Review: be quiet! Pure Loop 280mm

Conclusion

With so many all-in-one liquid coolers placing a greater emphasis on RGB lighting and software customisation, it's refreshing to examine an alternative focussed squarely on hardware optimisations.

be quiet!'s Pure Loop eschews the glitzy extras and instead introduces a handful of intriguing hardware tweaks with varying levels of success. The pump, moved from above the processor to a decoupled unit further up the tubes, hasn't proved noticeably quieter in our testing but does result in a low-profile CPU block that's particularly sleek.

Cooling performance isn't compromised with Pure Loop keeping pace with pricier rivals, and given the competitive £103 price tag for a 280mm model, it's nice to see a wide range of value-adds. These include an easy-access refill port, good-quality Pure Wings 2 PWM fans, a bundled bottle of top-up coolant, a small tube of spare thermal paste, and well-thought-out mounting kits that blend well with cooler's overall aesthetic.

The absence of colour choices may keep some customers away - fixed-white illumination just doesn't sit right amid so many other RGB components - but for a clean, stylish and high-performance build, the Pure Loop 280mm is worthy of consideration.

be quiet! Pure Loop 280mm

HEXUS.where2buy*

The be quiet! Pure Loop 280mm CPU cooler will be available to purchase from Scan Computers.

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