ID-Cooling's DX 360 MAX is at its core a relatively simple AIO liquid cooler. Its biggest differentiator is the 38 mm thick radiator vs the more typical 27 mm. This increased surface area has the potential to improve performance and on the Intel test bench it certainly delivered. In terms of maximum heat load the cooler could handle before thermal throttling it took the top spot beating out the Lian Li HydroShift LCD 360S, HYTE THICC Q60, and the Valkyrie Syn 360 ARGB. In all tests it places at or near the top of the performance charts, but the biggest surprise was in the noise normalized performance tests where the DX 360 MAX took the top spot in every single test. On the AMD front, performance is still quite good but not chart topping. I would classify it as average for a 360 mm AIO.

As for the cooler's noise characteristics at lower RPMs it is quiet and has no odd tonal noises, bearing noises, or issues with excessive pump noise which is fantastic. However, as the fans ramp up the noise eventually tops out at an excessive 59 dBA. This is purely fan noise and while performance levels are good in the noise-normalized tests and the extra headroom is nice I feel it's a bit excessive here. While the DX 360 MAX isn't the loudest cooler I have tested it still ranks in the top five for max noise output. Therefore, most users will want to utilize a custom fan profile to get the best overall performance and acceptable noise levels.

In terms of build quality, I have no major complaints. The cooler arrived in perfect condition, and the packaging was a step-up thanks to the use of foam instead of the typical cardboard tray. The mounting hardware was also easy to work with and posed no challenges. Although the manual is quite basic, it's nice that ID-Cooling includes one. Regarding memory and graphics card clearance, everything fit without any issues. The only potential issue may be with clearance in some cases due to the coolers thicker dimensions. All that said, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the five-year warranty which is also a nice touch.

The visual design is clean and simple as well, with the only ARGB lighting being located on the pump. I would classify it as classy since leaving it disabled adds a bit of contrast to an all black cooler. Meanwhile, if you choose to enable it you get an even and well lit pump top that's not overly excessive. The unit also makes use of standard PWM headers for both pump and fan control, meaning you don't need any bloated software to get the most out of ID-Cooling's DX 360 MAX. Sometimes less is more, and I think ID-Cooling understands that leaving custom software and bloated ecosystems to the wayside keeps things straightforward, lowers overall cost, and most importantly simplifies the installation process and user experience.

Overall, the ID-Cooling DX 360 MAX is an affordable, no-frills all-in-one liquid cooler that offers clean looks and decent performance on AMD systems. However, it goes from good to excellent and thus an easy recommendation for those on an Intel based system that want something with a bit more visual flair without being over the top.