Finished Looks

The Gamer Storm Maelstrom 120 is a perfect fit for the test system's MSI Z87-GD65 Gaming motherboard. Toss in an ASUS DirectCu II graphics card and you have a nice red/black color scheme that looks great.


The radiator looks rather plain; however, the fan's red ring adds a splash of color and improves the Malestrom 120's overall appearance. If your case features a window, the red ring may be visible, which would make this AIO stand out without being overly gaudy.


As with most AIO liquid coolers, clearance is very good. No obstructions around the socket make accessing the top of the motherboard and the EPS 8-pin connector a breeze.


Overall, users have access to just about everything from the Msata slot and first expansion slot and on to all four DIMM slots. Then again, a big benefit of AIO coolers has always been the lack of interference, which the Maelstrom 120 showcases perfectly.