Thermaltake TH280 V2 Ultra EX ARGB Sync AIO Cooler Review

A Closer Look

The magnetic fans come with a new and improved connection block on the cables, it’s bigger than before and has larger contact pads, and stronger magnets, so it’s just a big more secure and reliable all-round.

The pump has a display, so you need to hook up a USB cable for that, but it’s all pretty straightforward stuff really.

The fans are the latest and greatest versions, with a 9-blade design they’re designed to push a good amount of airflow with increased air pressure, so they can push the air through the radiator more easily and draw away more heat. The fans look great too, with jet-black exteriors and those bright frosty white fan blades, which will look stunning once we power on the ARGB lighting.

The fans can be snapped together thanks to the hidden magnets on their sides, and male and female pins deal with the PWM/RGB signals.

They really are strong too, you can hold them and shake them from one side and the other fan doesn’t come off!

The radiator looks as you might expect, with a 280mm configuration and a nice and tidy squared-off design on the ends.

The radiator supports the installation of the fans on either side of the radiator, so you can configure it for push or pull to suit your installation requirements.

The tubing is nicely done too, with a tight weaving that both looks great, but also keeps the tubing well protected.

There’s a pivot mount on each tube on the pump side, allowing you to easily adjust the angle for an easier installation.

On the bottom of the pump, there’s a Micro-USB connector for the display connection, shame it’s not Type-C, but that’s hardly a deal breaker as you’ll only need to connect it up once.

The top of the pump looks amazing, with a thick industrial-looking ring that has exposed screw heads, and a large LCD located right in the middle.

The cold plate is massive, with an extended copper plate that will ensure good coverage on any of the most popular Intel or AMD CPUs.

To add the Intel or AMD bracket, you simply slide it onto the bottom of the pump and it clicks firmly into place.

The fans can be daisy-chained, meaning fewer cables are required, and that’s going to keep your build looking neat and tidy.

Installation was easy, with a few screws to hold the radiator to the case, screws for the fans, and four screws to mount the CPU block to the motherboard.