CoolerMaster has long been a brand associated with cooling. It’s quite literally in the name, and their latest entry, the Coolermaster MasterLiquid 360L Core White, stands firm on its namesake. Built on the back of the MasterLiquid line, the 360L Core White offers some nice improvements as well as some style updates that make it stand out in a crowd. 

As the name suggests, the Core White leans heavily on the classic design tone of earlier models while still keeping things fresh and clean. The new cooler boasts a larger rad surface area and wider rad deck. This helps produce quicker heat removal from the rad, which helps create a cooler surface area overall. 

The reality of this larger surface area is that you’ll need to check your case to ensure it will comfortably fit inside. Measure just under 400mm in length; those with smaller cases will need to look into a case upgrade or perhaps check out the Coolermaster 240L Core White model instead. Regardless, the new rad design does help maintain a more consistent, cooler experience for the CPU (more on this later). 

Additionally, CoolerMaster has also included three updated 120mm Argb fans to attach to the rad. Also encased in white, the ARGB-equipped fans shine nice and bright against the all-white enclosure. This white enclosure helps accent the lighting creating a rather stunning overall visual to behold. As a sucker for a white and black build, the Core White fit right at home in my NZXT 700 series case.

Perhaps the new pump cover design is the most notable (and recognizable) element of the 360L Core White. Doning a single ARGB strip at the center, the pump cover pays homage to some of the more classic CoolerMaster designs while still managing to sneak in some nice, more modern design elements. 

Speaking of the pump cover, it’s important to note that the pump itself uses a new dual-chamber design. It is intended to help better leverage water flow and maintain more consistent pressure in the system. This, in turn, allows for better cooling of hot areas on the CPU. Additionally, CoolerMaster has redesigned the copper base plate that covers the CPU to maximize cooling in conjunction with the aforementioned dual chamber system. The result is a more focused, efficient cooling delivery. 

Regarding setup and compatibility, the MasterLiquid 360L Core White supports the Latest generation of AMD and Intel CPU sockets as well as some of AMD’s earlier generation CPUs. Appropriate mounting brackets for both CPU types come standard with the 360L, so rest assured you’ll find what you’ll need to get everything mounted and secured. 

The installation of the 360L is a fairly standard process. The only real challenge you might face, which was alluded to earlier, is finding a location to mount the cooler in your case. Measuring 394mm in length, you’ll most certainly need a mid-tower (ATX) case to fit it in. Even then, you’ll most likely find that it only fits in one location. Even with the NZXT case I had on hand, it still required some adjustments to the mounting brackets within the case to get the cooler and fans the room they needed.

Other than accommodating the longer style of the rad the installation is a fairly straightforward affair. CoolerMaster also includes a large tube of CryoFuse thermal paste as well, saving you a last-minute run to your computer store when you realize you have none left. Not that I speak from experience, of course. 

As for power and ARGB connections, CoolerMaster also includes both power and ARGB splitter cables. This allows you to tie all the power and ARGB cables into two streamlined connection points. It reduces the need for inputs on the board and allows for better cable management.

After all the cables as connected, plugged in, and the pump secured with your bracket of choice, you can simply fire up your system, and everything will be running. It’s a fairly simple setup, and the included splitter cables and heat paste make it that much easier. It’s a nice quality-of-life upgrade that helps make the whole process that much easier to engage with. 

I’ve mentioned the ARGB lighting on the 360L a few times, and it’s important to note a few things about it now. For those new to the world of ARGB, here’s the TLDR. ARGB stands for Addressable Red, Green, Blue. Unlike traditional RGB, which forces every LED within a light strip to maintain the same singular colour, ARGB allows you to assign a colour to each LED individually. As you can imagine, this allows for a host of new and exciting lighting options for your case. 

However, as with all things RGB and ARGB, you need some way to control the whole system. While CoolerMaster does have its own MasterPlus+ software, you will not be able to leverage it with the 360L unless you also have CoolerMaster’s own RGB controller, which is not included in the box. For those of us without the controller, you’ll need to rely on your motherboard’s software suite (if available) to manage the cooler. Thankfully the 360L is compatible with many of the major brands’ RGB control software, such as Asus Aura and MSI Mystic Light Sync, but it does mean one more piece of software to manage all of your RGB lighting needs.

It feels like an unnecessary hassle that could easily be solved by allowing the 360L to be controlled without needing additional hardware from the MasterPlus+ software or, alternatively, including the controller with the cooler. 

Despite this frustration, the ARGB lighting is a delight to use once everything is connected and communicating. It’s vibrant and exceptionally customizable, allowing you to customize to your heart’s content. The result is a stylish and functional cooler.

Speaking of functionality, the 360L works impressively well. I ran the unit through a series of game tests over hour-long sessions. Running a series of games with various resource needs, I was impressed to never see the average CPU temps rise over 60℃. While there were a few times I saw spikes in the mid 60℃, it would only be for a moment or two at most before the temp would quickly come back down. Even over longer gaming sessions, the 360L held its ground and kept the CPU cool. 

Perhaps what’s most impressive from the tests is just how consistent the MasterLiquid is. I never measured any major spikes in temp despite the load. Rather, the CPU temperatures became predictable based on load usage, with it peaking in the mid 60℃ range but still, on average, hovering around the 60℃ point.  

Another point on cooling worth noting was simply how quiet the fans were. Even spinning up for a heavier CPU load, they remained whisper quiet. This was a pleasant surprise, considering the size and number of fans included in the system. From a functional standpoint, the CoolerMaster MasterLiquid 360L Core White is top-notch. 

The CoolerMaster MasterLiquid 360L Core White is a great cooler. It offers more than enough cooling for even the most rigorous tasks and looks amazing doing it. The minimalist, white style and design offer a unique and clean aesthetic for your case, while the ARGB lighting offers many unique customization options. Some less-than-ideal lighting controls and the larger rad footprint could be a point of tension for people, but nothing that really detracts from the overall quality of the 360L Core White. If you’re in the market for a cooler, the MasterLiquid 360L Core White is definitely worth your consideration.