Finished Looks

The MSI MEG CORELIQUID S280 is rather pleasing visually. The angular nature of the fan-frame design adds visual interest, while the pump cover adds softer curves which break up the industrial feel of the entire build. That said, the MSI logo does look a bit odd next to the ROG logo of the motherboard. However, its dark aesthetic should fit most builds just fine since the IPS display can be customized as shown in the video below. In general, it is a good-looking cooler in my personal opinion, but your tastes may differ.


Even though the pump cover is large, it did not cause any problems with memory or graphics card clearance on either platform.


The IPS display on the pump is the sole reason to buy the MSI MEG CORELIQUID S280, and I will admit adding various images was quite fun. Since it is an IPS display, it was much brighter and more vibrant than the video or images would lead you to believe. At the same time, it is not on par with, say, a high-end smartphone screen or HDR-certified monitor. Even so, it was plenty bright enough to do the job, and color reproduction was fairly good. It is limited to a resolution of 320x240, but that is still enough for some visually interesting options as there is support for MP4 and GIF files, along with custom text banners, live weather updates, and, of course, hardware monitoring. The latter includes CPU temperatures, fan RPM, coolant temperatures, etc. Just keep in mind that you will need MSI Center installed to make the most of the cooler's features.