XSPC RX360 radiator review

[HESmelaugh]

I recently got a chance to test the XSPC RX360 radiator.



First of all, let me address the issues with the finish of these radiators that many reported. It seems that the first batch of these radiators were wrapped before the paint dried completely and this led to blemishes on the rad.
My model had almost perfect finish, but was seemingly also wrapped a little too early. The radiators from that first batch have been pulled in the meantime and the new ones are expected sometime next week.



So far, I have only compared this radiator to three competitors:
- Thermochill PA120.3
- Magicool Slim 360
- Watercool HTSF 360

The reason I chose these competitors is mainly that I had them lying around here.
But also, the TC is definitely the main competitor with the RX and the Magicool is a very low budget radiator so it is interesting to see how much better the high-end rads do in comparison.


Testing method
For testing the radiators, I set up a loop with one of the radiators, a Laing DDC (355) with an EK X-Res top, two 300W heaters and two arrays with two analogue thermal sensors each.

This is what the thermal sensor array thingy looks like:

With this, I can measure the water in and water out temperatures.

An mCubed T-Balancer BigNG is logging all of the relevant temps in 5-second intervals and and has three digital thermal sensors attached that are measuring ambient temperatures.

In this test, I measure performance at five different fan speeds: 400rpm, 800rpm, 1200rpm, 1600rpm and 2000rpm.
For the lowest fan speed, I use Scythe Slip Stream 500 fans. For the medium fan speeds I use Nanoxia FX-1250 fans and for the high fan speeds I use Yate Loon D12SH-12. All of the fans are installed pushing air through the radiators.

Each test run lasts for 35 minutes and all of the temps from the last ten minutes of a run are averaged out to recieve the relevant data.
I don't know the actual heat loads of my heaters, so I just refer to the heat loads as 300W (with one heater active) and 600W (both heaters active) respectively, since the heaters are supposed to do 300W each.

Results

300W Heatload:


600W Heatload:


The 600W heatload starts at 800rpm since it's just too much heat for 400rpm fans.
As we can see, the two highend-rads are quite clearly superior to the lower budget competitors.

It's a very close race between the RX and the TC. In short, at lower fan speeds, the RX is the better choice while at higher fan speeds, the TC has the edge. It's a close call either way, but I would certainly always recommend the XSPC RX over the TC for the following reasons:
- The RX has standard fan-spacing
- The RX has standard M4 threads
- The RX (and this is a very minor advantage) has the much more commong G1/4" threads for fittings
- The RX costs less
- And finally, for me personally, performance at low rpm is what really matters. I like my PC silent and at lower rpm the quality of the radiator makes much more of a difference than at high rpm. At 400rpm, the difference between the best and the worst radiator in this comparison is 3.5K at 300W.
At 2000rpm the difference between best and worst shrinks to just 1.3K, a difference that seems much less worth the extra price paid for the highend radiator.

You can find my original (german) article with lot's of more pics and some more details here.

That's all for now. Any questions and comments are welcome!

Cheers,
Shane

[aspire.comptech]

Great review, been waiting to see how this rad stacked up to the competition.

Thanks!

[Metric]

Nice review, seems like the XSPC just barely beats out Thermochill at the low end

I just picked up a PA120.3 a few weeks ago for about the same price as the RX360 - decisions, decisions

[BringerOdeath]

I picked up a supposedly blemished one from jab-tech for $71.95 on friday. I am going to piant it I believe so the blemishes are not a concern to me. It is going to go on the bottom of my case, I was going to get another gtx or a feser, but this price was too good to pass up!!
http://www.jab-tech.com/XSPC-RX360-T...r-pr-4384.html

[BDW88]

Thanks for the testing HESmelaugh keep it coming!

[skinnee]

Excellent work HESmelaugh!

[defect9]

Damn, I just ordered one of the blemished ones (from Jab-Tech) as well today. Right on! The last 7 won't last now that this test is out.

Now I just need the rest of the parts for my loop

[BringerOdeath]

Originally Posted by defect9

Damn, I just ordered one of the blemished ones (from Jab-Tech) as well today. Right on! The last 7 won't last now that this test is out.

Now I just need the rest of the parts for my loop

Most places have it for around $100, so $71.95 with blemishes is a great deal for the rad!!
Wow, defect, I live 30 minutes away from you!!

[defect9]

Originally Posted by BringerOdeath

Most places have it for around $100, so $71.95 with blemishes is a great deal for the rad!!
Wow, defect, I live 30 minutes away from you!!

haahaa, small world it seems. Might have to hook up sometime to talk mods or BS or something.

Tahoe is totally beautiful, year-round.

[BringerOdeath]

Originally Posted by defect9

haahaa, small world it seems. Might have to hook up sometime to talk mods or BS or something.

Tahoe is totally beautiful, year-round.

LOL, I have a funny story about how small the world is....but this isnt the time for it!! I have an extra CPU block(Fuzion V2) and some extra Blue 1/2"ID-3/4" OD tubing if you need some. I may also have an extra res if I decide to put dual pumps in a loop.....

[Hondacity]

HESmelaugh

excellent review,

kelvin....i rather not..lol

[Aqua-Pc's]

Nice review - thanks for taking the time to do it.

[AndreaBZ]

Test very interesting!

You may publish the numerical values of the chart ?
300W Heatload and 600W Heatload:



So I can insert them in my spreadsheet........
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=206542

Thank you......
....very good work!

[HESmelaugh]

Originally Posted by Hondacity

HESmelaugh

excellent review,

kelvin....i rather not..lol

Thanks. What do you mean by that last line, though? I'm not getting it...

Originally Posted by AndreaBZ

Test very interesting!

You may publish the numerical values of the chart ?
300W Heatload and 600W Heatload:



So I can insert them in my spreadsheet........
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=206542

Thank you......
....very good work!

You can get the numerical values from here: Link.

Oh, I just realized that those aren't all of the numerical values from the test. I'll have to compile the others, too.
But don't add my data to your calculations just yet, because I don't know the actual wattage of my heaters. I'll get a gizmo for measuring that within the next days and then I'll post actual wattage and all of the numericals, ok?

@everyone: Thanks for the encouraging comments. Much appreciated.

[AndreaBZ]

Originally Posted by HESmelaugh

-----------------------
Oh, I just realized that those aren't all of the numerical values from the test. I'll have to compile the others, too.
But don't add my data to your calculations just yet, because I don't know the actual wattage of my heaters. I'll get a gizmo for measuring that within the next days and then I'll post actual wattage and all of the numericals, ok?

@everyone: Thanks for the encouraging comments. Much appreciated.

OK
thanks

[Garrett]

Nice, I have the RX360 so I can sleep at night now

[hotdun]

Wow, that's impressive, nice review!

[Power_VANO]

Nice review!

Seems XSPC RX series are great price/performance performers and the are ofc high end stuff. Doing at the level of Feser and TC.

[sgayol]

I Just ordered mine! Should be an upgrade from my gtx120

[Mr. K6]

Excellent review! I was waiting for a review on this as I've been thinking about jumping over to water cooling. That review did it, I just ordered one of the "blems" from jab-tech

EDIT: Just out of interest, any comments on how fan orientation (push vs. pull, etc.) affects this particular radiator?

[BringerOdeath]

Originally Posted by Mr. K6

Excellent review! I was waiting for a review on this as I've been thinking about jumping over to water cooling. That review did it, I just ordered one of the "blems" from jab-tech

EDIT: Just out of interest, any comments on how fan orientation (push vs. pull, etc.) affects this particular radiator?

I alway use pull with shrouds.....

[[XC]Atomicpineapple]

Excellent review. Only thing is the price, for UK customers the Thermochill is a good £15-20 cheaper.

[mstrmold]

Ordered mine last week from Jab-Tech. Somehow I ended up with a non paint marred RX360 even though it was labeled as such. Can't wait until this makes it into my new system I'm cooking up. Great review HESmelaugh!

[HESmelaugh]

Originally Posted by Mr. K6

Excellent review! I was waiting for a review on this as I've been thinking about jumping over to water cooling. That review did it, I just ordered one of the "blems" from jab-tech

EDIT: Just out of interest, any comments on how fan orientation (push vs. pull, etc.) affects this particular radiator?

Glad to have helped. And welcome to the small group of crazy people who run water in their PCs.

I don't know how fin density affects push/pull behaviour of a radiator. My guess would be that you can go with the results Martin posted some time ago: Link

[NaeKuh]

hey HES great test,

however did you assume the higher RPM values? Because the start you and skinnee match, but towards the end, you guys branch off.

So im kinda lost.