EK has had a bit of a checkered run when it comes to liquid-cooling solutions that are pre-filled and ready out of the box, but with the EK-AIO 360 D-RGB, that is well and truly behind them. Exceptionally well built, it uses a pump based on their SPC line, meaning it's all custom and designed in-house and, as such, not your typical Asetek or Coolit-based product, which makes it quite innovative in that they had to work around those pesky patents and other problems to get to this point.

The radiator is hefty and feels far more solid than what I typically see on an AIO, and the fans are quite good as well. Add in a rock-solid warranty and it is easy to see that they have really stepped up to the plate, wanting to deliver a stellar product. Unlike the more troublesome Predator series or short-lived MLC Phoenix line, this latest product is not expandable, but by opting for a closed solution, it is easier to deliver a better warranty, and at this price point, it is hard to argue with that decision.

I will say I am a bit sad they didn't opt for a copper radiator, but considering the performance on offer and its price point, I again can't really find any fault with the choice. My only other gripe is that while GPU clearance is perfect, memory clearance with the cooler installed as intended results in a blocked DIMM slot. Of course, the pump/block can be rotated to fix that, but the shiny EK logo would no longer be facing the right way. However, as an easy fix for that minor issue, EK could fix this by including the logo in the box and letting the end user install it.

When it comes to pure performance, the EK-AIO 360 D-RGB, while loud at full tilt, is near the top of the charts. It comes in 1°C behind the Enermax LIQMAX III ARGB and Swiftech H360 X3 AIO, with the latter being an all copper loop. The only cooler in our lineup that offered a truly measurable difference in performance was the EK-MLC Phoenix 360, which was only 2°C better in the OC FPU test at the same noise levels. Dropping the fan RPM to 45–46 dBA from the maximum 51 dBA resulted in temperature of 87°C, only a 1°C increase. With those settings, it was still a top-tier performer, but without the ear-splitting noise. I would have rather seen EK limit the fans to around 1800 RPM to better balance the noise profile and performance, but for those who don't care about noise, it does have that extra bit of headroom because of it. I feel it is also worth noting that the cold plate is optimized for the IHS on AMD processors rather than Intel, so on an AMD test bench, performance may be slightly better still. While I can't verify that at the moment, I will be able to soon.

While pricing is a bit high, it is not overpriced compared to other products on the market; it just ends up pricier for the performance you get in relation to high-end air coolers. But then again, that is nothing new. The convenience and benefits that come with a closed-loop cooler, including the easier installation, better memory and graphics card compatibility, and more visible RGB lighting, tend to sway many buyers towards liquid cooling.

Now, regardless of whether you like RGB lighting or not, it being a love-it or hate-it feature, I was surprised by the lack of a manual control option in the box. While this isn't new as more coolers are solely opting for motherboard control, it still confused me for a moment. However, it all became clear to me after I realized that this cooler features EK-Loop Connect support, which is a separate $60 and includes both an RGB/fan hub and software control, as well as monitoring and safety features. But that is still a bit steep when you consider Corsair, Thermaltake, and NZXT all have software available as well, be it good or bad, and it's all factored in. Either way, it is not something that would deter me from using the EK-AIO 360 D-RGB. In fact, if your motherboard has an ARGB header, I can't see any reason to opt for even more software when it works flawlessly with the motherboard RGB software and BIOS fan profiles. It also means end-users at the very least aren't paying for EK-Loop Connect unless they absolutely want or need it, and considering how many ARGB headers it has, and some of the systems I have seen, well, I am certain someone somewhere will likely want to invest in it.

Overall, the EK-AIO 360 D-RGB is an impressive offering that performs well, looks good, and feels like a proper premium all-in-one liquid cooler. Sure, noise levels are loud at full tilt, but at the very least, noise optimized performance is still exceptional. Considering the ease of installation, build quality, and performance, I have no issue recommending it.