We also like the embossed frame supports, which add stability and style.
Removing the sticker from the hub reveals the Corsair logo in shiny black, along with the tiny "Y" shapes around the edge, with dark matte gray used for contrast.
The four corners have mounting holes. While visible in the earlier image, we wanted to show the rubber rings Corsair uses on the front and back to ensure the fan doesn't vibrate the chassis, cooler, or whatever you mount it to.
Along one side of the assembly, we see three translucent panels, all sporting the Corsair name in white, to blend in until the light show begins. The outer portions are removable, as an inner ring maintains the lighting. The frame is a two-piece assembly that keeps all internal wiring and components out of view.
Internally, this white ring contains the RGB LEDs, where the Corsair nameplate on the other side can just go away or be revamped with a gamertag - anything really.
Opposite the sides that shine light, the fans make way for connectivity. While we get flow and direction arrows, as well as addresses for Corsair, we're most drawn to the left and right. The left uses a card-style connector for proprietary fan power and RGB control. To the right is a cutout that allows a plastic slug to be inserted to support the connection to another fan.
The back of the frame is shaped to let air exit smoothly and cause little to no disturbance to these high-performance, high-pressure fans. The motor support is also thinned, and the back receives hub cover stickers aligned for vertical installation.
As we looked more closely at this fan, we noticed something poking out of the black frame in the center. We found a thermal sensor, which we missed on the AIO, and that's why the fan speeds stay lower, since its speed is based on air intake temperatures.
The other end of the fan is nearly identical to the opposite end, but this time we get a product sticker with the serial number and the fan name printed on it; the support hole and the card-style connector are reversed.
iCUE LINK System Hub, Accessories, & Documentation
Like the iCUE LINK hub we set up for our last AIO review, the RX360 II depends on one for control and functionality. The front of the hub is what you see once installed, and the mix of shiny black against textured black looks nice, even if it's hidden most of the time.
The bottom edge of the LINK has a 6-pin PCIe power connector, a USB-C to native USB 2.0 connector, and a two-pin plug that connects to the CPU fan header.
Both sides of the LINK have card-style connectors that match the fan's side connectors. The proprietary connectors go from here to the fan and can be daisy-chained to another or run from the other side of this controller hub.
Wiring consists of the 300mm long USB-C to native USB 2.0 cable, the 300mm straight-to-angled proprietary fan cable, and a 100mm angled-to-angled fan cable. All have tight connectors on the ends, and instead of braided sleeves, they're rubber-coated and textured to look braided.
The box includes a pair of 3M foam tape pads to help attach the iCUE LINK hub to the back of the motherboard tray (or wherever you find room), plus a set of speed screws to mount the fan faster.
While the manual or guide only comes in digital form, we found the warranty guide and the safety and compliance information inside the box. The left explains what customers can RMA and how to do it, while the right covers use, disposal, and potential hazards.
RX120 II Packaging
The series also includes the iCUE LINK RX120 II RGB fans in a similar yellow-and-black theme, with a large image of the fan delivering a rainbow of light on the front of the box. At the bottom, it says this is a single fan inside; it is an expansion of the iCUE LINK system hub, and like the RX360, it's a high-performance PWM fan.
For some reason, the information at the bottom of the box is in French, and we do not see the same product sticker placement we saw earlier.
The left side of the box shows the name, status, and design, and highlights performance features like silence, iCUE LINK ecosystem integration, and magnetic dome bearings. Corsair also delivers a front and side view of the RX120 in action.
As before, the top of the box is not wasted. Corsair makes room for the name and logo, the single-fan expansion nature of the fan, and its full name on the right.
The right side of the box matches its opposition this time: same name, same features, same images.
On the back, we are told this fan is optimized for high airflow with low noise, is part of iCUE LINK, uses Magnetic Dome bearings, includes 8 RGB LEDs, and has a built-in thermal sensor. Further down are a specifications chart and renderings showing the included goodies, along with the five-year warranty indicator.
After removing the goodies and sliding the fan out of the box, you will find a bright yellow sleeve wrapping the fan. The code to access the manual is on it. Most likely, you already have the RX360 or the iCUE LINK Titan II RX AIO, so you're likely already familiar with it by the time you add this into the mix.
iCUE LINK RX120 II RGB PWM PC Fan Expansion
There was no paper covering the 120mm variant, but we removed the hub plaque sticker so we could show it in all its glory. Around the hub are seven translucent blades and a thick black frame with the same angles and protrusions as the RX360, plus the same number of mounting holes.
The RX120 sports the same translucent and removable outer covers, this one with the Corsair name painted across it. Again, you can just expose the ring behind it or move to a custom replacement.
Flow and direction arrows sit above a pair of Corsair addresses, while a card-style connector powers this fan, and the hole at the other end lets a plastic slug fit between a pair of fans, helping lock them together.
As with the RX360, the RX120 only gets the Corsair name on one side of the fan, while it still includes the same removable panel.
The connectivity has flip-flopped, but we still get the same option to plug in the fan or connect to another on this side. We also see the product sticker with the serial number, so binning the packaging isn't the end of the road if something goes wrong.
The rear of the fan is much smoother-looking, with a frame designed to let as much air through as possible. We also like that the hub is covered with the same plaque we see in the front, so no matter their installed position, the Corsair logo is visible.
The thermal sensor isn't just on the larger kit; it's on every one of these RXxxx II fans. So not only can you use iCUE to control speed and lighting, but you will also get thermal readings in the same window you control from.
Accessories & Documentation
While the iCUE LINK hub came with a few cables, and many of them were much longer, the shorter cable we get with the RX120 is enough to go from the back of our Titan II AIO to the rear of the chassis, which is how we see many implementing these fans.
Along with a set of easier-to-install screws, we get the plastic slug on the left that bridges the holes in the side of the fan frames, while the slotted adapter connects the card-style connectors from fan to fan; no need for cables between them.
Corsair has gone the digital-manual route, but they must cover all angles when selling globally. That is why there is a safety and compliance insert with disposal and chemical information, while the warranty insert covers the specifics of what they cover for five years.
Installation and Uses
If you get a set of these RX120, or even a pair, you need to insert the slug into the right end, attach the card-style adapter, and push it into the next fan in line. We also noticed a magnetic pull between fans, which Corsair doesn't cover well.
To get fan functionality from the iCUE LINK hub, you must install a LINK cable to the card-style connector. This enables fan speed control and lighting through a single cable. The connector can go on either side of the fan and work just as well, giving users more orientation options.
By default, when we booted the RX360 and RX120 with the cable connecting the pair, we got a pastel rainbow RGB display. Keep in mind, iCUE hasn't taken control yet, since we haven't made it into Windows. As for noise, they are currently loud and full of airflow, at nearly full speed.
You can also eliminate the cable between them, use the adapters, and have a 420mm RX Series II fan. We also took control of the fan speed and lighting via iCUE and have some results below. Again, if you know iCUE, you know the custom potential of control down to the individual LED, so whatever you can think up, these can likely accomplish.
Test System Setup & Findings
Chad's Fan Test System Specifications
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Motherboard | ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E Gaming Wi-Fi (Buy at Amazon) |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 9 9900X (Buy at Amazon) |
| RAM | Patriot Viper Elite 5 32GB @ 7000MT/s (Buy at Amazon) |
| GPU | GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super Windforce OC 16G (Buy at Amazon) |
| SSD | Patriot Viper 2TB VP4300 PCIe m.2 Gen4 x4 (Buy at Amazon) |
| Case | be quiet! Light Base 900 DX (Buy at Amazon) |
| Case Fans | be quiet! Light Wings White 140mm PWM High-Speed ARGB (Buy at Amazon) |
| Power Supply | be quiet! Dark Power Pro 12 1500W (Buy at Amazon) |
| OS | Microsoft Windows 11 Home 64-bit (Buy at Amazon) |
| Software | AIDA64 Engineer 7.60.7300, and CPU-z 2.14.0 x64 |
Findings
We have data on the fans in a free-air environment, and you can also look at the Titan II AIO for many of the figures under idle and loaded conditions, but we retest to see if we find much of the same. We typically use the ASUS BIOS presets, but iCUE gives us four options to pick: Quiet, Balanced, Extreme, and 100%, so we opted to use those instead.
Initially, when we set Quiet mode in iCUE, we saw the fans idle down to around 400 RPM, but after a moment or two, we watched them, one by one, all go into Zero RPM mode with the lighting all ablaze. At this point, noise levels are zero as well, and even when they do decide to run, the noise is very limited, with the top-end speed being 450 RPM in our testing.
Balanced mode is almost Quiet mode, without the Zero RPM feature. Speeds across all four blade sets ranged from 400 to 410 RPM, just chilling and waiting for something to speed them up. At the top end of this range, we saw the fans reach 740 RPM, delivering just 23 dB into the room.
With Extreme mode set, the fans increased to 830 to 840 RPM, depending on which fan we looked at, and were at 24 dB at idle. With a bit of heat coursing through the system, the fans reached 1050 RPM and came in at 29 dB. This setting offers a good mix of airflow, pressure, noise, and performance, while the others are geared for silence above all else.
The last option iCUE delivers in software is 100%, and to get the most of these fans, like that 64 CFM and that 3.5 mmH2O, you've got to run them near their full speed to achieve those results. That puts our fans at 2118 to 2140 RPM, screaming into our ears at 67 dB. Performance and cooling gains are huge at this speed, but there is a happy mix, and you can create a custom curve so you can use more of the fan without that much noise all the time.
Final Thoughts
We love the concept of three fans in a single frame. A few companies have sent them over, and each time we see something new, or something that grabs us visually. In this instance, it's a mix of all of that, plus many others do not come with the control that iCUE and the LINK system hub deliver. While many are fine with a single PWM fan connector and a 5VDC 3-pin ARGB connector getting them by with motherboard sync, Corsair thought you deserved more, so here it is.
In the end, fans are fans first and need to deliver airflow. Using Quiet and Balance for fan control is equivalent to a light breeze in terms of airflow. Extreme mode will likely be the best fit, as it is the best mix of noise, airflow, and pressure, and it starts to really move some air. Even so, we are talking about 30 CFM tops, and maybe 1.5 mmH2O of pressure at this setting. The Custom route is the real plan, so when the crap hits the fan during the heat of battle, you want more from your fans than 30 CFM, in our opinion.
The ARGB implementation is not the best we have seen from Corsair, but it is bright and delivers a ton of light into the chassis and the office. With eight super-bright LEDs in each hub, casting enough light to illuminate the blades and the translucent rings is quite a feat. Hotspots come with the lighting as a side effect of the intensity, but once hanging from a radiator or on the front or back of a chassis, the hotspots are much less visible.
Installation takes some sticky tape applied to the hub, then stick it to the case. Plug in the 6-pin PCIe cable and the USB cable, connect the fan with the thick rubberized cables, and enjoy the show. We did forget to mention that you'll need to download and install iCUE for control, but it's all part of the Corsair ecosystem. In instances like ours, where we already had the Titan II AIO and LINK hub installed, we could run it as its own channel or connect it to our AIO, daisy-chained to the rest of the Corsair components. While this proprietary control may not be for everyone, it certainly makes sense for any current Corsair LINK user to consider adding it to the loop.
The only real downer is the cost to get started. If you are not already LINK-equipped, you must pay $99.99 to get started with the RX360 II Unified Frame with iCUE LINK System Hub. They will sell you the RX360 II Expansion for $69.99, but without the LINK hub, you cannot use it. The same is true for the RX120 and its optional RX140 Expansion. That said, the $34.99 for the RX120 and the $39.99 for the RX140 are moot when you must shell out for an AIO or the RX360 with hub at $99.99. We get it, you start with the kit and build from it, but even with another angle of buying the standalone hub at $59.99 and adding a single RX120 to it, you are $94.98 in the hole. Even with a five-year warranty, the feature set, and all the love we gave these fans along the way, they're cost-prohibitive for many and will likely send non-iCUE users somewhere else.
