Best CPU Coolers · head-to-head

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 vs NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024)

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 is cheaper at $130. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 or NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024)?

On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 is the cheaper at $130.

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Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024)
US price $130 $279.99
BrandArcticNZXT
Released2023-102024
Type aio_liquid aio_liquid
Radiator or height (mm) 360 mm 360 mm
Fan count 3 3
Socket support Intel LGA1700, LGA1851, AMD AM4, AM5 (LGA1200/115x via optional kit) Intel LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200/115x; AMD AM5, AM4
Tdp rating (W)
Rgb No Yes
Noise dba max 40 30
Release 2023-10 2024

Sources — Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360: arctic.de (verified 2026-06-15). NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024): nzxt.com (verified 2026-06-15).

What's the difference between the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 and NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024)?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Socket support: Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 Intel LGA1700, LGA1851, AMD AM4, AM5 (LGA1200/115x via optional kit) vs NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) Intel LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200/115x; AMD AM5, AM4
  • Rgb: Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 false vs NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) true
  • Noise dba max: Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 40 vs NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) 30

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360

Only Tom's Hardware gave hands-on prose for this exact non-Pro model — two articles by the same reviewer. The verdict: quiet and a good value for gaming and GPU-heavy loads, but it fails maximum-strength CPU-only stress tests (minor thermal throttling), only matching good air coolers, and forces a warranty-voiding LGA1700 contact frame with limited socket support. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)

Praised: Low noise levels for an AIO — among the quietest in the charts; Good value for gaming and GPU-intensive workloads (gaming-load re-test); Low introductory price.

Flagged: Fails maximum-strength CPU-only stress tests; minor thermal throttling; Mediocre noise-normalized performance — only comparable to good air coolers; Forced use of a warranty-voiding LGA1700 contact frame.

NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024)

No sourced tester review yet.

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