MSI's first foray into CPU cooling is a success. The Core Frozr L performs quite well. In fact, its price-to-performance ratio is damn solid, it going toe to toe with the Noctua NH-U12S for less. Build quality is very good, not quite on par with Noctua, but it is damn close, and there are no issues with expansion-slot clearance. That means those of you running mini-ITX or micro-ATX systems should be a-ok in terms of clearance when it comes to the Core Frozr L. MSI did a great job with the mounting hardware as it's easy to work with. The hardware should be easy to work with even when mounting the cooler inside an assembled system. MSI was even so kind as to include an extra set of fan clips for a dual-fan setup. Now, when it comes to looks, MSI made sure that their first cooler matches those graphics cards and motherboards they have available. Those of you who like the MSI GAMING series of products might have just found the cooler for their next build. Overall, MSI has a solid first offering with the Core Frozr L.

A few issues are apparent; first and foremost is the fact that the Core Frozr L looms over a DIMM slot. While standard-height memory will fit, taller heatsinks will not. The one -two year warranty feels inadequate. With build quality as good as it is, I expected a longer warranty. Moving on the color theme, it is a perfect match for MSI graphics cards and motherboards, but may not fit all systems. That or maybe LEDs are not your thing, but at least those can be turned off. Finally, there is the plastic shell. While such a flimsy shell is cost effective and expected given the price, it only offers a minimal amount of protection for the cooler.

Overall, I found a great deal to like about the MSI Core Frozr L. It stands out, is easy to install, and offers good performance and acceptable noise levels. My only other thought is due to the fact that the GAMING series theme now covers not only graphics cards, motherboards, and laptops, but also a cooler. While that is not a bad thing, I do think it will limit its appeal a small bit.

If you want a flashy cooler for a good price that will fit right in with your MSI Gaming Series GPU and motherboard, look no further than the Core Frozr L.