Fractal Lumen S24 RGB AIO Liquid Cooler Review

How Much Does it Cost?

Fractal has confirmed that the Lumen S24 ARGB AIO liquid cooler is available to purchase now, with consumers likely to expect a retail price in the region of $109.99 (circa £84.99). In direct comparative terms, while notably more expensive than the more entry-level 240mm designs, this is quite competitively priced when compared to similar ‘premium’ products. And make no mistake about it, the Fractal Lumen S24 ARGB is definitely a premium cooling solution.

Overview

In terms of build quality and performance, the Fractal Lumen S24 ARGB is practically faultless. It seems abundantly clear that a lot of thought has gone into the design and components of this AIO and, based on the figures provided in our testing, this has been exceptionally well rewarded. The Lumen S24 ARGB provides excellent CPU temperature control and clearly demonstrates that it’s an entirely viable solution for moderate levels of overclocking. – While the acoustic performance isn’t whisper-quiet, it’s not notably noisy either, meaning that, by and large, it puts a big tick in all the right boxes the savvy cooling consumer should have.

As far as we’re concerned, the only moderate downside to the Lumen S24 ARGB is that while it does include ARGB lighting effects, and this is just a personal opinion, they’re nothing particularly special. Although we’re mildly loathed to use the word, generic does seem to sum them up pretty well, with the only key highlight being the useful point of being able to physically remove and rotate the CPU block cap (to get it the right way up based on how you installed it). – On the other hand, however, the ARGB effects are still decent enough and do provide a number of functions that will undoubtedly suit the vast majority of people’s tastes.

I think one could possibly make the argument, however, that while ARGB lighting is definitely the ‘trend’ for many products at the moment, Fractal quite possibly didn’t want these to distract from what is, in the Lumen S24 ARGB, a quality AIO cooling solution. For me though, what we have here appears to be more of an aesthetic afterthought rather than an integral part of the overall design.

Should I Buy One?

It’s not exactly a secret that consumers have many AIO cooling solutions to pick from in today’s market. While the less expensive and flashier ‘RGB bells and whistle’ products can often be tempting, however, it’s hard to ignore the reality that, overall, in terms of actual performance, you tend to get what you pay for. And when it comes to AIO cooling solutions, the key priority should always lie in keeping your CPU temperatures as low as possible while providing low (or at least reasonable) levels of acoustic output. – With this in mind, the Fractal Lumen S24 ARGB definitely hits the ball out of the park in those remits, with the only downside of this design (for some at least) likely being its rather lacklustre ARGB lighting effects.

Offering excellent levels of performance, and coming from one of the industries most respected manufacturers, the Fractal Design Lumen S24 ARGB is, without a doubt, a high-spec cooling solution. Its biggest advantage, however, may lie in the very competitive price tag it has. One that sees it, ever so slightly, undercut some of the perhaps more recognisable mainstream AIO cooling options.

The Fractal Lumen S24 ARGB is just as good, if not better than most other 240mm AIO liquid cooling solutions. In many instances, it is significantly less expensive than its so-called ‘premium-level’ competition. From a consumer standpoint, what’s not to love about that?…

Pros

• Exceptionally strong levels of CPU temperature control performance
• Low acoustic output making it an ideal choice for those who value low-noise systems
• Build quality is clearly to the highest of standards
• Huge 5-year warranty – Unusually long by normal AIO manufacturers’ standards
• Definitely a viable choice for users who enjoy dabbling in a little overclocking

Cons

• None

Neutral

• ARGB lighting is decent enough, but it largely just comes across as uninspired/generic
• Our installation was troubled. It might’ve just been bad luck, but I fear other users may too have this experience without the knowledge or experience necessary to know what to try to do to amend it