I was not sure what to expect when I first heard that Watercool is making new radiators, having tested their massive MORA3 PRO 420 before elsewhere. All the company's radiators to date utilized a different geometry for the core and fins compared to others, yet there was something about those "old-school" radiators that appealed to me and many others. Turns out, at least for yours truly, most of said appeal had to do with the design and build quality Heatkiller products have in spades. The company is expanding in 2021, but still nowhere near the scale of the EKWBs and Bitspowers of this market. What that means is that their product releases are few and far between, with this and the Heatkiller 360-L the first Watercool reviews on TechPowerUp.

Or is it Heatkiller? The company has had an issue of brand confusion, with many referring to these products as a Heatkiller offering rather than the arguably generic Watercool. While Watercool figures out what to do about it, what was not confusing was the focus on retaining the same design language and excellent build quality with the new Heatkiller radiators. The subject of this review is the Heatkiller Rad 360-S, a 30-mm-thick radiator that comes in a black, white, or brushed steel finish. It uses a boxy steel frame that does remind me of the EK-Coolstream and XSPC AX radiators, but Watercool has uses the frame to good effect by providing brushed and powder-coated options that will interest many who care for looks primarily when it comes to DIY watercooling.

At ~$90, pricing is slightly higher than average, but a lot of the cost shared with the higher-priced Heatkiller 360-L is due to the build quality and design you get. Also add the lower width of the radiator, which is basically the same as for the fans over it, as well as the thinner thickness which will have most cases fit it, including those built with the average CLC in mind. I am also happy to see another radiator entry with a different core compared to the rest in what has become a stagnating field as of late. Unfortunately, and I do not know if the Heatkiller Rad xx0-L was prioritized in the design stage, the fin geometry does not help the thinner core of the Heatkiller 360-S as much. As expected, coolant flow restriction is higher owing to the fewer tubes overall, but the low-fan-speed performance is also not taking advantage of the thinner profile before the relatively worse scaling comes into play, which makes thermal performance mediocre relative to most others. At $90, I can think of other radiators that make more sense to purchase. I would even say pony up the extra $20 for the Heatkiller Rad 360-L if it fits your case and budget, and you will still get the aesthetics of the Heatkiller design. This one unfortunately needs a price drop to be more competitive.