MSI MEG CORELIQUID S360 AIO Liquid Cooler Review

Installation

Despite the exceptionally glossy cover the product manual has, once you’re inside it, I’m afraid it does get a little disappointing. While the key information of its installation is there, and pretty easy to understand, it’s amazingly basic with, pretty much, everything explained in one single diagram per socket type.

Worst of all though, there is absolutely nothing within the manual in regard to how to set up the display. I had to actually go onto the official website to find this out. – This is, however, perhaps indicative of MSI’s continued move towards minimising physical literature within its products. – I do though think that the lack of any information regarding the control of the 2.4″ IPS display is a huge error on MSI’s part here.

Mounting

Fortunately, although the manual is rather basic in terms of the depth of information conveyed, the MSI MEG CORELIQUID S360 has, quite possibly, one of the easiest installation methodologies around. – For our particular socket, it was just 4 screws to attach the motherboard backplate, and then 4 additional thumbscrews to clamp it down to the CPU.

To do this, you do have to remove the plastic cover to the block, and when all the cables are dangling around, it doesn’t fit back with any kind of snug ‘clip-like’ satisfaction. It just sits there. – I mean, I know it’s on, but with (I think) it only being held by magnets, I’m was never 100% convinced it was tightly down!

Once in place, however, it really looks fantastic. And this is before we’ve even turned it on to check out the 2.4″ IPS display panel. Before we get onto that, however, we should note that, as per the picture below, RAM compatibility shouldn’t represent any issues whatsoever!

With the CPU block acting as, effectively, a centralised hub for the connectors, cable management skills are going to be to your advantage here. Just to put this into context, you have;

• The three fan cables that attach (via a triple splitter) to the CPU block
• A 3-pin fan connector (to be hooked up to the motherboard)
• A SATA power connector
• A USB connector to be hooked directly onto an empty motherboard port (for display management via the software)

Put simply, it’s a lot of cables, and a little intimidating for sure. Particularly since, as noted earlier, the manual is somewhat lacking when it comes to hugely in-depth information. As long as you carefully pay attention, however, and don’t miss any rogue connectors, you shouldn’t have any issues getting this correctly installed and ready to go.

IPS Display Panel

When initially turned on the MSI MEG CORELIQUID S360 display screen defaults to a generic animated pattern. Following the installation of the MSI CENTER software, however, the functionality really starts to open up.

Through this, you have a number of different options at your disposal.

Coming with a number of pre-selectable static images, GIF animations, and bezel effects, you can feel free to let your imagination run wild with the option to also upload custom images and basic (again GIF) animation files. This can also be set to display the time, weather (albeit, you need to turn location settings on), or to cycle through some of the key system performance figures such as CPU temperature, GPU temperature, pump fan speed, radiator fan speed, and liquid temperature.

In this regard, you also have the choice of selecting exactly what info you want to be displayed. Just want your fan speeds? Not a problem! CPU and GPU temps alone? Again, easy as pie!

Admittedly, a lot of software when it comes to ‘ARGB-like’ controls can be pretty terrible. While MSI CENTER isn’t as fantastic as it could be (with more than a few occasional delays as it applies the options selected) it’s honestly pretty straightforward and user-friendly.

My only mild criticism isn’t actually about the display or the functionality it offers. It’s more to do with the covering on the CPU block. It’s just a personal opinion, but I find that the acrylic top (that sits over the 2.4″ IPS display) does tend to ‘mute’ the vibrancy a little. A factor which, again just my opinion, would only hurt more if this was installed in a case with a notably dark tinted tempered glass panel. – Unfortunately, you don’t really have any options to increase the brightness though, so it is what it is. – I’m sure it would still be easily visible in such a chassis. Aesthetically though, I don’t think it would look nearly as impressive as it does on our open bench.

Overall Thoughts

With clearly not an overly perfect AIO liquid cooler, the MSI MEG CORELIQUID S360 is still exceptionally impressive both in terms of its clearly high-quality design as well as all of the indication that this truly is a premium/enthusiast grade cooling solution. Yes, I know, the bar is being set fairly high before we’ve even started the testing. – I am, however, left with no doubt that this is going to impress.

So, we’ve kept you waiting long enough I guess, let’s see how well this performs!