The Pure Loop 2 FX 280 from be quiet! is a solid all-in-one liquid cooler. It isn't the best in terms of performance, but it does quite well all the same. On the AMD test bench, it is one of the better 280 mm offerings. Meanwhile, on Intel, it does fall a bit further behind but remains fairly competitive. It performs very similarly to the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280 A-RGB while at least in my own opinion providing a far more aesthetically pleasing design. Arctic does hold the edge in regards to performance per dollar, at least at MSRP but with be quiet! offering a promotion during their 20th Anniversary until September or until supplies run out means the Pure Loop 2 FX 280 becomes a better deal, at least in the short term.

In regards to the build quality, be quiet! holds their own here. My review sample had no bent fins, and installation was quite easy with no problems in regards to the graphics card or memory clearances. They also offer a decent middle-of-the-road warranty at 3 years; while not on par with Corsair or a few others, it's still a long enough warranty that it wouldn't stop me from recommending it. Mainly since they include extra coolant so you can top the unit off when needed to maintain maximum performance. I will also mention that the be quiet! fans had a very pleasant noise profile with no harsh tones or grinding. The same goes with the pump, which was only perceptible when set to 100% PWM separately from the fans.

Even the mounting hardware is fairly good, I encountered no issues, but still wish they used standoffs on AMD rather than long screws, as that would make for a quicker and even easier installation since you don't need to hold a backplate, mounting arm, screw, and spacer all at once. Even a friction fit spacer would be enough as an alternative. As for the ARGB lighting, it may not be everyone's favorite feature, but the implementation here is quite good. Individual LEDs are not glaringly obvious, and the overall diffused colors are even and vibrant.

Overall, the be quiet! Pure Loop 2 FX 280 is a decent AIO cooling solution that offers good performance at reasonable noise levels, gets the ARGB lighting right while also including a solid warranty and the ability to perform basic maintenance. It may not be the cooler with the lowest temperatures in our test group, but they got so much else right; I have no issues recommending it.