The PC cooler industry remains vibrant with several options for users to select from. There are several well-known and go-to brands for cooling enthusiasts, but every once in a while, we get an opportunity to review products from companies that are unheard of. ASRock is the latest entrant in this market, who have been steadily expanding its PC hardware and component reach into various segments. At CES, we got to see their full-fledged lineup , ranging from entry-level to mainstream and high-end designs.

Today, we are going to test one of their latest gaming AIO coolers, the Challenger 360 Digital, which comes in a 360mm option. The ASRock Challenger series is positioned as the entry-tier lineups with attractive prices below $100.

The cooler brings digital goodness and decent capabilities to entry-level and mainstream PC audiences with up to 350W TDP support, a 3.0" Digital display, full integration of ASRock's Polychrome RGB Sync software, triple ring-frame fans, and a universal bracket.

So starting off with the specifications first, the ASRock Challenger 360 Digital is a 360mm AIO cooler that comes with a 360mm radiator and is compatible with both Intel and AMD platforms, including the latest LGA 1700/1851 and AM5/AM4 CPU solutions.

The AIO cooler comes in a black color scheme which should go along well with all PC builds.

The package itself is very nicely arranged, with each component in its own compartment and labeled. The AIO also ships with a handy guide that lists the installation procedure for both AMD & Intel CPUs, and it is very straightforward. ASRock also packs its Therm-X1 TIM which is said to offer high thermal conductivity.

The 360mm radiator is heavy-duty, with a 27mm design that ensures higher heat dissipation than standard 360mm AIO coolers.

The whole unit measures 397x120x27mm, and houses several aluminum fins.

The radiator comes with three 120mm Ring-Frame blade fans. These are rated to operate at up to 2100 RPM with a 0.18A DC12V power input. All three fans are encased in a singular frame.

Furthermore, the water block features a digital cover that offers a 3.0" Digital display which gives you useful information such as CPU Temperature, CPU Frequency, and Pump Speed. The display features edge lighting which looks nice.

Each fan has a 4-pin PWM connector & offers a maximum of 62.6 CFM airflow, & an air pressure of 1.77 mmH20, while running between 0-2100 RPM (31.0 dBA).

Moving over to the CPU water block, ASRock states that it is leveraging a next-gen cooling pump with a 3-phase, 6-slot, 4-pole motor for higher flow, while retaining extended durability and peak cooling. The water block makes use of a dual-side inlet cooling path, which shortens the coolant flow distance & helps retain balanced distribution across the internal "high-density" micro-fin array.

The water block has a height of 53.5mm. As mentioned above, this next-gen cooling system is used across the Phantom Gaming and Steel Legend lineups.

The CPU makes contact with a large copper baseplate, offering more than enough contact space for modern-day CPUs. The tubes themselves are lengthy, with 450mm of length, and utilize IIR+EPDM materials that offer more resistance to coolant evaporation and deformation. Plus, the new braided sleeve design offers a premium and durable look. You also get multifunctional tube clips for neater management within the chassis.

For testing the performance, we used the AORUS X670E Xtreme motherboard paired with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU, 32 GB of G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO RGB memory (DDR5-6800 EXPO), and a ROG THOR II 1000W PSU. The chassis used was a Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL, which allowed us to mount the radiator on the top since the front is a mirror panel.

The overall temperatures of the ASRock Challenger 360 are decent and makes it a worthy choice in the sub $100 cooling range.

The previous ASRock coolers that we tested were priced in the $100-$200 range, but the new Challenger 360 LCD brings 360mm Digital goodness down to $89.99. This is a very nice price for a cooler that offers decent cooling capabilities, and a range of aesthetically pleasing features such as the Digital LCD, long tubes, a pre-installed radiator with hidden cables, and wide compatibility. The pricing makes it a worthy "Value-oriented" choice for PC builders, and the Digital LCD along with Polychrome RGB makes this cooler stand out from the rest in this price segment.

Things I liked about the ASRock Challenger 360 Digital 360mm AIO Cooler:

• Good cooling performance
• Low Noise output
• Single-frame & pre-installed fans on radiator (hidden cables)
• 0RPM technology
• Great overall design
• Comes with a 6-year warranty
• Both Intel and AMD CPUs supported
• Available in 360 and 240mm designs
• Easy Installation

Things that can be improved:

• Cable clutter for the water block
• Slightly noisy at full load

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