be quiet! Silent Loop 280mm AIO CPU Cooler Review

Final Thoughts

Price

The Silent Loop All-in-One water cooling system is available now for an MSRP of €109.90 / £94.99 (Silent Loop 120mm), €129.90 / £109.99 (Silent Loop 240mm) or €149.90 / £129.99 (Silent Loop 280mm), and each unit includes a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty and should be available at all major retailers from today.

Overview

be quiet! may be the masters of air cooling, but today that all changes as they show their technical abilities can span to the world of water cooling too. We were expecting great things from the Silent Loop today, and we were not disappointed. When it comes to cooling performance, this is one very capable cooler, although we would hope so given that it’s priced around £130 and comes with a huge 280mm radiator. When it comes to non-overclocked CPUs, the cooler gave us exceptionally low temperatures, and while the performance wasn’t as good as some rival AIO coolers while overclocked, the temperatures were still well within a comfortable range for long-term operation.

be quiet! don’t get their name for the best cooling in the business, they get it for being quiet, ain’t that a shocker! The Silent Loop isn’t just quiet, it’s virtually silent and by far the quietest water cooler we’ve ever tested. To get good temperatures at such a low acoustic level just shows the quality of the components be quiet! has chosen for this cooler and that’s going to be a serious factor for anyone building a high-end and overclocked gaming system, who also wants their rig to be as quiet as possible.

Build quality is as good as it gets, as everything feels robust and has a good weight to it. The tubing is flexible, but feels very strong and comes fitted with premium quality screw mounts on both the pump and radiator ends. The Pure Wings 2 fans are already known to be a great quality component and we’ve proven that much today with their excellent performance. What really impresses the most, however, is how quiet the pump was. be quiet! are proud to shout about their pump design, but at the end of the day, it does the job, it makes very little noise and that’s what really matters to the consumer.

The installation process could have been a little easier, and does take a little longer than some other AIO coolers that are on the market, but as I said before, it’s hardly a Mensa test either, and with a little care it pays off, as the low-profile pump and the high-quality screws all compliment the overall aesthetics once it is installed.  The price is quite high, but this is a flagship AIO water cooler with impressive performance, once again proving that you really do get what you pay for.

Pros

• Class-leading build quality
• Phenomenal acoustic performance
• Perfect for overclocking
• Stylish aesthetics
• 120/240/280mm versions available

Cons

• None

Neutral

• Installation may be tricky for inexperienced builders
• OC temps could be lower, but are a happy tradeoff given low noise output

“be quiet! make be new to the water cooling game, but the Silent Loop is one of the finest we’ve ever tested. If you want great build quality, stylish aesthetics, and ultra-quiet performance, the Silent Loop 280mm is the way to go. If this is what be quiet! can do for their first effort AIOs, we can’t wait to see what they come up with in the future.”