Deepcool Castle 360EX Review

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Awais Khan

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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After reviewing the TF120 fans, it’s time to check out the Deepcool Castle 360EX CPU Liquid Cooler. For starters, it features a redesigned top lid, allowing users to change the orientation of the Deepcool logo. With a single block showcasing ARGB lighting, the product boasts reduced cable clutter in comparison to other ARGB coolers. Additionally, a removable top lid and a blank holder provide customization options for users to feature their logos under vibrant block lighting. Through this extent of customization, it looks like a great match for any PC build. So, let’s start right away.

Key Takeaways

• The Deepcool Castle 360EX CPU Liquid Cooler stands out as a high-performing 360mm CLC cooling solution, offering a unique aesthetic with an extra-large customizable block and Anti-Leak technology.
• It is suitable for enthusiasts and power users seeking exceptional thermal performance, customization options, and near-silent operation for high-demand applications and visually striking PC builds.
• There might be better alternatives for users prioritizing extensive RGB features on fans or those with compact build requirements, as the Castle 360EX lacks RGB lighting on fans and has an overall thickness of 52mm.

Let’s start by first looking at the specifications of the Deepcool Castle 360EX CPU Liquid Cooler:

Packaging and Unboxing

The Deepcool Castle 360EX CPU Liquid Cooler is shipped inside a cardboard box in typical Deepcool styling.

Accessories

Following are included in the Deepcool Castle 360EX CPU Liquid Cooler box:

• 1x 360mm Radiator and pump unit
• 3x TF120S 120mm Fans
• 1x Intel Backplate
• 2x Intel Mounting Brackets
• 2x AMD AMx/FMx Mounting Brackets
• 2x AMD TR4 Mounting Brackets
• 4x Intel LGA20xx Standoffs
• 4x AMD AM4 Standoffs
• 4x AMD TR4 Standoffs
• 4x Small Screws for the Mounting Brackets
• 12x Fan Long Screws
• 12x Radiator Small Screws
• 1x Deepcool Case Badge
• 4x Plastic Catchers
• 4x Thumb Nuts
• 4x Intel Long Screws
• 1x Blank Spacer for Logo
• 1x Lighting Controller
• 1x Motherboard Sync Cable
• 1x 3-way PWM Splitter Cable
• 1x User Manual

Closer Look

The Deepcool Castle series of the coolers from the Deepcool has gained much popularity among the PC enthusiasts as these coolers not only pack performance but the double windowpane design on the water block with killer digital RGB lighting effect for infinity mirror effect really catches the eye. We have earlier reviewed their Castle 240 RGB CPU liquid cooler. This time we are testing their Castle 360EX cooler.

Radiator

The Deepcool Castle 360EX is a 360mm CLC cooling solution. It has a 360mm radiator with three TF120S non-RGB fans which have been specifically tuned and designed for the radiator use.

The dimension of the radiator is 402 x 120 x 27mm with a thickness of 27mm. With 25mm fans the overall thickness would be 52mm. Although it has total 48mm of thickness with the barbs which is still less than 52mm of overall thickness with the installed fans. Moreover, it has 20 fins per inch (FPI).

Deepcool’s radiator, crafted from lightweight aluminum in their unique design, features rounded edges on both ends. The dense fin stack comprises 13 channels for water flow, following a double tunnel configuration. Standard inlet and outlet blocks facilitate water flow. Optimal performance is ensured by utilizing the supplied long screws for fan mounting on the radiators.

There is a gap of 105mm between any two fan mounting holes on the radiator. The total depth of the radiator including the barb fittings is 45mm. Don’t open the black-labeled port as it is for the factory use only otherwise the vacuumed pressure inside the loop will be lost. The unit comes with a pre-applied thermal paste.

The right side of the radiator has a pressure release valve at the bulkhead side. The Deepcool is now using Anti-Leak technology which is their patented tech in their liquid coolers. With AIOs, the major concern of the users has always been the fear of leaking which may happen due to the internal loop’s pressure or due to the loose fittings. Deepcool after 5 years of R&D has come out with a unique solution which they have named as Anti-Leak.

The far-head of the radiator has a sticker pasted on it. This is not an Asetek design. The tubes are securely attached to the radiator assembly and pump housing, featuring hexagonal-shaped covers for enhanced aesthetics. Crafted from anti-explosion rubber, the soft tubing ensures flexibility without kinking, while a mesh sleeve maintains a tidy appearance on the 465mm tubes, addressing previous length concerns.

Pump And Water Block

Let’s take a look at the main element of this cooler. It is the water block with the pump housing. With Castle series of the coolers, Deepcool has put forward an altogether a new design, a new approach that would make this cooler stand out from the competition and in our little knowledge, this would be the second design after the NZXT Kraken series to feature an infinity mirror design on the block. The cooler is compatible with AMD AM4/TR4 sockets and Intel LGA 775/1366/115x and 20xx sockets.

The Castle EX series features a unique spherical cone design, reminiscent of nuclear reactor cooling towers. Measuring 86x75x71mm, the block includes a non-removable top lid with a highly reflective glass surface. Unlike previous versions, users can now adjust the logo orientation for an upright display. 

A blank cover option enables users to showcase their own logos under the captivating immersive lighting.

The block with the top lid removed is still a mesmerizing look. There is a sticker pasted on one side of the housing with Open and Close printed on far ends along with the arrow lines. This is a visual aid for the user to know in which direction the cover is to be rotated for the desired action.

Before powering on the unit, the glass top reflects surroundings. Once powered, a black GamerStorm logo appears at the center with a captivating rainbow effect, giving a visually appealing spinning impression. Addressable RGB LEDs are situated beneath the double window panes on top. Notably, the pump and RGB LED solution feature a sleek design with no branding on any side of the housing.

Mounted at a 90° angle on the block’s base, the tubes protrude around 18mm and offer left or right-side rotation. Two cables extend from the pump housing: a 270mm 3-pin flat RGB connector for compatibility with the provided RGB controller or a dedicated RGB sync cable, and a 3-pin flat power cable. The LED connector follows the format +5V-D-G, boasting a rated voltage of 5VDC and a power rating of 2.25W.

The motor, equipped with high-quality ceramic bearings, ensures near-silent performance, boasting a rated speed of 2550±10% RPM at 12VDC, with a power consumption of 2.4 Watts and a current of 0.2A. The noise level is impressively low at 17.8 dB(A), enhancing overall user experience.

The base has a size of 52x52mm which is quite large given the size of CPU IHS that we will be using for the testing. I7 6850k has a surface area of approximately 37x37mm. The base is implemented in a polished finish cooper. Please note that it is not fully polished to give a mirror effect. It is rounded on 4 corners It seems to be a plain surface. Deepcool has used 25% more skived fins on the backside of the copper base hence the heat absorption area is increased.

Fans

Deepcool bundles the Castle 360EX with three TF120S fans, an enhanced version of the original TF120, finely tuned for optimal radiator performance rather than chassis airflow.

Each fan boasts 9 blades with dedicated air channels, featuring a GamerStorm logo in white at the center. To counter air drag, an additional layer is added to the trailing edge of each blade. While symbols are printed on each blade’s far edge, their impact on performance remains uncertain. The fans are equipped with anti-vibration rubber pads on every mounting corner for enhanced stability.

Examining the fan from the side provides further clarity. The mainframe, constructed from plastic, features a ring that aligns with the styling on the center sticker and far edges of the blades. One side bears the print “GAMER STORM,” while the top side incorporates two arrow indicators illustrating airflow direction and blade spin. The frame design, aimed at flow amplification and noise cancellation, enhances overall fan performance.

There is a flat 4-pin PWM power cable coming out of the fan.. Since these are not RGB fans hence there is no RGB LED power cable. Cable’s length is approximately 280mm. Examining the fan’s backside reveals a 4-arms assembly supporting blades and center, with the GamerStorm logo and name printed on the sticker. One arm, responsible for the power cable, has a widened body. Air-forming channels on the frame edges optimize airflow.

These 12V DC fans, rated at 0.15A with 1.8W power, operate at speeds ranging from 500 to 1800±10% RPM, providing a maximum airflow of 64.4CFM. With a noise level rated at <32.1 dB(A) and utilizing Hydro Bearings for durability, they offer efficient and quiet cooling performance.

Cables and Controller

Let’s take a look at the bundled accessories:

Deepcool has bundled one 3-way PWM splitter cable. The user can connect all the three fans of the cooler to a single header or power source using this cable. There is a Motherboard ARGB Sync cable. One end has a proprietary 3-pin connector to which the pump block’s LED cable is connected.

The other end has two ARGB connectors. One is labeled for the Gigabyte motherboards and the other is labeled for the Asus/ASRock/MSI motherboards. The user can sync the lighting of the block with the motherboard’s lighting this way.

Included in the package is a dedicated controller featuring three labeled buttons: Mode +, Speed, and Mode –. The top button loads the next lighting mode, the middle button exclusively controls lighting speed in dynamic lighting mode, and the bottom button loads the previous lighting mode. The controller has SATA connector on one end and the 3-pin proprietary connector on the other end.

RGB Lighting

The Deepcool Castle 360EX Review features a 16.7M true color ARGB flowing light system with 5 in-built effects:

• Dynamic
• Static
• Breathing
• Comet
• Fashion Collision

Here are some pictures for your eye pleasure:

Installation

We have tested for Deepcool Castle 360EX Review on the X99 platform using 2011-3 socket. Installation mechanism is straight forward on this socket as you don’t need backplate on this socket.

Here are the installation steps:

• Install Fans on the Radiator: Attach the fans securely onto the radiator.
• Attach Intel Mounting Brackets to the Pump’s Base: Use 4 small screws to affix the Intel Mounting Brackets to the pump’s base, ensuring the screw heads align with the bracket’s surface.
• Install Intel LGA-20xx Standoffs on the Socket: Place the Intel LGA-20xx standoffs onto the socket.
• Secure the Block with Thumb Nuts: Set the block on the standoffs. Use thumb nuts to firmly lock the block onto the CPU, preferably applying even pressure diagonally.
• Connect Block’s Power Cable: Attach the block’s 3-pin power cable to the CPU/AIO/Pump fan header on the motherboard. If using a different fan header, adjust the control type to DC in the UEFI/BIOS if it’s a 4-pin PWM header.
• Connect LED Cable: Link the 3-pin LED cable either to the controller or the MB Sync Cable.
• Power Up Lighting: Connect the controller to the PSU SATA controller or the MB Sync cable to the 5V lighting header on the motherboard.
• Connect Fans with PWM Splitter: Use a 3-way PWM splitter cable to connect the fans to the motherboard’s fan header.
• Install the Radiator: Install the radiator in the desired location inside the case before or after installing the block. There is no clearance issue with respect to the DIMM slots and first PCIe slot. Make sure your PC case has clearance for 360mm radiator.

Testing

Following are the test benches that I used in my testing:

• Asus ROG Strix Z390-E Gaming
• Intel i7 8700k @ 5.0GHz
• Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB 16GB @ 3200MHz
• HyperX 120GB SSD
• Thermaltake ToughPower RGB 750W PSU

Below is the software that I used for testing and monitoring:

• AIDA64 Extreme 5.99

Here is the settings table for testing:

I am using Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste on all my test benches to ensure the standardization across all coolers’ testing and mitigate any performance benefit that may come using the supplied thermal paste. Delta temperatures are reported on the graphs. The testing is done on an open-air bench system. Once inside the PC case, the temperatures are expected to rise and would largely depend upon the optimal airflow inside the chassis.

Not every run of the stress test may yield the same result. This could well be due to many factors like mounting pressure, thermal paste application, varying ambient temperature. Not to mention the silicon differences even among the same category of the chips. Hence, it is pertinent to mention the testing methodology along with the specifics.

Intel i7 8700K 5.0GHz Results

This time around I decided to take a different route and tested the cooler on the 8700k chip at 5.0GHz. The graph has two custom loop kits, one air cooler, and now three AIOs on it. Let’s take a look at the results.

This is the first time that I have seen an AIO cooler beating the Asus ROG Ryujin 360 as it had a crown for some time now though I am still waiting to see if any 240mm AIO could beat the Asus ROG Ryuo 240 on my bench. Superb performance by the Deepcool Castle 360EX Review!

Acoustic

Due to certain uncontrollable environmental noise, I am unable to measure the true noise level of the fans using a sound meter. Based on my experience with testing the CPU Coolers and the fans, the TF120S fans on the Deepcool Castle 360EX CPU Liquid Cooler are a bit loud and can be easily heard.

Should You Buy It?

After carefully reviewing and analyzing the Deepcool Castle 360EX, I have reached the following results:

Buy It If:

✅ You Need Outstanding Performance: The Deepcool Castle 360EX excels in thermal performance, surpassing competitors like the Asus Ryujin 360, making it ideal for high-demand applications.

✅ Customization Is A Priority: With an extra-large customizable block featuring double window panes and an infinity mirror effect, this cooler offers a unique aesthetic for your rig.

Don’t Buy It If:

❌ You Need Extensive RGB Features: If you crave extensive RGB lighting, the Castle 360EX may fall short, as it lacks RGB lighting on the fans.

❌ You Have Compact Build Requirements: With an overall thickness of 52mm, the Castle 360EX may not be suitable for those with space constraints or a preference for a more compact design.

Final Thoughts

So, I recently got the Deepcool Castle 360EX for review, a slick 360mm CLC cooling solution. The lightweight aluminum radiator is just 27mm thick, with three TF120S fans keeping things cool. It has flexible tubing, thanks to upgraded anti-explosion rubber, and there’s an Anti-Leak valve for added security. Not to forget the extra-large block that steals the show with double window panes and an infinity mirror effect. You can even customize the GamerStorm logo.

With a polished copper base measuring 52x52mm and enhanced skived fins, the Deepcool Castle 360EX ensures excellent heat dissipation. Complementing this, the low-profile double-chamber design not only reduces noise but also enhances overall efficiency. Running quietly at 2550±10% RPM and consuming 2.4 Watts, the three-phase x-life motor powers the TF120S fans with Hydro Bearings. Although these fans are all black and lack RGB lighting, they contribute to a sleek aesthetic. Additionally, an RGB controller syncs seamlessly with the motherboard.

In summary, the Castle 360EX stands out as a thermal performance powerhouse, surpassing competitors. While additional ARGB features could have been a welcomed bonus, Deepcool provides assurance with a robust 3-year limited warranty. Well played, Deepcool!

Special thanks to Deepcool for giving us the opportunity to review the Deepcool Castle 360EX.

Awards Received By The Deepcool Castle 360EX

• Best Budget 360mm AIO Liquid Cooler

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Awais Khan

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

Get In Touch: Laiba@hidgt.com