Vortex Gaming

I think the key item in a panoramic aquarium case is definitely a liquid cooler with an LCD. Through the customization environment, you can try various productions in your own PC setup, and above all, monitoring the temperature and usage of the CPU and graphics card is one of the useful parts for high-performance PC users.

The Lian Li HydroShift LCD that I will introduce in this review is a product with a unique idea that does not expose the liquid cooler tubes to the outside. If you were worried about the internal sensibility covered by the tubes as the best tuning item for a clean showcase, you can solve it neatly with this product.

| Product Configuration |All-in-one liquid cooling main unit | Intel bracket | AMD bracket | Standoff | Water block cover | Radiator fixing screws | Radiator side mounting tube clamp | Tube fixing clip | Thermal compound | Spreading spatula | Installation guide

The Lian Li HydroShfit LCD shows an almost perfect integrated appearance that is hard to find in other liquid coolers, and we look forward to a clean build with a cover to hide the fastening bolts of the pump unit, clips for fixing the tubes, and L-shaped shrouds for changing the left and right positions of the radiator.

One of the key elements of this product is the water block with LCD. The 2.88-inch LCD with 24bit full color IPS display and 500nit brightness and 480x480 resolution are sufficient for GIF files or channel monitoring. It uses an integrated cable method that includes SATA power, internal USB, PWM, and radiator fan connection connectors near the tube in/out.

| Main Specifications |Radiator length 403mm | Radiator thickness 27mm | Hose length 475mm

The method of mounting the tubes on the side of the radiator is actually the world's first method. An L-shaped shroud cover is applied on top of the two tube fixing brackets, and the unity of the all-in-one liquid cooler stands out. The radiator is quite long based on the 360mm size, and it is a good idea to inquire with the case distributor before purchasing.

The performance and appearance are optimally designed when the tube direction of the water block is 12 o'clock, and it is basically installed according to this method. Two tube clamps are applied by default, but if there is not enough space between the motherboard and the fan, a third tube clamp can be additionally installed.

The direction of the tube can be changed to the left or right, and a different direction L-shaped shroud cover is included. In addition, the side cover of the Lian Li logo can also be changed when changing the left and right sides, and the fan that is installed by default must be removed first when changing the position.

The tube line connected to the radiator has a completely different structure from existing products. The Galahad II product also stood out for its vertical rotation method, but this Lian Li HydroShift goes one step further and presents a unique method that no manufacturer has ever thought of. When using a liquid cooler in an SFF build, the tube may be bent at 90 degrees, and this liquid cooler is not much different from a typical tube, except for the mounting part.

The Lian Li HydroShfit 360S model introduced in this review is designed with high static pressure (5mmH₂O). It is configured in the same daisy chain method as the 360RGB model, and the left and right side covers are perfectly compatible with the side ARGB kit that was released as a P28 accessory, so if you need RGB sensibility, you can purchase and install it additionally.

Standoffs and water block fixing bolts are used universally, and AMD AM4/AM5 removes the basic bracket and installs a dedicated bracket. In the case of Intel, it supports Intel 12-14th generation using the LGA1700 socket, and only the corresponding backplate is included by default, so it is recommended to check the socket compatibility before purchasing.

The tube must be installed in a bending manner, and the included clips help with installation. This product is released as a color match for the Lian Li aquarium case, so there are no major compatibility issues except for some products. The Fractal Design North XL used in the build has enough distance between the motherboard and the top of the case, so I used the basic two tube brackets as they were.

This product can only be installed if there is some distance between the radiator and the motherboard. In some cases, the radiator mount position is located inside, and in this case, installation is virtually impossible. Connect the radiator fan to the connector mounted on the pump unit, and connect the USB internal header, PUMP/FAN header, and SATA power to complete everything. Since each cable length is sufficient, you can take it out to the cable management space on the right side of the case and connect it for a clean finish.

The Lian Li HydroShift LCD is released in three models: 360RGB with general RGB fans, 360TL with Uni Fan TL version, and 360S with Non-RGB fans introduced in this review. The 360S model is optimized for black sensibility and has the best performance.

The LCD is similar to the Galahad II LCD model, but L-CONNECT 3 provides an independent category tailored to the HydroShift LCD. Style Express is a kind of theme preset, and you can select the package screen configuration of sensor channels and main functions with a simple click. In addition, the sensor layout of the general theme can use up to 4 channels in a single slider method.

Finding a GIF file that suits your sensibility is sometimes annoying. Like the Galahad II LCD model, you can save the screen of YouTube videos, etc. in mp4 file format, and you can also adjust the time and end point as well as brightness and contrast. Once saved, video files can be selected from the library and deleted.

Starting with the one-click Style Express theme, you can create your own LCD sensibility through GIF, MP4, JPG files and up to 4 monitoring channels for specific customization. The versatile function that can decorate the inside of the showcase along with the hidden tube appearance is considered the most advanced liquid cooler at this point. Of course, the 360S model is also affordable.

The Lian Li HydroShift's sensibility shows a high level of perfection that is hard to find any shortcomings. The basics of a CPU cooler are definitely cooling performance. I fixed the PL1/PL2 power limit to 253W by selecting Intel POR on the Intel 14700K, and proceeded by matching all cooling fan speeds based on an indoor temperature of 28C and a distance of 60cm 41dBA (indoor noise 31dBA).

> CPU: Intel Core i7-14700K (BCF bracket installed)

> Thermal Compound: Arctic MX-6

> Motherboard: Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE X

> PC Case: Fractal Design NORTH XL

Pump and fan speeds are managed centrally in L-CONNECT 3. The pump RPM can be adjusted from 2200 RPM to 3800 RPM, and the basic preset is configured in PWM mode, but it can be set to a fixed RPM depending on the user environment. The pump noise is somewhat noticeable at a maximum of 3800 RPM, but near 3000 RPM, it is difficult to find any noticeable noise despite the high speed. The noise level is relatively low compared to the Galahad II LCD using an Asetek pump, and you can see that a lot of attention has been paid to pump noise compared to other liquid coolers.

In this review, the pump RPM was fixed to the maximum, and the fan speed was adjusted to 1850 RPM (maximum fan speed 2500 RPM). When running the Cinebench R23 multi test for 10 minutes, it recorded a maximum temperature of 86C at a maximum power of 253W, confirming excellent performance. It is within the range that there is no problem using most Intel and AMD CPUs, and I expect satisfactory use with decent pump noise. I had almost no expectations for the bundled fans, but unlike expected, they are quite excellent compared to the bundled fans of other liquid coolers.

Lian Li is a manufacturer that continues to show innovation in the field of PC cases and cooling solutions. Starting with the popularization of panoramic aquarium cases, the modular Uni Fan shook the sensibilities of hardware enthusiasts, and I would like to say that this HydroShift has presented a new alternative to liquid coolers.

The price range of the product was released at a lower price than expected, and it is still difficult to find similar models, but it is relatively inexpensive compared to LCD liquid coolers from global top brands. Considering the stable customization environment of L-CONNECT 3 and the after-sales support of Seorin C&I, if you want to use the best emotional cooler at this point, I highly recommend it.