CONCLUSION

   Both the Fractal Design Lumen S24 and S24 RGB are very good AIO models (which is why they’ve risen in popularity ever since I reviewed them late last year) but being dual-fan 240mm models means that there’s room for cooling efficiency improvement and this is where the S36 and S36 RGB models come in. Yes, as you can see in the charts, they are not light years apart with their smaller brothers (1-2 degrees Celsius gaps) but they are clearly better while at the same time the one extra fan doesn’t raise noise levels that much. Unfortunately, even today 360mm radiators are not compatible with every PC case out there but if you want the best cooling efficiency for your CPU then this is something you’ve probably already thought of.

   At the time of this review the Fractal Design Lumen S36 and S36 RGB AIO Water Cooling Systems retail for USD165.98/USD179.14 inside the USA (Amazon.com / Amazon.com) and for 125.14Euros/139.90Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de / Amazon.de) a price tag which is balanced, at least on this side of the Atlantic. Overall there’s not much else to say about the Lumen S36 and S36 RGB by Fractal, they both deliver excellent cooling efficiency with low noise levels and for that they deserve the Platinum Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Impressive Cooling Efficiency
- Low Noise Levels
- ARGB/RGB Lighting (Pump/Fans)
- 400mm Long EPDM Nylon Braided Tubes
- Large Copper Coldplate
- Removable Waterblock Top (Company Logo Alignment)

CONS

- Compatibility / Size (360mm AIO)
- USA Pricing (For Some)