Page 3 - Test Results
Our test configuration is as follows:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
Motherboard: MSI MPG X570 GAMING PLUS
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro DDR4-3200 2x8GB
Graphics: MSI GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER VENTUS 8GB OC
Chassis: FSP CMT510 Plus
Power: FSP Hydro PTM+ 850W
Storage: Patriot Viper VPN100 512GB
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro x64
Compared hardware:
- Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML280 Mirror
- Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2
- ARCTIC Freezer A13 X
- Reeven Justice II RC-1207
All tests were run in our custom-built computer to best reflect real-life performance. The computer remained in the same place and room for all tests. The ambient temperature of the room was roughly 18 degrees Celsius. The thermal paste applied to each cooler was stock respective to their manufacturers to rate its performance. Sufficient time between testing was ensured for the paste to settle. The fans on all heatsinks were connected to the same motherboard's 4-pin connector. The test computer was turned on and idling for at least one hour for the idling tests. High CPU load results were obtained using the Prime95 in place large FFTs test with sixteen worker threads for a minimum of 15 minutes and recorded when the temperature was deemed stable. The Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML280 Mirror was tested using the stock fans sent from the factory in pull configuration install in the front of the case. The performance was compared with the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2, ARCTIC Freezer A13 X, and the Reeven Justice RC-1207. The purpose of this comparison is to find the relative performance between products, but do keep in mind there are different types and performance classes of coolers here. The temperature results for each cooler was measured with CoreTemp, which records the CPU’s integrated thermal sensor for maximum accuracy. Each temperature result was calculated by taking the maximum value of the cores inside of the CPU.
In the idle test, the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML280 Mirror came out ahead against all the other coolers we tested. The MasterLiquid ML280 Mirror was able to beat out the next competitor by an entire 5 degrees Celsius, which was quite significant. I was quite impressed by these numbers. The cooler’s performance was more than satisfactory, but the idle test aside, let us look at the test that really matters.
After enough time of stressing the CPU, I was able to push these four coolers to their limits to see what they could do. After watching a couple of episodes of Community on my phone while running Prime95 on my computer, the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML280 Mirror was able to stabilize its temperature at 70 degrees Celsius. The difference in temperature was not as large this time around, only being 3 degrees lower than the next cooler, but these results were still quite impressive as the Reeven Justice II RC-1207 is a performance product. The MasterLiquid ML280 Mirror’s performance was exemplary in keeping the CPU cool under heavy workloads.
Taking noise into consideration, the sound produced from the cooler is very important for many users. In my setup, I am running the cooler and its two fans with an additional single fan as an exhaust in my case. On a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is silence and 10 is an explosion, I would rate the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML280 Mirror at 1.0 when idling and 4.0 when under heavy loads. The fan was near silent when idle, feeling more like white noise. During heavier loads when the fan was spinning at a higher RPM, the difference in noise was apparent, but this is understandable given the SickleFlow 140's rated airflow. In my day to day use, my computer is usually never under a heavy enough workload to ramp up these fans to a point where they are running at max speeds. The MasterLiquid ML280 Mirror delivered excellent cooling performance while being quiet at lower loads.
Taking all of this into account, the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML280 Mirror is a great cooler with excellent cooling performance, while producing little noise under lower loads.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware, Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
