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Good Value!
Review Summary
The Cougar Poseidon Vistek Pro 360 ARGB White is a powerful and stylish liquid cooler with a 3.95-inch customizable screen, neat cable management, and solid performance for its price. It runs a bit loud at full speed and has limited mounting options on AMD sockets, but it offers great value and a five-year warranty.
Hours Tested: 6
Overall
-
Performance - 8.5/10
8.5/10
-
Design - 9/10
9/10
-
Value - 9/10
9/10
-
Quality - 8.5/10
8.5/10
Pros
- Thermal Performance
- Single Fan Bracket
- High-Pressure Fans
- A-RGB Lighting
- IPS 3.95” Screen
- 720x720px
- Compatible with Intel LGA1700/1851 sockets
- Compatible with AMD AM4/AM5 sockets
- Simplified Cable Management
- Price
- Warranty
Cons
- Noise
- Software Issues
- Limited AMD Mounting
The market is filling with display screen-enabled coolers in recent times, but with one particular observation. Earlier, such coolers were expensive, but this time, brands are coming out with cost-effective solutions providing the best of both worlds. Cougar is also catching up with the trend and has released its new liquid cooler named Poseidon Vistek Pro ARGB. The cooler is available in black and white colors and in 240mm and 360mm sizes.
Obviously, the main or key point is a large-sized screen measuring 3.95” with 720×720 resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. It is an IPS panel, and the software allows full customization. In addition, Cougar has used a single fan assembly on this cooler, which reduces the cable clutter and provides a uniform look.
I am taking a look at the 360mm white edition of the cooler. It is compatible with Intel LGA 1366/115x/1200/1700/1851 and AMD AM2/AM3/AM4/AM5/FM1/FM2 sockets. The MSRP of this variant is USD 149.90 with 5 5-year warranty.
| Radiator Dimension | 392x121x27mm |
| Radiator Material | Aluminum |
| Pump Speed | 2700 ± 10% RPM |
| Pump Connector | 3-Pin DC |
| Base Material | Copper |
| A-RGB Lighting Connector | Standard 5V, 3-Pin |
| LCD Screen Size | 3.95” |
| LCD Display Resolution | 720×720 px |
| LCD Display Brightness | 300 nit |
| Fan Dimension | 363.3x125x25mm |
| Fan Speed | 700 – 2500 RPM ± 10% |
| Fan Air Flow | 78.2 CFM |
| Fan Air Pressure | 5.4 mmH₂O |
| Fan Noise | 38 dBA |
| Fan Power Consumption | 10.2W Fan/8W LED |
What Makes The Cougar Poseidon Vistek Pro 360 Different?
The Cougar Poseidon Vistek Pro 360 ARGB white features a crisp display screen, offering full customization. A single fan bracket simplifies the outlook and cable management. Cougar provides a 5-year warranty. Overall, the cooler offers competitive performance at a good price, providing a good value.
Packing And Unboxing
This cooler comes inside a paperboard packing box with Cougar’s standard black and orange colors theme. The thick Styrofoam-based carton is provided inside that contains the cooler and accessories. The following are provided:
- 1x Intel Backplate
- 2x Intel Mounting Brackets
- 2x AMD Mounting Brackets
- 4x Silicone Pads
- 4x AMD Stud Bolts
- 4x Intel LGA115x Stud Bolts
- 4x Intel LGA1851 Stud Bolts
- 4x Thumb Nuts
- 12x Radiator Screws
- 1x Thermal Paste
- 1x User Guide
- 1x Safety Paper
Design
Let’s take a look at the unit.
Radiator
The fan assembly comes pre-installed over the radiator. You can see a unified body with three blades and motor assemblies. The integrated fan assembly is installed using 4x screws over the radiator. The width of the fan assembly exceeds the width of the radiator itself. One side of the fan assembly has a diffuser line running along almost the entire length.
This cooler has 360mm size radiator made of aluminum material and has an overall dimension of 392x121x52mm. 52mm height is with the fans. The assembly has 12 channels for coolant flow with an FPI count of 20. The radiator fins are contoured at a right angle. This increases the surface area of this radiator, which results in better thermal efficiency.
The tube connections are well concealed using white clamps. A sticker shows the serial number of the unit. Another sticker can be seen on one side of the radiator. Tampering with this sticker would void the warranty. I guess a port is there under the sticker, which is factory use reserved.
The side frame of the radiator housing has no branding. The fan assembly has Cougar branding on one side. Cougar uses a rubber tube with a white nylon braided mesh sleeve. These tubes have a length of approximately 395 mm.
Display Screen
Cougar has provided a display screen separately from the main block. This is also a new trend in which the screen is removable. The magnetic attachment is there, but since this screen does not have a dedicated USB cable connection, it needs an active connection from the block itself.
The screen has a 3.95” size and has a resolution of 720x720px with a 60Hz refresh rate.
The backside of the housing has four contact pins. These make a connection with the pads on the housing. This implies another limitation, that the screen can only be installed in one direction. However, software allows the rotation of the screen.
Cougar branding is visible on the top inset.
Block
The block itself has white housing measuring 88x838x67mm. The housing is almost in a square design. It has no branding or design on either side.
Looking at one of the sides, you can see insets in the black frame. This is where the mounting brackets are inserted for the installation.
Looking at the top, you can see a deep inset in which the offset housing of the screen is resting. The 4x pads are also visible, giving a hint on how to place the screen on top of the block.
Cougar has used white clamps on the block as well, which is a nice touch. The barb fittings are at a 90ᵒ angle so that tubes can be rotated as per requirement. Two cables are visible coming out from the base.
The pump is regulated using a 3-pin DC connector. The pump is rated for 2700 ± 10% RPM speed. The other connector is a 9-pin USB 2.0 that is needed for the software-based control. You would need a spare USB 20 header on the motherboard.
The cooler has a copper base. It has a protective sticker. Don’t forget to peel it off. Cougar has increased the surface area on the cold plate, which increases coolant contact area by 21% compared to the previous generation. This enhances the thermal efficiency.
The above pictures show the screen attached to the block or pump top.
Fans
Cougar has used a single frame assembly for three fans, providing a simplified and unified solution. All three fans have translucent blades and a center. The center of each fan has no branding. Four circular anti-vibration pads can be seen on the mounting corners.
The backside of each fan has a 4-arm assembly.
The fans are PWM regulated, for which a single 4-pin PWM connector is provided. The A-RGB LEDs are powered by a standard 3-pin, 5V ARGB Connector.
Installation
The cooler is tested on the MSI MEG Z790 ACE MAX motherboard using the Intel Core i7 13700k. The installation steps include:
- Place the backplate on the motherboard’s backside.
- Place silicon pads under the studs and install studs on the standoffs of the backplate.
- Place the Intel mounting brackets on the block.
- Apply thermal paste on the CPU.
- Remove the protective cover from the base of the cooler.
- Place the block on the CPU so that the threaded portions of the screw/studs pass through the holes on the arms of the brackets.
- Use thumb nuts/screws and start tightening the screws until the threads run out.
- Install the screen on the pump top.
- Install the radiator assembly in the PC case.
- Connect the cables to the motherboard.
- Installation is completed.
This cooler has a limitation on the AMD platform coming from the brackets. These are long length brackets. This means the block or pump top can only be installed in either of two orientations, as shown in the picture.
Clearance
This cooler has a dimension of 392x121x52mm with fans. Make sure your PC Case supports this dimension.
Software
Cougar LCD Editor is divided into four categories. The first page shows the summary or overview of CPU and GPU sensor data. The components page lists every PC component in detail.
You can control the screen rotation, brightness, and available theme from the Screen page. The editor page allows you to customize the display further. In my opinion, this page may be refreshed for a user-friendly layout.
Software needs further optimization, as sometimes it randomly shows the windowed display.
A-RGB Lighting
This cooler uses a standard 5V, 3-Pin A-RGB connector on the fans, making it compatible with the RGB sync technology of motherboard manufacturers, including:
- ASUS Aura Sync
- ASROCK-Polychrome Sync
- GIGABYTE RGB Fusion 2.0
- MSI Mystic Light Sync
The cooler is tested on the MSI MEG Z790 ACE MAX WiFi motherboard, and it was responding well to the changes in the Mystic Sync app. The lighting foils are adding a magic to the outlook of this cooler.
Testing
I have used the below-mentioned configuration: –
- Intel Core i7 13700K [Stock, Auto]
- MSI Z790 ACE MAX
- XPG Lancer RGB 32GB @ 7200MHz, CAS 34
- ASRock Radeon RX 7600 Phantom Gaming OC 8 GB for Display
- Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 2TB NVMe SSD
- Fractal Design ION+2 860W Platinum PSU
- Thermaltake Core P6 TG Snow Edition in an open frame layout
Here is the settings table for testing:
| Clock (MHz) | Auto |
| Voltage (V) | Auto |
| Power Profile | Intel Default |
| Thermal Paste | Noctua NT-H2 |
| Thermal Paste Application | Center Line |
| Test Run Time | 30 minutes |
| Idling Time | 10 minutes |
| All Fans Speed | 100% PWM Duty Cycle |
| Pump Speed | |
| Stress Software | CINEBENCH R23.2 |
| Monitoring Software | HWINFO64 |
Test Result
Cougar Poseidon Vistek Pro 360 ARGB White packs a solid performance in this price range with the given features set. However, the fans are loud at full speed. I suggest using a custom fan curve or the Auto PWM function, and you are good to go.
Should You Buy It?
Buy It If
Looking for a high-performance cooler: The Cougar Poseidon Vistek Pro 360 ARGB White offers good performance out of the box.
Looking for a bigger display screen: The 3.95” IPS screen offers 720×720 px resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate. It offers full customization.
Reduced Cable Clutter: Cougar has deployed an integrated fan assembly and three fans use a single cable for PWM regulation and a single cable for ARGB backlighting.
Good value cooler: Coming in at USD 149, this cooler offers a good value for your bucks.
Don’t Buy It If
Already have a good liquid cooler: Skip this cooler if you already have a liquid cooler that is doing you well.
Conclusion
We have tested a new cooler from Cougar named Poseidon Vistek Pro 360 ARGB White. This cooler comes equipped with a 3.95” IPS screen having 720x720px resolution and 300 nits brightness control. This cooler features an aluminum radiator with dimensions of 392x121x52mm with the fans. It is compatible with Intel LGA1386 / 115x / 1200 / 1700 / 1851 and AMD FM1 / FM2 / AM2 / AM3 / AM4 / AM5 sockets.
This cooler is also using the utterright fins design wherein fins are contoured at a right angle, hence providing more surface area. However, the main difference comes from the refined cold plate that offers 21% more surface area for the coolant, hence providing better cooling efficiency.
The nylon braided sleeved rubber tubes have a length of 395mm, which could have been a bit longer. The pump is rated for a 2700 RPM ±10% speed and is not PWM regulated. The pump top has a simple layout without any branding/style on the frame.
The screen is rested on an inset area over the pump top and makes a connection using four pins. The screen can’t be used on its own since it does not have a USB connection.
This cooler comes with a single fan assembly. The fans are rated for 700-2500 RPM ±10%. The airflow rating is 78.2 CFM, and the air pressure is impressive, 6.4mmH₂O. The noise rating is at 38dBA.
Installation of this cooler on the Intel LGA1700 socket requires 15 items to install the block/pump top over the CPU. The block or pump top of this cooler can only be installed in either of two orientations on the AMD AM5 platform. This is probably due to long length brackets that can only be placed vertically.
This cooler has an MSRP of USD 149.90. This cooler packs a good overall performance in a good price tag with a lot of features, including a single fan bracket and a display screen. This cooler comes with a 5-year warranty.
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[Hardware Reviewer & Editor]
Meet Nauman Siddique, a highly experienced computer science graduate with more than 15 years of knowledge in technology. Nauman is an expert in the field known for his deep understanding of computer hardware.
As a tech tester, insightful reviewer, and skilled hardware editor, Nauman carefully breaks down important parts like motherboards, graphics cards, processors, PC cases, CPU coolers, and more.
- 15+ years of PC Building Experience
- 10+ years of first-hand knowledge of technology
- 7+ years of doing in-depth testing of PC Hardware
- A motivated individual with a keen interest in tech testing from multiple angles.
- I majored in Computer Science with a Masters in Marketing
- Previously worked at eXputer, EnosTech, and Appuals.
- Completed Course in Computer Systems Specialization From Illinois Tech
Get In Touch: nauman@tech4gamers.com
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