In the current fiercely competitive market for all-in-one liquid coolers, there is a multitude of brands, a significant disparity in prices, and varying performance levels. To stand out among the many brands, major cooling brands are putting in a lot of effort in terms of product appearance, performance, and pricing. So, how can one create an all-in-one liquid cooler that not only has a unique appearance but also meets the performance needs of different processors and is competitively priced? As a result, many coolers have begun to incorporate displays, which is not a new concept. Nowadays, you can purchase a 360mm liquid cooler with a display for less than 500 yuan, but the displays on these products often provide a subpar experience, with small screen sizes, low resolutions, and an inability to play high-definition, high-frame-rate videos. It is these characteristics that create a gap between these products and high-end liquid coolers. For instance, the FROZEN GUARDIAN 360 WHITE, a one-piece liquid cooler introduced by the brand LIDCOM (hereinafter referred to as the LIDCOM Ice Guardian), boasts a screen resolution of 480x480 and is one of the few coolers on the market that supports 60fps high-frame-rate playback. So, how does it perform in terms of screen experience and cooling performance? We are about to reveal the answers.

Product Specifications:

Radiator Dimensions: 399.5mm x 120mm x 30mm

Pump Head Dimensions: 72.5mm x 71mm x 66mm

Screen Size: 2.88 inches

Screen Resolution: 480x480

Screen Type: IPS

Fan Speed: 2150 RPM ±10%

Fan Bearing: S-FDB Bearing

Fan Airflow: 69CFMFan air pressure: 2.87mmH2O

Fan noise: ≤27dB(A)

Water pipe length: 400mm

Platform compatibility: Intel 115x/1200/1700; AMD AM5/AM4

Warranty period: 6 years

Reference price: 1699 yuan

Comes with a 2.88-inch display screen

As a flagship-level liquid cooler, the Thermalright Ice Fortress features a larger display screen than many budget-friendly 360mm liquid coolers with screens, boasting a screen size of 2.88 inches. Its screen type is LCD, which helps avoid the "burn-in" issue that can occur with OLED. Particularly for products like coolers that need to display the same image for extended periods, LCD is more suitable and also more cost-effective than OLED. Moreover, the Ice Fortress's display resolution is 480x480, which offers higher clarity compared to screens with only 320x240 resolution, making static and dynamic images, text, and videos displayed on it more refined. Additionally, the screen's brightness reaches 450cd/m², which is higher than many similar products. It also supports 24-bit true color display, delivering excellent color presentation capabilities.

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The 2.88-inch full-color display of the Thermalright Ice Fortress is not just for a cool appearance; it understands the importance of user personalization. This display can showcase personalized content such as custom patterns, text, or videos. Users can not only upload and display their favorite images but also show DIY personalized patterns on the screen. This design enhances the product's appeal and brings endless fun and satisfaction to users.To display personalized content, after entering the Limin official website, move your mouse over "support" and select "download" to access the download page (), and install the "TR-VISION HOME" driver software. Once the water block is correctly connected to the PC, the main interface of the software can recognize the Limin Frozen Guardian. The software interface is simple and clear, and the right side of the main interface can display real-time temperature, usage rate, frequency, and power consumption information of the current processor and GPU. This information can also be synchronized to the screen display, for example, the processor temperature it shows comes from the packaging temperature, and the data can also change in real-time with the AIDA64 software, displaying very accurately.

The software also allows for custom themes and supports custom text editing, font size, color, and font position, all of which can be freely chosen. File import supports mainstream image formats such as JPG, JPEG, BMP, PNG, and GIF, and also supports MP4 video files. Compared to ordinary display-equipped coolers, its screen supports high frame rate display of 1080p@60fps. For example, I uploaded a video clip from "Microcomputer" with a file size of about 10MB. The speed of importing the software and uploading was very fast. Then, by "saving as a new theme," and then finding the theme in the theme preview and applying it, the water block can display it. From the display effect, the picture is smooth and clear, with no stuttering phenomenon.

The software supports multiple system information displays and layouts. The software comes with 10 preset theme modes. After clicking on the corresponding theme and previewing, then clicking to apply, the water cooling head screen can quickly switch to the corresponding mode, and the switching speed is also very fast. The software's theme editing function is relatively easier to get started with compared to other software we have used before. It provides 5 editing categories, which are: text editing, data monitoring, time display, image display, and video display. All its editing categories support superposition, and for different display data, you can directly drag the position without adjusting through editing coordinate values. This adjustment method is more user-friendly for inexperienced novice users.

Sometimes we encounter a problem where the pattern on the water block is displayed upside down, which is intolerable for some obsessive-compulsive users. Limin has actually considered this issue and added a gravity sensing function to the FROZEN GUARDIAN 360 WHITE Frozen Guardian's water block, which can automatically rotate the screen. In addition, it has also added a rotation angle function in the software, which can adapt the cold head angle by rotating the image angle, making it more convenient to use. As of the publication of this article, the latest version of the software is 2.0.0. If the version of the screen hardware is too low, it may not be able to display the themes in the software, and it is necessary to update the screen firmware. You can click "Check for Updates" in the settings interface, and then wait for 2 minutes after the screen restarts. Ensure that the terminal device version number is 118, which means the screen has been updated to the latest firmware version.It is worth noting that the software needs to run in the background for the screen to display custom images; if the software is completely exited, the screen will go black. Additionally, the software can switch temperature units, languages, and adjust brightness in the "Settings," offering a very comprehensive set of features. Currently, the TR-VISION HOME software does not support adjusting the RGB lighting effects and fan speed modes of the fans. However, the fan's lighting effects are compatible with the lighting control systems of mainstream motherboards, allowing users to unify the lighting effects through the motherboard's lighting software and create a unified lighting effect.

Equipped with Asetek's 8th Generation Water Pump

As a professional water pump solution provider, Asetek's pumps are equipped in many brand coolers. The Thermalright Frozen Guardian uses Asetek's 8th generation water pump. This pump features a three-phase motor with a maximum speed of 2500 RPM, which can enhance water flow rate and head while maintaining good performance in terms of quietness and efficiency. Compared to many single-phase motors used in water coolers on the market, the three-phase motor not only has more magnetic poles. The more magnetic poles a motor has, the greater its output torque at the same power. Therefore, the output torque of the three-phase motor is relatively higher than that of a single-phase motor, which can better promote the circulation of the coolant. Moreover, the 2500 RPM speed of the Thermalright Frozen Guardian is more than sufficient and has lower noise. Although the official noise value of the Thermalright Frozen Guardian's water pump has not been disclosed, based on previous experiences with similar solutions like the Lian Li GA II LCD 360 water cooler, the pump noise is around 30dB(A), which is negligible for daily use.

At the same time, the three-phase motor pump body used by the Thermalright Frozen Guardian does not increase the size of the cold head, and it has excellent compatibility. Compared with water coolers using ordinary pump bodies, there is no significant difference in the cold head of the Thermalright Frozen Guardian. Its dimensions are 72.5mm × 71mm × 66mm, and there is no need to worry about compatibility issues during installation. The cold head design of the Thermalright Frozen Guardian adopts a square shape and uses a 2.5D rounded transition design on the edge of the top screen.

In addition, the bottom of the Thermalright Frozen Guardian's cold head features a large area of copper base, with a measured size of 55.5mm × 55.5mm. The mirror-like copper base can better conform to the processor surface, enhancing the cooling effect. It is worth mentioning that the Thermalright Frozen Guardian's cold head comes pre-applied with thermal paste, and users can directly use it after removing the base protective cover. It also includes an additional approximately 2g tube of TF high thermal conductivity thermal paste, with a thermal conductivity of 12.8W/mk, which is convenient for users to reinstall later.

Cable Series Connection for Direct Connection

When installing a water cooler, we need to install not only the cold head but also the fans. Traditional water coolers require the installation of multiple fans separately, and fans with RGB lighting effects also need to connect power cables and lighting synchronization cables, making the connection of different cables very cumbersome and messy. The Thermalright Frozen Guardian is also aware of the user's pain points. In order to provide users with a better assembly experience, it pre-installs all the fans on the radiator, and the connection lines between the fans are connected in series, with only one cable and three connectors coming out in the end. Two of them are 5V@3Pin lighting effect connectors (one connection is enough), and the other one is a 4Pin power supply connector. This simple installation method not only eliminates unnecessary cables, making the case wiring more orderly, but also saves users a lot of assembly time. The cold head part only needs to connect the cold head water pump power supply connector and the USB connector, and the overall wiring is very simple.

The radiator is equipped with three 120mm ARGB fans, model TL-K12-W, with linear light strips designed at the four corners of the fan. The fan's maximum speed is around 2150 RPM, providing a maximum airflow of 69CFM and a wind pressure of 2.87mmH2O. The fan is equipped with 9 fan blades, and similar to the FDB fluid bearings used by many fans, it uses a bearing called S-FDB V2. Simply put, a magnet is added to the back of the fan to hold the axis. This design improves the fan's vibration problem when suspended, making the fan run more stably.It is worth noting that the S-FDB bearing is not actually an upgraded version of the FDB bearing, but rather an independent magnetically stabilized hydraulic fan design. Additionally, this fan incorporates a secondary glue-balancing technology, whose main purpose is to further improve the balance accuracy of the rotor. It is an additional balancing process based on the primary dynamic balancing, primarily achieved by applying glue (i.e., adding adhesive) to the rotor to further adjust its balance, thereby ensuring higher rotational smoothness and service life during the operation of the equipment.

Moreover, the spacing between the blades of these three fans is only about 1mm, which is a relatively more ideal range. This ultra-short blade spacing design also helps to reduce the vibration and noise of the fan. The larger the spacing, the correspondingly lower the wind pressure generated by the fan during operation. This is because a larger gap reduces the resistance to air flow, leading to increased airflow but reduced wind pressure. Many inexpensive fans on the market have blade spacing of more than 2mm. An excessively large gap may also lead to a decrease in fan efficiency, as more air might escape through the gaps between the blades and the frame instead of being effectively directed to the heat dissipation surface.

The L-Shaped Ice Guard's cold plate uses high-density, low-water-resistance heat dissipation fins. Compared to ordinary radiator cold plates, its thickness has been increased to 30mm, which is 5mm to 10mm thicker than many cold plates. This not only increases the water storage capacity of the radiator but also expands the heat dissipation area, allowing heat to be more quickly conducted to the fins and dissipated through air movement, thereby more effectively reducing the processor temperature.

The water pipe connecting the cold head to the cold plate is made of common rubber material, with a woven mesh covering the surface, and is approximately 400mm in length, which can meet the installation length requirements of various mainstream ATX and E-ATX cases. The water pipe also comes pre-installed with clips, making the installation more orderly and neat.

As a flagship 360mm liquid cooler, the L-Shaped Ice Guard is naturally capable of accommodating mainstream processors. For example, Intel LGA115X/1200/1700, AMD AM4/AM5 platforms, and current mainstream Core and Ryzen series processors can all be installed.

Installing the L-Shaped Ice Guard is also straightforward. For Intel platforms, simply replace the dedicated backplate and attach the cold head's fixing clips. I also noticed a particularly detailed design feature; its base clips have special markings for the LGA 115x and LGA 1700 sockets, allowing for easy installation by aligning with the corresponding markings. If installing a Ryzen series processor, the process is even simpler, with no need to replace the backplate. Just replace the motherboard's built-in base and secure the cold head. Additionally, the included accessory package is labeled for different platforms, making it easy for users to quickly find the appropriate clips.Unleashing nearly 300W of power with the Core i7-14700K@5.5GHz

On a platform with the Core i7-14700K processor, ROG Z790 DARK HERO motherboard, Galaxy HOF EXTREME D5-7200 memory, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super graphics card as the main hardware, we tested the cooling performance of the Thermalright Frozen Guardian. I first reset the motherboard to its default settings, then performed a single-burn FPU test on the processor using AIDA64 System Stability Test, running the stress test for over 30 minutes, and monitored temperature and power changes with HWiNFO software.

After 30 minutes of testing, the processor's voltage reached 1.27V under default conditions, with the performance core boosting to a frequency of 5.5GHz and the efficiency core operating at 4.3GHz. I observed that the power consumption of the processor under full load reached 286W, and the highest package temperature of the performance core, as observed through HWiNFO software, stabilized at around 91°C (ambient temperature was approximately 26°C). It is evident that its performance is quite impressive.

Additionally, as the processor reached full load and the radiator fans and water pump speeds were maximized, the noise from the fans was clearly audible. I monitored the radiator fan speed at around 2191RPM and the water pump speed at around 2586RPM using FanControl software, which is in line with the rated speeds.

With three fans operating at full speed, the noise they produce is somewhat noticeable. I measured the noise level at a position about 30cm away from the fans using a decibel meter, and the fan noise was approximately 52dB(A) against an ambient noise level of about 45dB(A). Our testing was conducted in an open platform. If the Thermalright Frozen Guardian were installed in an enclosed case, the noise we would hear would be significantly reduced due to the increased distance.

Comes with a 6-year warranty and 6-year leak protection service.Water-cooled radiators, due to their relatively complex structure, are prone to aging issues between connecting components in high-temperature environments, making leakage a potential risk for all water-cooled radiators. In the event of a leakage, the importance of after-sales service becomes particularly significant. In this regard, the LIMEN Frozen Guardian offers a 6-year warranty period. Additionally, it provides a 6-year leak compensation service, with 100% compensation in the first year, 85% in the second year, 75% in the third year, 60% in the fourth year, 50% in the fifth year, and 40% in the sixth year. I specifically compared the compensation ratios of other brands and found that the Frozen Guardian has a higher compensation ratio; for example, some brands reduce the compensation ratio to 70% in the third year, while it still maintains 75%.

In conclusion, after a period of experience, the LIMEN FROZEN GUARDIAN 360 WHITE ice guardian radiator meets its flagship positioning in both its exterior design and internal performance. For instance, it features a larger-sized, higher-resolution display that can smoothly play 1080p@60fps high-definition videos. At the same time, its installation has been simplified by pre-installed fans and a series connection of wires, eliminating excessive wiring and making the overall appearance more streamlined and orderly. In terms of performance, this radiator can also meet the daily high-load cooling needs of flagship processors, with a power dissipation of nearly 300W. Whether it is running high-intensity games or handling complex multitasking, this radiator can provide sufficient cooling performance for the processor.