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Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black — 240 AIO
Arctic

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black

240 AIO

87
/ 100
From $89
VS
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black wins by 1
NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB — 280 AIO
NZXT

NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB

280 AIO

86
/ 100
From $229
Specdex verdict

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black lands at 87 and NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB at 86. That puts Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.

Pick Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black if…

  • ✓Multi-socket bracket support
  • ✓Quiet fans at idle
  • ✓Strong TDP rating

Pick NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB if…

  • ✓Multi-socket bracket support
  • ✓Quiet fans at idle
  • ✓Strong TDP rating
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Install

Tie

Compared on the install sub-score

Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.

Thermals

Tie

Compared on the thermals sub-score

Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.

Noise

Tie

Compared on the noise sub-score

Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.

Value for money

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black more score per dollar ($89 vs $229).

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black 87
vs
86 NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB

Score breakdown

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black
87
thermals 87
noise 83
install 88
value 86
NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB
86
thermals 86
noise 82
install 88
value 86

Specs side-by-side

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black versus NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB — full spec comparison
Spec Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB
Type
240 AIO
280 AIO

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black

Pros
  • +Multi-socket bracket support
  • +Quiet fans at idle
  • +Strong TDP rating
Cons
  • −Height may conflict with RAM heatspreaders
  • −AIO pump noise varies
  • −Installation requires motherboard-off

NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB

Pros
  • +Multi-socket bracket support
  • +Quiet fans at idle
  • +Strong TDP rating
Cons
  • −Height may conflict with RAM heatspreaders
  • −AIO pump noise varies
  • −Installation requires motherboard-off

FAQ: Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black vs NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB

Which is better, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black or NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB? +

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black scores 87 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.

Is Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black worth the price? +

At $89, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black delivers a Specdex score of 87 — strongest in install.

Is NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB worth the price? +

At $229, NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in install.

Does Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black or NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB last longer? +

Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.

Which is the better value, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black or NZXT Kraken 280 RGB · RGB? +

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · Black — more score per dollar ($89 vs $229). Specdex score per dollar at MSRP.